Notes from Wheelers Meeting held on 13 November 2002
at Sundial Centre, Shipton Street E1
Present: Alix Stredwick, Tom Brenan, Owen Pearson, Colin Waters, Bharat Lad, Martin Harris
Apologies: (met in pub later), Gary Cummins
1. Introductions
No intros necessary!
2. Action from last meeting, 16 Oct
Owen reported that much of the last meeting consisted of our council cycling
office Lyndal Peters explaining what they are doing about improving cycling
in the borough, with few action points for the group.
3. Council proposals to alter road layout in 'zone 11'
In the council paper East End Life of 11-17 November a full page advert showed
traffic calming and one way systems that the council plans to install in the
Whitechapel (east) area. The aim is to prevent 'rat-running' by motorists who will try
to avoid the congestion charge, starting in February. The group agreed that
we should support the traffic calming measures but strongly oppose the one
way proposals, on the grounds that (even with traffic calming) one way roads
are more dangerous for cyclists than two way roads, and Stepney Way is a
popular route for cyclists in both directions (as pointed out by a member of
the Wheelers' email discussion group earlier on in the week). Stepney Way
is also an 'LCC advisory route' shown on the 2002 TfL cycle
map no. 10 and the council's own cycle map dated January 2000.
In the previous week's EEL a similar proposal for 'zone 12', the Whitechapel
(west) area, was outlined, with several traffic calming measures but no new
one way systems proposed. It was agreed that we should support this.
ACTION
Three courses of action ASAP were agreed for both zones 11 and 12:
- Owen to write in formal Wheelers capacity saying the group supports
traffic calming but formally objects to one-way installation for the reasons
outlined above.
- Owen to outline the issue to the Wheelers' email discussion group
encouraging people to do the same, especially those who live in the two
areas, copying to Owen any letters sent and received.
- Alix to find out what the deadline for submissions is and if there is
time, to reproduce Owen's plea for action in the Dec/Jan newsletter.
Similarly, if the deadline allows, the next newsletter hand-out should
prioritise Stepney Way.
4. Aldgate Gyratory
The group discussed whether, following the success of Hackney LCC and others
in getting the Shoreditch one way system removed (for cycles and buses), we
should start a campaign to remove the gyratory. The data from the Wheelers'
two cycle counts shows that most cycle movements in the morning are
travelling from Whitechapel Road to Aldgate High Street into the City, easily spotted from
the excellent count report compiled by Neil Pollock. But this route is particularly
hazardous as it takes the cyclist all the way round the system, crossing
several lanes of busy traffic. Also, recent cycle crossings installed across
the eastern roads accessing the system (such as Commercial Road) are
considered by the group to be a pointless waste of money that will do
nothing to improve the safety or convenience of cyclists using the system.
On the subject of street layout, Bharat noted the excellent street clutter
removal scheme in Kensington & Chelsea, where all street clutter like
numerous posts each with one sign have been removed, amalgamating all signs
on one post and replacing bollards with curbs that cannot be mounted by
motor vehicles. He noted to the group that he was going to write to K&C
congratulating them. The group suggested that he writes to Tower Hamlets
too, in a personal capacity, asking if they are going to repeat K&C's
scheme.
ACTION
- Owen to write to TfL, sending them the count report, and asking them how
they propose to improve the situation for the majority of cycle movements
round the system.
- Owen to ask Hackney LCC how they went about their Shoreditch campaign.
- Bharat to write to K&C and Tower Hamlets councils re street clutter.
5. Congestion charging: Wheelers pro-active schemes
New Cyclists
Alix outlined her idea of getting some editorial in one or more local papers
over the new year period saying we are looking for three people who are
willing to take up cycling when the congestion charge starts in February. We
would help them through the process of learning to ride in traffic and help
gear them up for cycling as a means of getting about, using a 'buddying'
scheme from a pool of volunteers in the Wheelers. The main targets are car
drivers but a tube user would be relevant too, if they are concerned that
they will be squashed even more once other people go from car to tube. It
could be a good 'human interest' story that may even be good enough for the
Evening Standard! Colin suggested that the story could be hung on the 'hook'
of making a new year's resolution to take up cycling. The group agreed we
should have no 'barriers' to people applying, i.e. they may not even be able
to ride a bike, but that would be ok.
