NOTES OF HFCYCLISTS MEETING 3 JUNE 2014
Held at the home of John Griffiths, 122c Edith rd, W14 9AP at 7.30pm
PRESENT:
John Grifiths, Alex Ingram, Roy Instrall, Susie Gretz, Paul Saunderson, Janusz Carmello, Petrina Beaufoy Helm, Ken McCosh, David Marsh, Sima John
APOLOGIES:
Roger de Freitas, John Gilbert, Ayse Kardes, Sophie Glossop, John Gilbert.
SPECIAL GUEST
We were pleased to welcome Roy Instrall to the meeting. Roy leads the LBHF Streetscene Enforcement Team. This deals with a wide range of matters including fly-tipping, market traders etc. It also covers dead bikes.
Roy told us of the procedures for removing bikes that are deemed abandoned or derelict and those that are causing an obstruction. Deciding whether a bike is dead or not is not simply a matter of seeing if a wheel or saddle is missing. The owner may have removed them as a precaution against theft. If the tyres are flat as well that is a good indication.
The bike is given a yellow ticket and is then removed a day or two later, using an angle grinder if necessary to cut through D-locks. It is then stored at the depot in Glenthorne road for 21 days at least. In a year about 250 bikes are picked up, and about 5 are reclaimed by their owners..
At the moment the bikes are not recycled in any useful way, other than being taken away as scrap. This is because the Council does not want to be responsible for forwarding bikes that have possibly been stolen or in case the bike has been in a collision and the frame is damaged.
Roy is going to look at the matter to see if there are any alternative ways in which the stockpile of dead bikes can be put to better use by the community.
Roy’s team does not deal with bikes that are removed during pavement works. This is handled by the Council’s contractor.
Roy is a keen cyclist and here is a short clip of him on the Bec Hill Climb.
Roy can be contacted on roy.instrall@lbhf.gov.uk.
COUNCIL CHANGES
The new Council does not become fully operational until after its AGM on 16 June. We understand that Cllr Wesley Harcourt will be the Cabinet Member for Transport, the Environment and Resident Services. Also that Cllr Larry Coherne will head the Policy and Accountability Committee for that section.
HAMMERSMITH BRIDGE SURVEY
We now have had 134 responses to our online survey. The survey was distributed by email, twitter and leaflet. Thanks to all who have filled in the survey, and to those who helped hand out the leaflets
On the question of 20mph on the bridge, there was overwhelming [96%] support for it.
One third of the respondents thought that the bike logos meant cyclists should ride so that they could be overtaken, two thirds that they should ride so that thet cannot be overtaken. For signing meant to convey that cyclists should hold the lane this is not a good result, especially if car and van drivers interpret the logos in the same way.
On seeing the survey Tom Bogdanovicz of LCC told us that Councils can use a sign that states “Narrow lanes – do not overtake cyclists”, even though it is not an officially recognised road sign.
Reading all the responses to thr other questions, John thinks that the best solution for the bridge is a 20mph limit, and very clear signing stating the above, or “cyclist priority” at the pinch points.
We will approach the council with our proposals at some point after 16 June.
The survey has also been useful as a way of introducing cyclists to the group, and many have joined the email group after taking this survey or being on the space4cycling ride.
If you have not done so, please look at the survey now.
surveymonkey.com/s/HBconcepts
SPACE FOR CYCLING
The leader of the Council Cllr Stephen Cowan has asked officers to start seeing how the Councils manifesto can be implemented. Alex will be contacting Chris Bainbridge of LBHF soon with suggestions based on our asks and our mini manifesto.
Some of the asks could be of use in wards other than where they were originally proposed, where applicable, such as a car parking space being given over to cycle parking. One suggestion is to use cycle hangars, miniature aircraft hangars, where perhaps 8 bikes can be stored by their owners who each have a key for the hangar.
20 MPH
The Councils manifesto includes
“Extend the Home Zone programme so that all residential streets, not trunk roads, become 20 mph”
The A4 and A40 were trunk roads, but are now designated as part of the Transport for London Road Network. The other main roads are part of the Borough’s Strategic Road Network, over which the Council does not have complete control as TfL has some control.
