metAugust05
NOTES OF HFCYCLISTS MEETING
Tuesday 2 August 2005 , 7.30pm in the Info Centre
Present: John Griffiths, Louanne Tranchell, Mark Fossick, Andy Ellard, Veronique Cartier, Bill Ogden, Chris Tranchell, Sarah Taylor, Alan Rowden.
Apologies: John Smits, Jonathan Gurney, Alex Forest, Chris Bainbridge, Paul Alexander.
BEING INVOLVED
It was pleasing that four new members came along tonight. Under interrogation
they admitted variously to such skills as being able to deliver leaflets,
talk to bike shops, design web sites, bake cakes, etc. All were keen to
be involved in our activities and come on rides and do things. Very Promising.
We will try and raise our profile soon and distribute leaflets to cyclists
and bike shops. If you are keen to join this wave of enthusiasm and euphoria,
please contact john as below.
And it is pleasing that they all came for a short ride along the river after the meeting to the Black Lion for further discussions.
STREETSCENE
Alan confirmed that bike stands that had been removed were being replaced
in the Uxbridge rd. Chris Bainbridge also confirmed today that bike stands
outside the Shepherds Bush H&C line station had been replaced.
John showed a photo he had taken of new stands being installed in Queen Caroline street outside Snappy Snaps at the end of King street. In this case the cycle stands were being installed at the same time as the paving was being laid, an indication that they were actually included in the plans.
Alan brought up the lack of stands near the Lyric theatre, and complete lack in the square.
Alan was also wondering about the kerb height, as it appeared not to exist, or rather to be negligibly low, in some places along King street.
CAR FREE DAY [22 September]
We will do something on the evening of Thursday 22 September. Several
people here tonight said they would be involved.
Louanne wondered if that date could be made the official opening of Lyric square, which was once a messy road and now turned into a high quality public space.
The council will give some "Good Going" money towards the Godolphin Gardens event on the weekend following. Louanne questioned how that event was related to sustainable transport / in town without my car.
OYBIKE
Most oybikes and docking stations have been removed, but a few remain.
Perhaps about 6 stands, with no noticeable movement of bikes. The Urban
Partnership Group have left the partnership. The 6 month appraisal by
Dr Bob Noland at Imperial College for TfL is over, but some wish this
to be extended for a few more months. The council is still awaiting usage
figures from the inventor, Bernie Hanning.
The oybike website is still active and recruiting recruits. The objective of over 100 stands being shared by oybike, with each bike making say 10 trips per day has not materialised. If it had there might well have been a problem of your bike being trapped on a stand under the tethers of several oybikes.
RIDES
We will have a ride to the Mela at Gunnersbury Park on Sunday 14 August.
This is a southeast Asian celebration with free entry. See:
http://www.ealing.gov.uk/services/ealing+summer+2005/london+mela.asp
We will leave from Furnival gardens at 1pm. [Furnival Gardens is the bit of greenery along the river fairly near Hammersmith bridge, and between the Rutland and the Dove pubs. Across the big road from Hammersmith town hall]
OTHER RIDES YOU MAY WISH TO GO ON
4 September - Richmond to Windsor
charity event.
see http://www.bike-events.com/
10/11 September Sustrans London
- Cambridge
This year is a big year for Sustrans, we are celebrating reaching 10,000
miles of national cycle network, one of the ways we are doing this is
by organising a series of rides around the country. One of these celebratory
rides is from London through the Lee Valley, Harlow, with an overnight
in Stansead then on to Cambridge to arrive on Sunday the 11th of September
for the cycle festival on that day, see:
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp?sID=1090917618220&pID=
CYCLING PROMOTION EVENT
Gemma Woodham is planning to organise an event to encourage people to
take up cycling. For people living within 5 miles of Hyde Park. It involves
cyclists congregating at their local bike shops, receiving information
about cycling, and then cycling to Hyde Park for a celebration. Some weekend
day in September. We will give more details later, but if you are keen
to be involved or can help in any way in the planning process please contact
Gemma on 07787 115 987.
CRISP at SBG
John has been studying the Cycle Route Implementation Stakeholders Plan
for Shepherds Bush Green. This is part of the planning process for new
cycle facilities in the area.
John showed the map that came with it. Louanne pointed out that instead of the new interchange area the plan still showed shops and a pub. John pointed out that more critically for a plan of cycle route planning it showed out of date plans for junction layouts and cycle lanes.
The plan was also somewhat misleading, as a proposed cycle lane shown down the right hand side of the fast lane of the Uxbridge rd adjacent to the green, was not actually recommended in the fine print of the document.
Andy said that someone travelling on the Uxbridge rd would not switch to the common and then back again to the street. They would stay on the street. He praised the route on the common that lets you cycle southwards from the Wood lane junction, as the roadway is one way against you.
Alan was horrified that people actually cycled around the Holland park roundabout. Alan takes the Addison rd bridge to bypass it.
John regularly cycles round the roundabout, sometimes with Oskar perched in the tray on the back of the bike.
Louanne raised the importance of the Westfield development on the planning. [Westfield is what the cranes are there for and will make Brent Cross look insignificant]. Will the original Chelsfield designs be altered now Westfield is controlling it?
Bill said he would try and find out the implications and opportunities of the Westfield complex for the area as far as cycling was concerned. Would Caxton road be the main pedestrian entrance? Or the SW plaza on Wood Lane? Where would cycle parking be?
John would like to see more emphasis on making the roadways safer. The CRISP report considers many alternatives that may have problems in putting cyclists through the crowded pedestrian area between the central line station and the W12 centre on the south side of the green.
Our reply to the draft CRISP needed by 10 August.
POLICING OF ERRANT CYCLISTS.
Louanne reported that there were indications afoot for the more strict
clamping down on nuisance cyclists. We hope that it will be directed against
the main problem of antisocial persons, rather than any cyclist found
on the pavement. John will try and pursue this.
LIAISON MEETING
The proposed liaison meeting with Chris Bainbridge has been postponed
because several people who would normally come are away on holiday.
MEETING WITH CLLR STEPHEN BURKE
John has been communicating with the new leader of the council, Cllr Stephen
Burke, and a meeting has been arranged later this week with Stephen and
others to see what can be done to encourage cycling in the Borough. It
is great news that the leader of the Council is taking an active interest
in promoting cycling.
EXPENSES
John had expenses of £10.83 for refreshments.
DATE FOR NEXT MEETING - PLEASE PUT IN DIARY NOW.
TUESDAY 6 SEPTEMBER AT 7.30PM AT THE INFO CENTRE.
John Griffiths [chair / co-ordinator]
020 7371 1290 / 07789 095 748
john@truefeelings.com
OUR WEBSITE www.hfcyclists.org.uk