Notes from Wheelers Meeting held on 9 July 2003
at Limehouse Town Hall, Commercial Road, E14
Present:
Owen Pearson (chair), Tom Brenan (secretary), Dave Allison, Keith Jones, Steve Collins, Steve Bradley, Ashraf Ali (LBTH)
Apologies:
Caroline Fenton, Alix Stredwick, Colin Waters, Alex Brenan, Gary Cummins, Saul Albert
1. Introduction
All were introduced to Ashraf Ali, LBTH's Cycling Officer.
2. Actions from last meeting, 11 June 2003
• Alix to apply for Wheelers to join Voluntary Action Tower Hamlets.
All other outstanding matters to be covered in following items.
3. Newsletter & Media
Deadline for articles for the August issue is 13 July.
Brief coverage of Bike Week events in East End Life. No other articles spotted so far.
It was noted that the "Recorder" paper group are now producing a Tower Hamlets Recorder.
ACTION:
• Alix to add Tower Hamlets Recorder to contacts list
Website
Currently website is hosted on Owen's personal web space. Agreed to switch to dedicated hosting at a cost of approximately £60/year (which includes database and required scripting languages).
ACTIONS:
• Owen to sort out new website hosting.
• Owen to post Bike Week photos and to clear back log of ride reports/photos and press clippings.
• Owen look into enabling parts of the website (e.g. events/rides) to be easily updated by THW officers.
• Steve C to contact Peter Steele to obtain Wheelers history info with view to adding to website.
4. Finances
Dave is now a signatory for the THW account. He presented a draft spreadsheet layout that he proposes to use to manage the THW's finances.
ACTION:
• Dave to circulate spreadsheet to committee members for comments.
5. Rides & Events
Steve C in his new role as Rides & Socials Co-ordinator first thanked Gary Cummins for his rides organising contributions over the last year. Announced he had put together a varied programme of rides for the next three months. The longer rides at the weekend would start at 8am. There would be two easy rides on Wednesday evenings each month with the second one coinciding with a Wheelers social in a named pub. All the details are now on the website.
It was suggested producing an A4 poster of each month's rides to distribute to bike shops and other relevant outlets.
ACTIONS:
• Steve C to submit evening rides to East End Life.
• Steve C to organise production of rides publicity posters.
6. LBTH Cycling Officer
Ashraf Ali the borough's Cycling Officer was welcomed to his first THW meeting. He explained his official title was Transport Planner and that he dealt cycling, walking and public transport issues - he was perfectly happy to be "labelled" as Cycling Officer. Ashraf then outlined some of the future cycle-related schemes and projects that LBTH would be involved in:
- TfL funded cycle training for school children (particularly ages 9-10) and adults. £15,000 has been allocated.
- TfL has recently announced £1.2 million to be spent on cycle parking throughout schools and colleges across the London boroughs. Questionnaires are currently been sent to these establishments to see if they want to be part of this scheme. LBTH will be involved in the implementation.
- The above ties in with the continuing "Safe routes to schools" programme.
- Cable Street: Extension of two-way segregated cycle track eastwards from Cannon Street Road to Watney Street (Shadwell tube station). Draft plans due in August.
Many raised how dangerous the Watney Street/Cable Street junction was. Ashraf assured the meeting that this was being addressed but would be dealt with in a separate project.
The priority scheme on the existing two-way cycle track on Cable Street was also raised. As far as Ashraf was aware, the council transport officers are of the opinion that the police will have the final say on the matter.
- Proposal for next year will be for funding to further extend the Cable Street two-way track from Watney Street to Sutton Street.
- LCN+ (London Cycle Network) is the source of the funding for the Cable Street route work. There are 5-6 routes within the borough which will be developed and enhanced over the next few years. Ashraf will keep in contact with Owen with regard to the relevant LCN+ meetings.
- Sustrans are proposing a new national route travelling east-west across the borough. Starting from Thurrock and passing through Barking, Dagenham, Lea Road roundabout, Poplar High Street, Narrow Street, along the riverside, Wapping to end at Tower Bridge.
