East London Cyclist Archives
The newsletter of Tower Hamlets London Cycling Campaign Group
June - July 2002
Get on your bike for a week!
Bike Week is the national celebration of all things pedal-powered and runs from 15th - 23rd June this year. The Tower Hamlets Wheelers are holding a variety of events throughout the week, so do come along and have some fun in the sun! (hopefully). The Council is kindly supporting us with some of the events and this is most that the Wheelers have organised for many years.
The week kicks off with the Great Beigal Challenge on Saturday 15th June, a 'race' between different forms of transport to see who can shift their precious beigal the fastest! If you have a strange bike (recumbant, disabled person's bike, trailer-bike, etc.) or any out-of-the-ordinary form of transport please consider taking part. Contact owen@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk.
Wheelers Bike Week event listing
PLEASE NOTE: ALL WHEELERS ACTIVITIES ARE "WORLD CUP FRIENDLY" - WE GUARANTEE NO CLASHES! We have specifically arranged all our Bike Week events to fit round the matches.
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Campaigning
Is Tower Hamlets Council listening?
Clearly taken aback by the unison of feeling, but nevertheless willing to listen and try to explain, Lyndal Peters, Tower Hamlets' Cycling Officer braved a Wednesday night meeting to discuss various cycling issues in the borough: problems, solutions, what the council is going to do, and up-and-coming events.
First on the agenda was Grove Road's new cycle lane that is dangerously narrow - as featured in the last East London Cyclist after several people on the Wheelers email group voiced grave concerns. These will be removed, and to indicate a route, circular cycle symbols will remain. Here lies an important difference between a cycle route and a cycle lane.
On the same theme, Cable Street's once excellent facilities have received a massive input of cash and it's now all but un-rideable!. We told Lyndal we think it is dangerous, slow and less attractive to ride than it has been since it was built. We're not quite sure who it is who made the wonderful decision to place a steel post painted black in the middle of the lane. Lyndal also seemed unsure of the logic behind this piece of deadly street furnitureclearly she is not yet aware of Tower Hamlets borough officers' obsession with bollards, railings and posts. We have asked for it for it to go! Gary suggested a cyclist may collide with this, and the borough may find itself at the business end of a large writ!
The other and more distressing point regarding Cable Street, also part of the improvement, is the relegating of cycles to second-division transport on this piece of highway. As soon as the dedicated raised and segregated cycle path was built, another great decision was made, this time at the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR), that cyclists should be forced to break their journey every 20 meters to give way to traffic turning into and out of side streets. Clearly it was thought that this hierarchy would be unacceptable to powered traffic, but not to cyclists. At this point Lyndal almost started to tow the official line, and began talking of "considering all road users" - meaning cars - but soon realised this was not a fruitful direction to head down with our group! This daft-as-a-brush 'improvement' is an experiment from the DTLR, and if you want it changed then you must write to:
Lindsay Williams, DTLR, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR.
Tell her how bad it is and you want it changed. If you don't write, it will not change. If you do write, it may well do.
We then discussed a number of potential grant opportunities including the
continuation of Cable Street into Royal Mint Street. The conclusion here
was undecided, as Transport for London has screwed up the interchange with
Mansell Street. Please air your views here in the newsletter or on the
email group if you have a solution. (newsletter: write to Alix Stredwick)
Cycle parking suggestions at interchanges with other forms of transport
(tube, bus, DLR, etc.) were given after Lyndal asked for our opinion. She
was puzzled as to why people would lock their cycle to a railing, rather
than use a bike stand. We pointed out that railings are more often in the
line of vision from a shop, newsstand vendor or the general public. This
means that they are firstly more likely to be spotted as a secure object to
which to lock your bike, and secondly perhaps less likely to encourage
thieves than bike stands that tend to be tucked away from fields of vision.
Pictures of a mini scale cycle training park in New Zealand were shown round
by Lyndal (where she comes from). This took the form of a 'streetscape'
with mini stop signs, street furniture, roundabouts, etc. She has put
forward a possible plan for a similar scheme here. The general feeling from
the Wheelers was that the problem with teaching people to cycle was not
teaching them to stop at a sign, but keeping them safe from motorised
vehicles. The idea is valid and useful for helping people gain confidence
with balance and control in a safe environment, but without on-road training
as well, would not give people confidence to ride in traffic. Gary
suggested the council could hire a professional cycle trainer for a fixed
period and establishing a series of classes to be held perhaps in Victoria
Park - itself a streetscape of sorts.
