Tower Hamlets Wheelers Meeting Minutes - April 2020
Held online via Zoom
Wednesday 8th April 2020 at 19:30
Attendees: Julie, Alex, Keith, David, Terry, Helen, Christy, Dan, Robert, Martin, Christophe, Iain
Guest: Cllr Bex White
Apologises:
Local Group Forum
- LCC is concerned to protect its reserves. LCC are asking local groups to be cautious when spending their reserves.
- Annual returns from Borough Group Coordinators will have extra questions e.g. about safeguarding and rides. Alex & Julie to complete safeguarding training.
Air Quality & Pollution Levels
- Kings College London air map and London Air can be checked daily. Link to Air Quality England: https://www.airqualityengland.co.uk/local-authority/?la_id=210
- LBTH also have a network of 90 diffusion tubes spread across the borough and readings from them can be found on LBTH website. Link: https://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgnl/environment_and_waste/environmental...
- Air Pollution Tower Hamlets & Hackney Map. Link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=10jOZS3NStBX2MQuWcXsg1lEwSZ8zuq...
Liveable Neighbourhoods
- There has been good things that LBTH is doing outside of Liveable Neighbourhoods schemes (planting trees; dropped kerbs put in; roads closed junctions remodelled). This would make good social media content. However, there is a danger of trees being planted where pavements are already narrow impeding wheelchairs, buggies etc. e.g. Wick Lane
- Bow Liveable Streets, we received a good response from Roman Road Trust around reconvening the Common Vision Group
- Julie has emailed Tom Rawlings about Beaumont Square road closure without modal filter.
Car Free Day
- Car Free Day is on 22nd September 2020. Which roads should we suggest are closed?
- Julie contacting Rob Morton about this.
Suggestions to LBTH
- All residential streets to have a speed limit of 5mph to allow for walking in the road to maintain social distancing, particularly in view of the narrow pavements in much of the borough. This would also benefit less experienced and new cyclists.
- Some roads closed to allow cyclist & pedestrian use during the COVID-19 crisis
- Taking a lane from motor vehicles on relevant roads for use by pedestrians & cyclists in order to maintain social distancing when exercising.
- Cotton Street is already closed to motor vehicles. THW to look for others that may be suitable.
Future Meetings/Zoom
- Zoom worked well for the meeting and everyone is happy to use it next time if the lockdown has not been lifted.
- It was suggested to continue using Zoom as a second channel to widen involvement in our meetings and allow attendance for single agenda items. St Margaret’s House doesn’t have Wi-Fi so it would need to be discussed how we could work around this.
Cycle Superhighway Queuing Tips & Instructions
- It has been noticed that cyclists are bunching at stop lights (probably due to habit), perhaps THW could put up signs at junctions to remind/advise cyclists to maintain social distancing when waiting at lights?
- TfL Cannon Street/Cable Street junction has a push button to alert phasing of cyclists. Here, a short cyclists’ phase encourages bunching whilst waiting. Cllr Bex White to put in a member’s enquiry about all such lights in LBTH being upgraded to sensor controlled.
QMUL Staff Car Park
- To the detriment of local residents & patients accessing the hospital, University staff are using Longnor Road to access the free of charge car park. Access could be from Mile End Road. Longnor Road is a residential street off Bancroft Road.
- Planning permission was granted for the car park with conditions. Link to application:
As per letter of 21.6.02, condition 2 states: “The access at Longnor Road shall be used for emergency access only of vehicles. No public vehicle access will be provided at the end of Longnor Road into the Queen Mary site to satisfy this condition.” It appears QMUL are in contravention of the conditions under which planning permission was granted.
Connection between CS2/CS3
- There is poor provision for cycling between these major E/W routes. It was noted the City/LBTH boundary runs through this area. City of London Plan suggest a better route via Mansell Street.
- Action THW to carry out a site visit & look into potential route options after the lockdown.
AOB
- Action David to draft advice for cycling during COVID-19 lockdown
Next Meeting – Wednesday 13th May 2020, 7.30-9pm, The Cabin, St Margaret’s House, Old Ford Road, E2 9PL or via Zoom if lockdown is in place. Email or contact on Social Media to receive the invite link to the Zoom meeting.
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