- Narrow Street: Reported problems of cyclists riding on the pavement where the Canary Wharf riverside route passes through to Dunbar Wharf to join Narrow Street. THW were aware of this issue. LBTH has been in discussions with Dunbar Wharf management group to come up with possible solutions. All agreed that THW were in favour of supporting introducing measures to slow cyclists down as they cross the pavement to Narrow Street and to encourage them to actually join Narrow Street immediately. The most likely option would be two staggered barriers installed where the cycle route reaches the Narrow Street pavement. Ashraf to keep Wheelers informed of progress.
- King Edward Memorial Park: Also cyclist/pedestrian conflict at the western exit to the park. Ashraf has applied for funding to enable something to be done to improve the situation.
Ashraf was asked if the council encourage members of the public to submit ideas for new cycle routes. He said they would consider all initiatives suggested.
All thanked Ashraf for attending the meeting.
7. Bike Buddying Scheme
Launch to take place during week starting 14 July. Ashraf Ali will endorse the scheme and is happy to be involved in the publicity.
A formal procedure is needed to follow when new recruits join the scheme. This would be produced in liaison with the London School of Cycling and Cycle Training.
THW bike buddy volunteers will have the option to have a lesson with Cycle Training to "brush up" on their skills.
It was also suggested that LSC and/or CT be approached about volunteers attending a training session to observe what trainees are taught.
ACTIONS:
• Alix and Owen to organise launch.
• Alix and Owen to put together a formal procedure and liaise with LSC and CT.
• Alix to contact all buddy volunteers.
8. Workshop & Bike Re-Cycling
June's workshop reasonably well attended with a lot of work being done. A full list of required tools and equipment has now been made.
A "puncture repair" demonstration will be publicised to take place during the next workshop on 26 July, 11-3pm.
A few more bikes have been accumulated. As storage space is minimal, agreed to arrange an extra workshop day to get as many bikes as road worthy as possible so they can be sold on asap. General feeling continued that the re-cycling of bikes was not feasible with the current workshop setup.
ACTIONS:
• Committee to organise the July demo session.
• Owen to talk with Saul about the possibility of using the Town Hall for a "bike build" day.
9. Wheelers Equipment & Insurance
With the amount of equipment THW owns growing and likely to increase even more in the near future, formalities concerning usage, storage, responsibility and insurance need to be produced. Alix has produced a draft procedure relating to usage of the digital camera. It was agreed this should be extended to cover all THW equipment.
ACTIONS:
• Dave to compile inventory. All to contribute.
• Committee to agree on a formal policy based on Alix's draft.
• Pre-meeting Alix volunteered to look into possible insurance policy options.
10. Schemes
Emails have been sent to the egroup concerning the Thames Gateway Bridge, Stratford City and Leamouth Bridge. With regard to the Thames Gateway Bridge there has been little interest in forming any group response.
Owen has been contacted by someone who had seen the proposals for the Leamouth Bridge and was voicing concern that only two out of the seven designs were suitable for cyclists. Very little time to get involved as the choice of design process starts on 15 July.
11. Campaigns
"Illegal Parking in Cycle Lanes" - Colin has produced a draft letter for review to send to relevant bodies.
ACTION:
• Committee members review letter.
"Amenity Cycling Parking in Tower Hamlets" - no progress, last meeting's actions carried forward.
12. AOB
• Reminder of THW's participation in Get Moving event in Mile End Park on 20 July.
• Alix currently on a Transport 2000 trip to the Netherlands. She will produce a report to present at the August meeting and has asked whether funding could be made available from THW for such fact finding trips.
• Property owners of Petticoat Lane Market are looking into the feasibility of have a cycling section at the Sunday market and would welcome support from THW and other LCC groups. The offer of providing a Wheelers/LCC stall is a possibility.
• Spitalfields Community Festival on 13 July. Have found out about this too late to arrange anything but Owen will ask to be put on their contact list for next year.
The meeting closed late at about 8.55pm and most headed off to The Grapes, Narrow Street.
Next meeting: 7.00pm, 13 August, at Limehouse Town Hall.
|