Bethnal Green Links: money has been earmarked for improving routes around
Bethnal green...hopefully not just strips of green tarmac 15 inches wide by
8 feet long!
The London Cycle Network's new Strategic cycle routes was the issue that
clearly united everybody in the group. The recently renamed LCN+ is a
scaled-down version of the original LCN. (spot the irony). Is the Mayor
and TfL really interested in increasing cycling? Lyndal showed us the new
'strategic' east west route that begins by meandering around Aldgate,
travelling up the Mile End Road, diverts south onto Stepney Way and
continues eastward, dog-legging hither and thither, and ending up on a marsh
somewhere near Tesco in Bow. Is this strategic? This has actually been
proposed by the TfL Cycling Centre of Excellence. At one point they want
cyclists to use Hamlets Way, running alongside Tower Hamlets cemetery, scene
of a Wheelers mugging, various assaults and recently dead body discoveries.
Simply improving the lighting is not a solution!
For ten years our group has lobbied for a strategic cycle route on the Mile
End road, as well as a back-street slow route. The group made it clear, a
strategic route should follow the Mile End Road, linking with Stratford.
The current route links the City of London with some swamp grass by the
Blackwall Tunnel. A 'strategic' route should not be a back-street route!
After eight years of campaigning we still don't want a back-street route!
The council is suggesting hiring a number of professional cycle trainers to
train up trainers in the borough. We supported this concept.
For Bike Week the council has offered to support a cyclists breakfast in
Mile End Park and the Great Biegal Challenge.
There are a number of proposed events for Don't Choke London and Car Free
Day: a travelling seminar and a road closure, respectively. Gary suggested
'greening' Grove Road between the two halves of Victoria Park; a symbolic
union on which the Wheelers could play a footie match with the council.
Lyndal will take this up (the road closure) with the council.
Many thanks to Lyndal for coming along, listening to our views, and
hopefully taking them on board! With any luck we will start to see some
changes to the dodgy schemes in the borough and some new, useful schemes
that will make life easier for current cyclists and encourage more people to
get pedalling. Good luck Lyndal - and remember that we're here to put
forward cyclists' views, to work with you to achieve the same aims.
Gary Cummins
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 Take ACTION! - Attention Cable Street Users
Help us get rid of the ludicrous give-way lane markings that were painted on
the recently finished raised section of the Cable Street cycle lane. Now
cyclists must stop and give way when a side road - and even a private
driveway! - meets Cable Street. We strongly object to cyclists not being
given priority along a cycle route designed to give cyclists a fast and
quiet east-west alternative to the nearby main A-roads. Even if you don't
use the route please write to show your objection to this kind of action.
Tower Hamlets council cycling officer, Lyndal Peters has informed us that
this scheme was recommended by the DTLR (Department of Transport, Local
Government and the Regions) as an 'experiment'. We have a chance of
reversing it if as many of us as possible send letters of objection to: Lindsay Williams, DTLR, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1 4DR
Please copy the letter to all the recipients featured in the 'letter-writing in general' section of this newsletter. Contact Owen if you would like a Word template of our headed paper. Gary Cummins is one Wheeler who has already written so please contact him if you would like to know what he put in his letter.
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Letter writing
This does make a difference. It is one way many improvements have been made to cycling facilities in Tower Hamlets in the past. You have the knowledge and you are the expert of your local area. Planners and decision-makers won't be cycling along our local roads and routes day after day in all situations, which is why our input to them is so important. The more they hear from us, the more they will take our requests on board and come to us for advice in the first place.
- When something gets your goat, put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, and tell the person responsible, letting them know what should be done instead.
- If you are unsure what the solution is or how to phrase it do contact Owen who can help - or will help you find someone who can.
- It is unhelpful to be rude in a letter; please avoid a 'rant'! Put your point forward politely, seriously, clearly and concisely.
- Let the person know exactly what you want and why you want it, and ask questions if you don't know the reasoning behind an action (or inaction).
- If they do not respond, answering all your questions, within a reasonable time, write again, reminding them.
