Notes from Wheelers Meeting held on 15 January 2003
at Limehouse Town Hall, Commercial Road, E14
Present: Alix Stredwick, Mark Pearson, Steve Collins, Stephen Bradley, Saul Albert, Colin Waters, Bharat Lad, Mark Butland, Owen Pearson
Apologies: Gary Cummins, Martin Harris
1. Introductions
A great start to 2003 with introductions needing to be made! Welcomes to Wheelers meeting first-timers: Mark Pearson, Steve Collins and Saul Albert. Using the Limehouse Town Hall was at the invitation of Saul Albert. With the prospect of a workshop starting up at the Town Hall (see later), discussions will be held on whether to continue to use this location or return to the Sundial Centre.
All actions completed except for Owen still to do the Aldgate Gyratory action from November meeting...
3. Finance Report
As of 2 December 2002 the balance stood at £243.14. Arrangements were under way to add two more signatories to the bank account to bring the total to three with two needed for any authorisations. This is to comply with most funding application requirements.
4. Congestion Charging issues
Proposed One-Way Schemes in Zones 11 & 26
Elsie Boon of LBTH Traffic & Transportation had reported to Owen that the concerns of cyclists over these schemes were being fully considered. The council was expecting a report from their consultants for these schemes, Faber Maunsell during January.
Buddying Scheme
Alix outlined the proposed scheme to promote commuter cycling by Wheelers offering to ride with new cyclists to their workplace. The following stages were identified:
- Press release. (Alix)
- Produce specific postcards promoting this scheme. Get them included into East End Life. Contact Lyndal Peters with regard to funding this. (Alix, Owen and others to produce card)
- Produce a resource web page giving info and links to help new cyclists. (Owen with contributions from everyone)
- Get as many Wheelers 'buddy' volunteers as possible. Contact Alix to put your name forward.
Cycling Promotion T-shirt
An article is to appear in the Feb/Mar issue of London Cyclist promoting this T-shirt. The design to be used has been produced by Steve Collins.
Alix waded through the financial aspects of this promotion giving the cost breakdown of using quality organic cotton and standard cotton t-shirts. The price for the t-shirts would be £15 for organic cotton or £9 for standard cotton. To break even with a minimum order of 100 about 50 organic or 30 standard cotton t-shirts would need to be sold.
It was agreed we would go with the organic cotton version with the point being made that the main selling point of the t-shirt will be the design.
Selling outlets would be LCC membership via London Cyclists and email groups, Cable Street petition contacts and Wheelers website. There is also now a second design produced by Bharat Lad's company Creative Zones which will can be added to the web page to gauge interest.
ACTION
- Owen to produce t-shirt selling web page.
- All to await the response from the London Cyclist article.
5. Workshop
Saul Albert outlined the plans of his and other users of Limehouse Town Hall to setup a cycle maintenance workshop. After a chance meeting with Peter Steele, co-ordinator of the original Wheelers workshop, Saul will be able to obtain tools and equipment from him. At present six members of the Limehouse Town Hall consortium have volunteered to act as workshop managers. To start with the workshop would be held weekly.
All agreed that Wheelers would are keen to fully participate in this scheme. Promotion of the workshop would be low key at first, mainly through Wheelers.
ACTION
Saul, Owen and all those interested in helping out at the workshop to liaise via egroup in further planning.
6. Awards for All application
Alix gave an overview of this application to obtain funding to provide a cycling promotion scheme within local community groups. The total cost of the project would be about £2,700. Alix is expecting to be able to get £500 of this from the council. As the Department for Transport Cycling Project fund had reopened it was suggested the rest of the cost could be split between these two funds. It was agreed though that as the chances for success were so much higher with the Awards for All scheme that the application should only go to them.
ACTION
- Alix to submit bid to Awards for All and confirm council funding.
7. Cable Street update
The Wheelers Cable Street petition was reported to the council Cabinet at their meeting on 8 January. Owen went along to give a deputation to reiterate our problems with the priorities of this scheme and our demands to restore it to a facility that benefits cyclists. Cllrs Michael Keith and Denise Jones both supported our view. It was agreed by the Cabinet that Traffic & Transportation should produce further analysis on the location of give way lines.
ACTION
Owen to keep up-to-date with progress.
8. Pothole Campaign
Ideas for the next stages of this campaign were discussed. Members would be encouraged to continue submitting pothole locations to the council. It was agreed the "pothole reporting" web page idea should be taken forward with the submissions being forward to the council each month. Further pothole publicity stunts were also supported.
ACTION
Owen to fully integrate the "pothole reporting" web page to the Wheelers website.
9. New Year Social
Wednesday, 22 January, 7.30pm at Meds Cafe on Burdett Road - book your places now with Gary.
10. East London Cycling Newsletter
The deadline for contributions for the February issue is 26 January - contact Alix.
The February issue morning handout will be on Thursday, 6 February - contact Alix to help out.
11. AOB
- Alix suggested that we should hold another count at Aldgate gyratory after congestion charging starts.
- Obtain funding to produce a publicity banner for the Wheelers.
- Mark Butland suggested holding a talk on cycle camping at the March meeting.
- Mark Butland also recommended a trip to the NEC Outdoor Show on 14-16 March.
The meeting closed late at 8.35pm and most headed off to The Grapes, Narrow Street.
Next meeting: 7.00pm, 5 February, venue tba.
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