A wishlist of modifications, mostly small, that would improve the Cycle Orbital experience. Many of them ask for the completion of existing Sustrans projects*. First though (May 2026), a top priority: regrettably, since the first recce rides a decade ago there has been notable deterioration of road surfaces, particularly on the minor lanes favoured by this network - and especially within woodlands. It is not just an issue of the infamous Potholes, but whole surface degradation. You will encounter 'temporary' red warning signs: FAILED ROAD SURFACE from time to time, and thus ironically on some rides it is the off-road sections that will offer the most comfortable cycling.
Arcs
1] Arc 4 Dartford to Shoreham: above and along the River Darent (Lullingstone)
Install short cycleway parallel to riverside footpath, Lullingstone Castle - Lullingstone Park
2] Arc 5 low Shoreham to Titsey: Pilgrim's Way (Chevening diversion)
A small ask of HMG; we should be able to follow in the footsteps and wheel ruts of Chaucer’s pilgrims and their carts! (The ancient path passes through the Foreign Secretary's Chevening estate)
3] Arc 6 Titsey to Walton: Surrey North Downs East (A22 and A23)
Improvements and detour eliminations at Gravelly Hill/A22 crossing; cycle contraflow westbound at Hooley/A23
4] Arc 7 Walton to Clandon: Surrey North Downs West (undriveable drove road)
Improvements to the near-impassable eastern section to Whitedown Lane of the drove road byway over the Downs from Ranmore to Shere
5] Arc 8a Clandon to West Byfleet: Send, Ripley and Wey Navigation (towpath)
Surfacing improvements to towpath on sections of the Wey Navigation
6] Arc 10 Taplow to Chesham: the Low Chilterns (Penn Woods-Little Missenden)
Upgrade of the byway through Penn Wood and adoption of the ‘ghost’ Beamond End Road as cycleways
7] Arc 11 merged Chesham to Bulstrode Cross: above the Chess ('ghost road')
Adoption of the ‘ghost road’ from Jasonhill to Pudd’s Cross as cycleway
Spokes
8] Spoke 5W Ewell West to Headley: The Racing Downs West (Sheep Walk)*
Install a stable surface on Sheep Walk (NCN22) alongside the horse-riding gallop
9] Spoke 6-7 Hampton Wick to Egham via Thames Path to Staines (Shepperton ferry)
Permissive contraflow cycling westbound on one-way Docket Eddy Lane
10] Spoke 7a at Virginia Water
Since 2022 cycles are prohibited ridden or pushed on the SW section of Virginia Water to Blacknest Gate, necessitating a reroute on busy A roads. Not a good look in a Royal Park, and the path needs upgrading to accommodate all forms of active travel
11] Spoke 11NE Elstree to Hatfield via North Mymms and Old Hatfield (Mimms-Mymms)
Stabilisation of byway surface between South Mimms and North Mymms
12] Spoke 12 Hadley Wood to Wheathampstead via North Mymms (M25 underpass)*
Improvements to the forbidding route crossing under M25 and behind S Mimms services on NCN12
13] Spoke 12-1E Link Hadley Wood to Turkey Brook Park: Enfield Chase (missing link)*
NCN12, where are you? Signed but incomplete section after the excellent rewilding-with-access improvements to Enfield Chase: it only needs 1km of bridle/cycleway to link up to Waggon Road at Stagg Hill, avoiding the detour south to busy Ferny Hill.
Spin-offs
14] Spin-off 1-2-3 Moreton to Rainham: The Essex Outer Arc (unstable surfaces)*
Stabilisation of cycleway surfaces on NCN125 in Dagnam Park and Pages Wood (attended to – 4/2018)
15] Spinoff 3 Rainham to Tilbury Fort: Thames Estuary North Bank (NCN adoption)*
Byway improvements upstream of QE2 bridge from Purfleet station, to complement the amazing cycle-able downstream section: adoption as NCN13
16] Spinoff 4 Dartford to Gravesend: Thames Estuary South Bank (NCN adoption)*
Completion of the cycleway infrastructure downstream of the QE2 bridge, particularly to the forbidding section at Ebbsfleet on through the cement depot to Northfleet: adoption as rerouted NCN1 (partially attended to by Thames Path routing at Northfleet/Rosherville - but sorely lacking in Swanscombe Marshes).
17] Spinoff 5 Eynesford to Tatsfield via stately homes: The Kentish Weald Arc (Hever)*
Install short cycleway permissions at Hever to extend Regional Route 12 (Tonbridge to Penshurst) through to Edenbridge