Letters get people's attention: they can influence people, who can take action.
Any letter should be copied to the following people:
Tower Hamlets council
- Lyndal Peters, Cycling Officer lyndal.peters@towerhamlets.gov.uk
- Tom McCourt, Head of Traffic and Transportation
tom.mccourt@towerhamlets.gov.uk
- Councillors - they dictate what council officers do so we want them on our
side. The more they hear a cycling voice the more they will have to listen.
Find out the local councillors for your ward by visiting www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/data/your-council/data/councillor/index.cfm or phone the council: 7364 5000
All at: London Borough of Tower Hamlets, 60 Southern Grove, London E3 4PN
Transport for London
Derek Turner, Street Management, Transport for London, Windsor House, 42-50 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0TL
Switchboard: 7941 4500
Your MP
Most likely Oona King MP or Jim Fitzpatrick MP
House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
To find out who is your MP, tel 7219 3000 or look at www.locata.co.uk/commons/
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Not just a hand-out
On Thursday 25th April six Wheelers took part in a hand-out session along Cable Street and a small section of Mile End Road. Around 300 copies of 'East London Cyclist' were handed to passing cyclists and pedestrians (and even one van driver who seemed interested!). Many copies included LCC's 'join us' leaflet. Some cyclists who initially showed little interest perked up when a copy of the new Bow and Bethnal Green area cycle map was offered. The next day we gained three new members to the Wheelers email list - not just a co-incidence!
A repeat was held at the junction of Bethnal Green Road and Cambridge Heath Road on 7th May, and we hope to make these hand-outs a regular event. Please consider helping out for half an hour or so before work! They will take place between 7:30 and 9:30 in the morning on a weekday after the new newsletter is produced. The next session will be on Thursday 13th June, in time to tell people about Bike Week, and the day after the next Wheelers meeting. Please contact Alix.
We've also had some success with attaching 'East London Cyclist' to parked bikes. Someone contacted your editor about how to store bikes in his flat after finding a newsletter on his bike on return from the supermarket. He has lived in the Netherlands for many years and is shocked at the lack of bike storage built into dwellings in London. In Holland large 'bike-parks' exist under blocks of flats, much like underground car-parks. You have your own bike stand and a key to the basement, so it is secure. He wasn't a member of LCC but hopefully he will be after I sent him the info he wanted. Please contact Alix if you would like a bundle of newsletters.
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 In the gutter
Remember the note in the last issue about getting your bike up the stairs? Here's an example of the 'gutters': a 'wheeling channel' that can be fixed next to stairs, shown here at Redhill train station in Surrey. They are relatively cheap, and easy to install. They are common abroad: Germany has over 100 examples, but they're still rare in the UK. In this example Reigate and Banstead Council consulted with the rail industry, regular train users and the Royal National Institute for the Blind (which has a training school in Redhill) before introducing a package of measures to promote cycling to the station.
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Training for success
The LCC held a very successful and enjoyable Training Day on 27th April at which Owen and Alix attended. There were workshops on how to make your event a success, making waves in the media, and how to set up a community cycling scheme. The introductory session focussed on how we can attract more black and minority ethnic (BME) people to cycling and the LCC. Many thanks to Paula and Duncan at the LCC office for such a useful day. Hopefully we'll be able to take forward the lessons learnt, to make Wheelers activities inclusive and successful.
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Can he fix it? - well, hopefully
Wheeler Mark Butland is putting together an application to the DTLR's Cycling Projects Fund, of which there is £2 million for projects worth up to £50,000. The bid is for a transit van equipped with a mobile bike workshop and road safety training centre: cones, white tape lines and such like. His plan is to tour schools and parks - as the coppers of the 60's and 70's did.
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'Gripes' survey responses
We've had an interesting and varied response to the Gripes Survey from the
first and second newsletters, also available on the website. Issues ranged
from material obstacles like street furniture and road surfaces, to changing
people's attitudes, desiring more consultation on decisions, signage, and
propositions for new routes. Please do continue to air your views. It all
adds weight to our campaigns when showing decision-makers what annoys
cyclists in our area. Here are some snippets:
"Driving standards in Whitechapel are appallingThere should be a mandatory
speed limit of 20mph in LondonNo ifs or buts."
