Woking Cycle Route Network

Woking Cycle Users’ Group

Woking Cycle Route Network

There is now a network of signposted cycle routes radiating from Woking town centre. Much of this has been put in during the last five years. The network is far from perfect and we have taken up some of the problems with Surrey County Council’s Local Transportation Service. Nevertheless, with some notable exceptions, the routes do improve travelling for cyclists, especially those who are less experienced and less confident of cycling in traffic. The aim of the network is to encourage and promote cycle travel to help achieve a shift towards more sustainable alternatives to the private car. We welcome the cycle network and, through our regular contact with the Council, we are continually seeking improvements to it. In particular we would like to see provision for cycling across the town centre to link the radial routes together.

The Primary Route Network consists of these 10 routes that will link Woking Town Centre with outlying villages and communities. Below we give a brief description of each route and the progress made to date. A free map was produced in March 2006 by Surrey County Council and, according to the Surrey County Council Website is obtainable from their contact centre on 08456 009 009.

Route 1 – Byfleet and Sheerwater to Woking
Route 2 – Goldsworth Park to Woking Town Centre
Route 3 – Guildford through Sutton Green to Woking Station
Route 4 – The A320 Chertsey Road Route
Route 5 – Goldsworth Park West to Woking
Route 6 – Byfleet and Pyrford to Woking
Route 7 – Horsell Common to Woking via Kettlewell Hill
Route 8 – Towards Chobham
Route 9 – Old Woking and Kingfield to Woking
Route 10 – Cuts across between routes 2 and 5

Route 1 – Byfleet and Sheerwater to Woking

This route links Woking Town Centre with Woodham, West Byfleet, Dartnell Park and Byfleet. From Woking, it runs along traffic-calmed Walton Road to the signal-controlled junction with Monument Road - where advanced stop lines will eventually be provided. It then proceeds via Eve Road and Albert Drive to the shops in Dartmouth Avenue. Cyclists travelling in the opposite direction go via Arnold Road and should soon benefit from advanced stop lines to be provided at the junction with Monument Road, before proceeding via Maybury Road to Woking Railway Station.

Changes of priority at the two junctions at either end of Dartmouth Avenue have made it more convenient for cyclists and should help to calm motorised traffic in the vicinity. The route rejoins Albert Drive at the Bishop David Brown School, where a Toucan Crossing has been provided. This should be helpful for school children arriving by bike from the West Byfleet direction and for pedestrians.

Segregated cycle tracks have been provided alongside the existing footways in Albert Drive. The WCUG's view is that that these would have been more acceptable if levels had been maintained across side road junctions, and if set-back stoplines had been provided on the side roads, so that the side roads do not constantly interrupt the route for cyclists.

Unfortunately, this has not happened and the usefulness of the shared-use tracks is severely limited. Most cyclists are better off staying on the roads, even though they now have to endure the aggressive behaviour of a minority of inconsiderate car drivers who seem to think that use of the tracks is compulsory for cyclists. There are also a number of pieces of street furniture and bus stops that make it difficult to cycle along the route. We are pursuing all these issues with the Council.

Albert Drive

The Council’s proposals include Toucan Crossing facilities at the junction with Sheerwater Road. Whilst these should be helpful in some situations, the WCUG has recommended that advanced stop lines should also be provided at this junction. After crossing Sheerwater Road, the route goes via Woodlands Avenue to West Byfleet Railway Station.

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Route 2 – Goldsworth Park to Woking Town Centre

This route links Woking Town Centre with Horsell and Goldsworth Park. It is now largely complete, though we have highlighted improvements that are needed.

The route enters Woking town centre by means of the light controlled cycle crossing of Victoria Way which gives access to a pedestrianised area and then into Chobham Road. Related articles: Victoria Way subway closed as part of road work, Victoria Way road works

Further improvements are planned for the southern end of Chobham Road so that it will be possible to cycle straight through, in either direction, between this point and Woking Railway Station.

The route from the canal side of the Victoria Way crossing takes cyclists along Brewery road and Horsell Moor to Arthurs Bridge Road.