John and Alex have met with Jeremy Leach of 20splentyforus, and would like to see a Borough wide scheme rather than incremental home zones. Jeremy is working on an active travel scheme that we hope might help us influence the Council.
HAMMERSMITH GYRATORY
LBHF are carrying out modelling on proposals for the gyratory post flyunder. This probably includes the scenarios indicated in the proposals for the flyunder, such as no traffic on the west side of the gyratory, two way working on the rest of it, perhaps two way working on King street for buses and cycles.
The flyunder should not much alter the local traffic in the centre of Hammersmith, as the flyunder just replaces the flyover, so there is no reason if the modelling is successful it cannot be implemented straight away.
The gyratory refers to Hammersmith Broadway, the old main drag on the north side, Butterwick, the ghastly racetrack on the east side, Talgarth rd to the south and Queen Caroline street on the west. In the interim it would be good if this was made 20mph.
GLENTHORNE ROAD
In recent emails Morag has asked what has happened to the short contra flow cycle lane on Glenthorne rd. Chris has explained this is now incorporated into shared use on the footway. Alex asked what has happened to the elephant footprints indicating where a cycle route crosses Glenthorne rd. Chris explained that these markings can officially only be used at a signalled crossing, and so they have been removed.
THE SCRUBS CYCLE ROUTE
John noticed that there is now a ramp barrier across the entrance from Wood Lane. Chris has passed this on to Simon Franklin, LBHF cycling Officer. Alex and Paul added that there had been problems with travellers on the Scrubs six months ago and that the dormant barrier had since been put back into operation.
This update from Simon Franklin, since the meeting
[Parks Police and Parks have been discussing the replacement of the barrier and potential installation of automated bollards or another form of barrier. Consideration will be made for cyclists, but unfortunately there is no particular time scale for this scheme at present as we need to determine an accurate cost estimate for the works and find the appropriate funds.
I am pressing for this work to be prioritised .
Good news is that Parks have a programme to upgrade sections of the cycle route – possibly to be shared use as in Bishops Park.]
RIDE LEADER TRAINING
LCC organise ride leader training for a group of up to ten people for five hours for £250. hfcyclists could pay for this but we would expect you to lead or help out on rides.
If you are interested in participating please contact Alex on alex@hfcyclists.org.uk and state whether you can do weekdays or weekends or both.
SUNSET RIDE
Join us on our annual ride through Richmond Park to the Roebuck on Richmond Hill. This legendary ride is a highlight of BikeWeek. Local groups ride to meet up there to the greet the sunset.
Meet at 7pm for 7.15pm departure. On the platform overlooking the Thames at the end of Queen Caroline Street almost under Hammersmith Bridge.
Contact Janusz on januszcarmello@hotmail.com , 07809 611 077
CYCLE BREAKFAST
Simon Franklin of the council has invited all local cyclists to their Cycle Week breakfast
8-10AM outside Hammersmith Town Hall, Thursday 19th June
ROGER’S GARDEN PARTY
Roger de Freitas is hoping to hold a splendid garden party again this year, perhaps towards the end of July. More later.
BILLIE FLEMING
Paul wanted us to mention Billie. She died recently aged 100. She was a pioneer of long distance riding. She has an entry in wikipedia.
Obirtuary:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10865425/Billie-Fleming-obituary.html
Interview on her 100th Birthday:
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/cycling-weekly/billie-fleming-happy-100th-birthday-121964
EXPENSES
Alex had expenses of £57.22 for buying a banner, and printing and laminating costs involved with space for cycling
John had expenses of £24 for Monkey survey [ Hammersmith Bridge survey]
And £33.43 for refreshments.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Tuesday 8 July, 7.15 for 7.30pm, at the home of Susie Gretz, using the lovely garden if clement.
Susie at 4a Eynham rd, W12 0HA
susanna.gretz@gmail.com
020 8749 1969