Notes from Wheelers Meeting held on 12 March 2003
at Limehouse Town Hall, Commercial Road, E14
Present: Tom Brenan, Alex Brenan, Alix Stredwick, Mark Pearson, Colin Waters, Owen Pearson, Saul Albert, Keith Jones, Caroline Fenton, David Allison, Steve Collins
1. Introductions
Everyone welcomed each other.
Actions completed except:
Owen to canvass opinion of the new Royal Mint St cycle track surface once the works have been completed.
Organising of cycle count in mid-March. Action to be taken by Colin.
Organising Rotherhithe Tunnel cycle count - no progress yet by Owen.
3. AGM announcement
The 9 April meeting will be the Wheelers AGM when the members of the committee for the following year will be decided upon. It was agreed that we would aim to fill five posts currently held as follows: co-ordinator - Owen Pearson, secretary - vacant, treasurer - Gary Cummins, events/rides officer - Gary Cummins, press/media officer - Alix Stredwick. Owen and Alix are happy to be nominated to continue in their posts. Gary is happy to be nominated as events officer but would like to vacate the treasurer post. Volunteers are therefore specifically sought for the posts of secretary and treasurer.
Please note, any Wheelers LCC member can be nominated for of the five posts. Contact Owen if you would like to nominate someone for any of these posts (especially for secretary and treasurer ;-) ).
4. Funding Applications & Council Funding
LBTH have approved funding of £1,200 to the Wheelers split as follows: workshop - £100, publicity postcards - £400, CC t-shirts - £200, buddying scheme - £500.
An application is being made to the Community Chest (Neighbourhood Renewal Unit) for £4,456 to go towards the workshop, buddying scheme and cycle training.
Alix was thanked for her work making these funding applications including those to Awards for All and the DfT Cycle Projects Fund.
ACTION: Alix to continue preparing and submitting the applications.
5. CC T-shirt
Alix reported we now have 54 orders, have therefore broken even and so now can place our order with the t-shirt company!
ACTION: Steve to liaise with the company with regard to the design and artwork.
6. Buddying Scheme
Awaiting for possible further funding for publicity and cycle training provision. Agreed to aim to start scheme in May. Suggested one set of publicity postcards would promote this scheme together with the workshop.
ACTION: Scheme to be fully discussed at April AGM.
7. Traffic Scheme Consultations
Congestion Charge Zone boundary traffic calming schemes
Owen reported that he had attended a meeting with LBTH traffic planners and the LBTH consultants responsible for these schemes, Faber Maunsell. The main developments were that our objections to the lack of cycle provision along the proposed one-way streets within the first batch of zone consultations had been acted upon - proof letter writing works!
Very brief notes on the main zones discussed follow:
Zone 11: Stepney Way - raised contra-flow cycle track will now be built along the proposed one-way section.
Zone 26: Proposed one-ways on Columbia Road and Gosset Street have been put on hold due to large number of objections from local residents as well as us cyclists.
Zone 25: Shared use cycle lane to be added along Old Bethnal Green road between Temple Street and St Jude's Road.
Zone 10: Belgrave Street/Stepney Way junction to be improved. Belgrave Street south of Stepney Way to become one-way southbound with contra-flow cycle facility.
Zone 9: Salmon Lane/Rhodeswell Road/Parnham Street junction to be drastically improved. First draft will aim for an open road closure on Salmon Lane just west of this junction.
All sides agreed the meeting was extremely useful as the scheme proposals could be discussed in great detail with the background thinking to the schemes being able to be fully explained. It was agreed the Wheelers would be invited to discuss future traffic calming proposals as they become ready for consulation.
ACTION: Owen to write full notes on the meeting and post to the egroup and website to allow for further discussion.
Aldgate Gyratory
Owen also reported he had received a reply from TfL to his letter requesting for their future plans for cycle provision at Aldgate and also submitting the results of our 2002 cycle counts. The reply stated that TfL has held discussions with property developers in the Aldgate area about long term proposals to revert the Aldgate gyratory system and Whitechapel High Street to two way operation. Once initial design work is complete we will part of the consultation process.
In the meantime, discussions would be held with the Cycling Centre of Excellence to see whether any interim measures could be implemented to improve conditions for cyclists in the Aldgate area.
ACTION: Owen to follow up in a month or two to find out the result of these discussions.
8. Workshop
Saul reported that all the tools plus plenty of spares had now been moved from Peter Steele's house to the Limehouse Town Hall. The workshop is therefore ready to open! He had spoken with Bicycle Magic who had agreed to supply spares at cost price. Ideas for what general items should be available at the workshop were discussed.
Publicity: Alix had contacted John Biggs (City & East MLA) about attending the first workshop day on 29 March - he has expressed an interest. Councillors will also be invited.
ACTION:
1. Alix to produce press release and contact councillors.
2. Volunteers needed to organise final arrangements before 29 March. Stayed tuned to the egroup or contact Saul or Owen.
9. Bike Week, 14-22 June 2003
It was agreed we would run the following events:
Sat, 14: Family Fun Day including TfL funded training in Victoria Park.
Sun, 15: Eastway event in association with Lea Valley CC and other BG's? (tbc)
Mon, 16: Gary's evening ride
Wed, 18: morning breakfast
Wed, 18: Keith's evening ride
Thu, 19: evening ride around borough
Sat, 21: midsummer madness ride to Primrose Hill for sunrise
Sat, 21: Beigal Race
Sun, 22: Pedalling picnic ride
"Bicycle bus" could also run each day.
Further details will be added shortly.
ACTION: Owen to collate details for each event ready for submission to the publicity machine.
10. East London Cycling Newsletter
The March issue is running a bit late. As always Alix invites contributions.
11. AOB
Tom enquired what the group's thoughts were on continuing the Central Line 'bicycle bus' with the tube line still out of action. The following discussion resulted in the proposal that we aim to publicise a "ride to work" to take place once a week (probably a Wednesday). We would plan for this to coincide with the start of our buddying scheme.
The meeting closed a bit late at 8.45pm and most headed off to The Grapes, Narrow Street.
Next meeting - the AGM: 7.00pm, 9 April, at Limehouse Town Hall.
|