A light controlled crossing at Arthurs Bridge gives access to a shared segregated path on the North side of Lockfield Drive to Harelands Roundabout. Cycle paths around Harelands Roundabout lead to a short section of road and then a cut through for cyclists between Lidstone Close and Quintrell Close and then on into Goldsworth Park. The route continues along the path to the north of Goldsworth Lake, via Wishbone Way and Kirkland Avenue to reach the northern end of Lockfield Drive.

Related article: Safer routes to link with town centre

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Brewery Road

Route 3 – Sutton Green to Woking Station

This route links Woking Railway Station, via White Rose Lane, with Woking Park, Westfield and Sutton Green. It also provides a recreational route giving access to the open country to the south of the Borough and is part of the link to the.

From the station the route uses a contra flow cycle lane at the town end of White Rose Lane which then feeds into cycle lanes on either side of the lower section of White Rose Lane to turn then into Woking Park. Though not signposted through the Park, the route can be followed to a cycle friendly crossing of Kingfield Road and from there is signposted on existing quiet roads to Sutton Green and on towards Guildford. Route 3 now provides a relatively quiet route for cyclists between Woking and Guildford.

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Route 4 – The A320 Chertsey Road Route

This route links Woking Town Centre with the neighbouring District of Runnymede, following the A320 using shared pavements for the first section from Woking eventually joining a path separated from the main road as far as St. Peter’s hospital. We have strong reservations about parts of this route where shared use is permitted on narrow pavements close to a fast and very busy main road. The route, with its imperfections, provides a useful route for cyclists out of Woking town centre into open countryside to the North of the town, crossing Horsell Common and linking to many quiet country roads ideal for leisure cycling.

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Horsell Common Preservation Society

Route 5 – Goldsworth Park West to Woking

This route will link Woking Town Centre with Mount Hermon, St Johns and Goldsworth Park West. It will incorporate the existing cycle crossing of Amstel Way. Though the route is now complete near the town via Poole Road, Kingsway, and Elm Road to reach St. John’s Road, there then follows a long section to St. John’s with no cycle lanes or clear signposting. This remains to be completed.

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Route 6 – Towards Pyrford and Byfleet

Along with Route 5 , this route will start on the South side of Woking station, where a subway (unfortunately with steps) can be used to access the town centre.

This route follows Oriental Road to Maybury. Having crossed under the railway the route is then signposted along quiet residential roads in Maybury to East Hill. Turning left the route shares the pavement for a short way until an island in Woking Road gives access right to Pyrford Common Road. It is hoped to extend this route via bridleways Dodd’s Lane and Murray’s Lane to give a quiet route into Byfleet village. These bridleways can be ridden now but are not surfaced or signposted and can be very wet in winter. From Pyrford Common Road the link to the Surrey Cycleway can be followed out to the North Downs.

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Victoria Arch railway bridge

Route 7 – West Byfleet to Old Woking

This route simply uses Chobham Road and Kettlewell Hill to provide an alternative route North from the town between routes 4 and 8. At the end of Kettlewell Hill cross Shores Road to join a pleasant bridleway onto Horsell Common.

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Route 8 – Byfleet to West Byfleet

This route also forms part of the link from Egham, via Woking, to the Surrey Cycleway. It follows Brewery Road and Church Hill to enter Horsell village and then turns right on South Road eventually to reach the A3046 towards Chobham. Our long term aim is to complete a dedicated cycleway on land beside this busy road to reach Chobham.

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Route 9 – Mimbridge to Woking

This route shares White Rose Lane with route 3 from Woking station to Woking Park. Soon after entering the Park, the route turns left away from route 3 and then follows Elmbridge Lane and Howards Road to reach Rydens Way. At the end of Ryden’s Way a footpath provides a link to the roundabout in Old Woking from which a future extension is intended to Send.

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Route 10 – Horsell Common to Woking Town Centre

This route provides a link between route 5 at Goldsworth Road through quiet roads to Arthur’s bridge where a dedicated light controlled cycle crossing of Lockfield Drive provides a link to route 2.

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See also:
Secondary Cycle Routes

Town Centre Facilities