Month: March 2017

A rather more select band of attendees than usual, but enough for lively discussion.

• Suzannah Walker from the Beckton and Royal Docks Neighbourhood Team came to discuss possibilities to increase cycling in that area of the borough  which benefits from some quiet and off road routes.  Ideas centres on adjusting some Newham Rides later in the year, leading bespoke “Tour of Beckton” rides and bringing the market stall to an event.
• We discussed the TfL consultation for the Bow area, for which Olawale will be preparing a collective response by the deadline of 23 April, but individual responses are also encouraged.
• Rides coming up – April 9, Kent Coast is attracting outside interest.  The Bike from Boleyn Ride on 22 April is gaining momentum.  Any further volunteers for marshalling this will be most welcome – contact me.
• Our  approach for a meeting with Councillors Clark and Murphy, who now have responsibility for cycling infrastructure had a speedy positive response from Councillor Murphy.  If such a meeting takes place, as is likely, it will give us a chance to raise some high level issues such as the Borough cycle Strategy, our vision, the need for sustainable transport “planning gain”, the Silvertown Tunnel .
• Westfield have put in a planning application to LLDC for expansion – partly using space now occupied by a car park. . The sustainable transport options and opportunities will need to be pressed.
• Other upcoming events:  Kerena is proposing to lead a ride to the “Leading our Lives” sponsored ride at Redbridge Cycling Centre on Good Friday.  A Cyclotopia event will be taking place at the Velodrome on 11 June- providing access to various activities at various fees.  There are a series of events relating to the Lea Valley which look interesting.
• Meeting with Councillors Tripp and Akiwowo re Maryland fixed for 5 April.  Anyone interested in attending contact me for details.   [Since the meeting we have also had an invite from Council Officials to discuss, at short notice, both the Stratford Gyratory and Maryland.]
•  Last month there was some interest in providing a rota to help with the cycling aspects of a young persons project in the Arc in the Park, Hermit Road Park each Saturday.  We decided to pursue this by taking a look one Saturday to see what was involved.  Again if you think you might be interest get in touch with me and I can include you in the correspondence.
• The arrangements for the Annual Meeting on 24 April are progressing.

Arnold

• We started with a presentation from Paula Blake from the charity Ambition, Aspire, Achieve which helps young people from the Arc in the Park in Hermit Road Park.  They are funded for, and gearing up to run, a cycle club on Saturdays aimed especially at those with disabilities.  They are looking for cycle-interested volunteers to help their employed sessional workers.  No special cycling qualifications are needed.  This sounded an interesting and worthwhile project and on initial soundings it looked like it might be possible to get a rota of interested helpers from Newham Cyclists.

If you would be interested in joining such a rota please let me know and I can provide more details.

This charity also has places on the Ride 100 available.  Again, if you are interested please contact me.

• There was a report back from those who went on the Greenway inspection ride with the sustainable Transport Office from newham council on 24 February.  This was a worthwhile exercise.  It seems some gates will be removed as lighting and CCTV is installed and 24 hour opening is likely to come to the stretch between Upper St and Stratford High St.  Work on a ramp providing a link to the Channelsea Path (and Stratford Town Centre) has started.  Some remedial work was identified as were instances of bad planning of the works (e.g. gates being painted which were about to be removed)  It does not look like the section of the Greenway between the Stratford High St and the View Tube will be open until at least 2020.

Problems to look out for: vents set in the path which are awkward for bikes, misaligned “cycle tiles”, school parking at Brampton Manor (which also blocks ambulance access to Newham Hospital!), chicanes and 24 hour opening along the whole length.

• We discussed the draft plans for Maryland Crossrail “improvements” which were very poor and if anything made the area worse for cyclists. Various suggestions immediately emerged to provide benefits from cyclists.  Olawale will gather these and make an alternative plan which can be put to interested  Councillors.  Please look at the plan and send in your suggested improvements in order to help compile an alternative, more cycle friendly proposal.
• There has been a cabinet reshuffle in Newham which has seen anti-cycling Councillor Corbett no longer responsible for transport infrastructure.  We decided to approach the new  Cabinet member responsible for cycling.
• We decided to examine the possibility of holding our annual meeting at the (re-opening) View Tube.
• The grant application for the monthly market stall in Forest Gate has been made but may take a few weeks to process.  In the meantime we decided to run a pilot a session on 11 March.

• We are compiling a list of marshals for the big Bike from Boleyn Ride on 22 April. If you can help please let me know.

• Westfield Bike user Group are holding an event on 2 June – details are still to be confirmed, but we have been asked if we would like to take part in some way.
• The transition to the new website is progressing.
• Some of our members are taking part in Spin for SmartWorks this week – raising money for SmartWorks by cycling 500 miles.
• Also aiming to cycle 500 miles is the Leading Our Lives youth group.  They are looking for some cyclists to come along on Good Friday (14th April) to Redbridge Cycling Centre to help them clock up the miles.  Please contact Kerena for details if you’d like to help out and be able to feel righteous about all the Easter Eggs you eat on Sunday!

  Arnold