ACTION
- Alix to draft news release about New Cyclists project and send round
egroup for comments.
- Bharat to pass on to Alix the details of his contact at the Evening
Standard.
- Bharat to ask his colleague who recently started cycling to work to write
a short piece for the website's 'reasons for cycling' section.
- Alix to mention the New Cyclist and accompanying 'buddying' scheme in the
Dec/Jan newsletter.
T-shirt
Alix reported that she had approached Paula Smith and Mark XXXX at the LCC
office to see if they thought LCC 'central' would be interested in taking on
the idea of a t-shirt reminding motorists that cyclists don't pay the
congestion charge. So far Alix has received no positive reply back, but
reported that she has been given quotes for t-shirt printing by Mandy, the
woman with the dog on the Wheelers postcard, through her partner Trevor who
heard of the t-shirt idea through coming on a ride (they both attended
Wheelers events during the summer).
It was agreed that we should get a one colour design done and aim to get
editorial in the Feb/March 'London Cyclist' magazine (and other cycling
magazines) quoting the price, which would be under £10. Then we would get an
appropriate number of t-shirts printed, depending on the amount of orders we
received.
ACTION
- Alix to email Bharat her archived emails discussing an appropriate slogan
and design
- Owen to send an email to the discussion group about a suitable
slogan/design ideas
- Bharat to work on design and set up a photo of people modelling the
t-shirt
- Alix to ask Mandy if her quotes include printing on both sides
6. Formal constitution, committee, AGM, accounts and annual report
It was agreed that since the group is becoming increasingly active and in a
position to apply for funding from trusts for projects, we should adopt/dig
out our old formal constitution and put in place the processes of an
'official' group.
It was agreed that the AGM should occur in April, as part of the Wheelers
monthly meeting, where elections would take place for the committee and the
annual report would be presented. It was agreed that as Treasurer, Gary
would do the financial report and accounts.
ACTION
- Martin to ask Peter Steel, an 'old hand' Wheeler, to find the Wheelers
constitution
- Owen to ask other LCC borough groups to send him copies of their
constitutions
- Alix to draft an annual report for presentation at/before the March
Wheelers meeting
7. Gripes survey
ACTION
Tom to propose to the next Wheelers meeting (11 Dec) what course of
action we should take to take forward the most important 'gripes' from the
survey.
8. Open letter to Oona King MP
Alix explained that Oona King MP had written a piece for the XXXX Nov East
End Life reporting on her Nutrition Bill as she is very concerned about
obesity and heart disease in the UK population, especially patterns of
health in young people. Alix proposed that Wheelers should write an open
letter (to be considered for publication in local papers) saying that we
support her drive to improve the nation's health through nutrition but
pointing out that this is only half the story. Exercise is as, if not more,
important, and rather than pushing for more PE lessons which young people
will cease doing when they leave school, she should be supporting exercise
that is built into daily life as a routine, like cycling to
school/work/shops (pointing out the health benefits of cycling). We would
therefore ask Ms King to support us in our campaigns to make cycling safer
and more convenient and to get more people cycling.
This was agreed by the group, and Martin suggested that in addition Alix
should write a private, more specific letter asking exactly how Ms King was
trying to influence government policy on cycling.
9. Any other business
Bharat mentioned his office Christmas party on 13 Dec at Creative Zones, XXX
Whitechapel Road E1 to which Wheelers are invited.
The meeting closed at 8:50pm and all but Bharat and Tom went to the Half Moon Pub,
Mile End Road where Trevor, Keith and Gary (the birthday boy) joined us.
Next meeting: 7.00pm, 11 December, Sundial Centre, Shipton Street E2 7RU
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