An invitation to provide feedback. Please read to the end...
The Ham & Petersham Association shared concerns for a pedestrian and cycle bridge between Twickenham and Ham in their newsletter this week. They stated these as;
Concern for the level of local consultation.
- Apparently only 187 people from Ham and Petersham took part in the consultation about this two years ago.
Concern for consequences of a bridge (which include):
- A slightly shorter walk or cycle ride to Twickenham Station.
(Not sure WE see this as a 'concern', more a blessing). - Harm to the character of Ham and Petersham.
- Turning Ham into a commuter parking hotspot.
- Damage to Hammerton Ferry.
- Increase in leisure cyclists from the other side of the Thames making their way out of London.
The Association also shared that they would prefer to spend any money raised for this topic on improving Teddington Lock Bridge or access to Hammerton Ferry.
None of the above seems a concern to us, just something to manage carefully.
However, the Radnor Bridge team is troubled that the Ham & Petersham Association likes to publicly champion an opposition to the bridge - galvanising disgruntled Ham residents around the Association in the process. Their preference is to preserve Ham Lands as a "private back garden" for a small number of people who live in Ham.
Obviously we actively encourage debate on this subject. It's healthy to explore alternative points of view. But refusing to acknowledge the benefits a bridge can 'gift' to the wider borough community is counter to our vision. And choosing to 'lock down' the Lands for the enjoyment of a few people seems plain wrong. So since they have invited feedback from residents on this matter, we would like to invite you to write to them with a response.
The address is chair@hamandpetersham.com
Feel free to copy us in at RadnorBridge@interrelated.co.uk too.
Thank you.
Thank you.
The bridge is a fantastic project and I think a modern iconic design. We use bridges every day that others had to get built. It is time for our generation to contribute and for that to be a dedicated active travel alternative is exactly the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteRe the Teddington Lock bridge. I would upgrade that as well! These things can be done if the community makes them a collective goal.
As a commuter who walks her bike across Teddington lock everyday, I think this bridge is in high demand. Commuting walkers and cyclists clog up the lock every weekday and weekend morning, and cyclists are in fact banned from cycling over it, making the journey slower and the area on the Ham side more inaccessible. I must agree with the opinion here, that by not building the bridge, Ham lands is being preserved as a 'back garden' for those lucky enough to live nearby it. And yes, if a cars were passing through the grounds then the bridge would be an environmental hazard - but as the article reminds us, biodiversity in Ham lands is thriving, and by enabling more people to enjoy the green open space, woodland paths and river walks, the work which goes into preserving the area can be more widely enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteAs a Ham resident I totally support the building of this bridge. It will really help with commuting, which is currently difficult. with the best intentions the bus service in rush hour to Richmond is often tricky down the Petersham Road in rush hour. To have this alterntive to cross to Twickenham would improve my commute immensely. It will also open up the other facilities of Twickenham, i.e restaurants and shops. Of course all the factors such as Hommerton Ferries and the ecological effect must be taken into consideration. But on balance I would welcome this development.
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