"Cycling in Tower Hamlets, as in all of London, is marginalised. Look at
all the mothers who drive their kids to school...Cycling needs to be
encouraged."
"Broken glassseems to collect where cycles go but cars don't eg Eric
Street. (The council should) sweep it up and not ignore those awkward bits
where they think it doesn't matter."
"Remove dangerous railings at the left turn onto cycle strip in Vallance
Road/Hanbury St."
"Repeated signing is needed on the Mile End Park/Millennium route to prevent
cyclists and pedestrians using the same path!"
"Fill in the many potholes in Salmon Lane."
"Install cycle racks by Canary Wharf tube."
"Install advance stop boxes and cycle lanes at all junctions."
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Riding Hints & Tips
Your editor received a free on-road lesson from Cycle Training after
attending a basic maintenance course last autumn (tel 7564 5990). I decided
that a lesson on how to tackle the Aldgate gyratory would be appropriate
after the Wheelers count in January (which we will be repeating on Tuesday
18th June in Bike Week - please phone Alix if you would like to help out:
8983 3600 or email cyclecount@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk). We saw some cyclists using pedestrian crossings as a short-cut to avoid cycling in the
flow of fast traffic, and some who were obviously confused as to which lane
to go in, signalling their intentions far too late. Experienced cyclists
are on the whole careful and courteous so forgive me if I'm stating the
obvious here! But for the less confident cyclist a huge road system like
Aldgate can be daunting. So here are some top hints and tips on how to
tackle huge roundabouts and one-way systems:
1) Know the layout - check out the number of lanes and which one to go in.
Follow the road signs if you are unfamiliar with directions.
2) 'Hold' your lane - stay in the middle of your lane to avoid cars passing
you closely on both sides. You have the right to take the lane; other
vehicles will just have to slow down a tad behind you for a few seconds.
(They can manage that, surely? -especially since the average speed in
central London is 12 mph.) DO use the arrows painted on the tarmac as a
guide and cycle on them. DON'T cycle on or near the lane's edge.
3) Make eye contact - this is vital and together with a smile will help
enormously in getting your way in the traffic. When changing lanes or
waiting at traffic lights, look behind you, gain eye contact with the driver
and SMILE. They might think you are slightly loopy but even White Van Man
is pre-programmed to return a genuine smile from a fellow human. (It's
automatic; people can't help smiling back). You're more likely to be let
out or in, and drivers will give you more room. There's no point adding to
the exiting aggression on the roads so smile and show that cycling can be
much less stressful.
4) Signal clearly - when changing lanes or exiting the roundabout you must let other road users know what you are about to do. A huge part of cycling and driving safely is the ability to anticipate what others will do next. Use big, bold hand signals and leave plenty of time between doing the signal and making the move - know where you're going
5) Be decisive - don't dither or hesitate! Decide what your move is, signal you're about to do it, and when it's safe to do so, DO IT!
And finally, throughout the whole experience remember that large lorries have a blind spot and drivers may not be able to see you if you come up on their left. They may be turning left but look like they're turning right because they've swung to the right to create more space in which to manoeuvre. Wait behind lorries at junctions if you do not have time to get in front of them to be in full view.
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May Ride
On Saturday 25th May Alex led an excellent ride called 'Essex is not flat'. Four of the five riders shunned the train and cycled all the way to Chingford to start the ride, and two cycled all the way back as well! The weather was great: about 17°C and only a brief smattering of light rain. The sun shone on us for much of the day and I even came back with a tan!
There is no Saturday ride planned for June because we are all busy with Bike Week events, but during that week there are two evening rides and one all-nighter so do come along: see the front page for the Rebels and Radicals History Ride, Pop Music Trivia Tour and Midsummer Madness Ride.
In July I am planning on leading a ride ending in Chelmsford for the beer festival (hic!). This will be on Saturday 20th July, meeting at 10am, and it clashes with the Respect festival in Victoria Park, at which we are planning on having a presence. I am going to a friend's party in Chelmsford anyway that weekend so I cannot help at the festival, but please do consider helping to distribute leaflets or helping to man our stall at Respect: contact Owen. Please let me know if you would like to go on the ride: contact Alix.
There will be a ride on Saturday 17th August so put it in your diaries! Details will be published in the Aug/Sept newsletter, on the website and email list. Contact Alex.
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