Tower Hamlets Wheelers
NEWS RELEASE 01 July 2002
For immediate release
Ref THW3bikeweekreport010702
Wheely great success!
"Bike Week in Tower Hamlets was a brilliant success," say the Tower Hamlets
Wheelers (1), who organised six local events during the national celebration
of all things pedal-powered (2).
The week got off to a flying start with the fifth Great Beigel Challenge, a
fun race using different forms of transport to carry a beigel across the
borough to see which mode is the fastest - and to highlight transport needs.
The winner was former councillor Mark Taylor in his fully accessible black
cab. He took twenty minutes to go roughly five miles from Island Gardens to
the Sundial Centre (3), winning a wreath of golden beigels for his efforts.
GLA Transport Committee chair John Biggs (4) was close behind on his
bicycle, showing that a pollution-free two-wheeler is almost as good!
"Usually someone on a bicycle wins the race," says Owen Pearson, Wheelers
Co-ordinator, putting down the unusual result to the fact that the streets
were nearly empty because it was the morning before the England v Denmark
world cup game. "We support taxis as part of the alternative to the car and
we're glad that Mark won... We'll have to see what happens next year though!"
Wheelchair user John Per (5) and his nephew Jonathan took the longest (70
minutes) taking a variety of public transport that unfortunately let them
down (6). "We would have saved fifteen minutes if the first bus, a 277,
that turned up after we caught the DLR to Westferry had been wheelchair
accessible," says John. They eventually got on a fully accessible no. D6
and Jonathan put on an impressive display of sprinting pushing John to the
finish line!
Other weird and wonderful contraptions taking part in the race were Ray and
Chandon in their DHL 'quad-bikes', Peter and Simone Mayer on their specially
built tandem (Simone has a mobility impairment), Manda Halal in her
multi-coloured tricycle, Caroline Fenton on her fold-up Brompton bike and
Alix Stredwick towing half her living room behind her bike in an enormous
trailer. "You don't need a car to transport this kind of stuff," said Alix
as she puffed over the finish line.
Prizes of bicycle lights were kindly supplied by Bicycle Magic (Whitechapel
Road) and the council generously supported the event by buying the beigels!
Next came the Rebels and Radicals History Ride on 18th June, constructed by
former Wheelers co-ordinators Duncan Hibbard and Gary Cummins. The
Independent once did a feature on the ride, which took the 17 or so curious
bikers to places touched by Ghandi, Marx and Dr Banardo; where anti-royal
revolutionaries plotted; and the site of the first workers' strike.
Early on the morning of 18th June 11 Wheelers counted cyclists for two hours
at the Aldgate Gyratory which is currently undergoing 'improvements' ahead
of the start of congestion charging. This is a 'summer' repeat of the count
that the Wheelers did in January.
A Free Cyclists' breakfast greeted green commuters on their way past the
Ecology Centre in Mile End Park on 19th June. The Wheelers were explaining
what they do and encouraging people to join the London Cycling Campaign, as
well as finding out the concerns of local cyclists. Once again the council
helped the event go smoothly by helping with refreshments.
The evening of 20th June saw the Pop Music Trivia Tour which took in what
could be the Small Faces' Wapping Laundrette; Pulp's song Mile End; Billy
Bragg's song about the A13 and recent escapades relating to HSBC at Canary
Wharf; where Eric Clapton played guitar outside a Cable Street music shop;
and where Paul Simon stayed.
The grand finale was the Family Cycling Fun Day in Victoria Park on Sunday
23rd June. Kids from far and wide descended on the Wheelers' encampment
where they provided free bike fixing ('Dr Bike'); security bike marking by
Bow station police; rickshaw rides; an obstacle course; copies of the free
new London cycle route maps; and information about cycle training, the
Wheelers, and the London Cycling Campaign.
"The Fun Day was an overwhelming success," says Alex Goodhall, Wheelers'
Rides organiser. She continues, "hopefully we've inspired loads of kids and
adults alike to get on their bikes and cycle safely on a bike that's working
smoothly."
The whole week was a resounding success for the relatively new group running
the Wheelers. We would like to thank everyone who got involved with the
organising and taking part. Thanks to Tower Hamlets Council, Bicycle Magic,
DHL, Bow Police, Rick Sure's Rickshaws and many others who kindly supported
us!
If anyone would like copies of any photos shown here (any printed in the
paper) or on the website www.towerhamletswheelers.org.uk please contact Alix
Stredwick on 020 8880 6873 alix@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk
ENDS
More info: Alix Stredwick mobile 07712 471411 home 020 8880 6873
Notes
(1) The Tower Hamlets Wheelers is the local cycle action group which
campaigns for better cycling facilities and aims to encourage more people to
cycle - for health, the environment and for London. The Wheelers are
affiliated to the London Cycling Campaign, the largest urban cycling
campaign in the world.
(2) Bike Week ran from 15 - 23 June
(3) Island Gardens is at the tip of the Isle of Dogs and the Sundial Centre
is in Shipton Street, in the north-west corner of the borough
(4) winner in a previous year's beigel race
(5) Chair of the Tower Hamlets Accessible Transport Forum
(6) but all things considered the public transport users did quite well,
showing that less traffic clearly is good for public transport
(7) provided by Rick Sure's Rickshaws 07974 603647
Tower Hamlets Wheelers
wheelers@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk www.towerhamletswheelers.org.uk
|