Category: Meetings

We were pleased to have Susanne Rauprich, independent chair of One Newham, as our guest. She outlined the creation and role of Sustainable Newham and the Green Fair scheduled for 1 May. We will be running a stall at that event. If you have not already volunteered and wish to participate get in touch with me.

Out ride calendar is getting into swing. There has been one local Newham Ride and there is coming up an Essex Lanes ride on 23 April and a Nature Reserves of the River Lea Ride on 14 May. The Newham Ride of 16 July has been cancelled as that is the day of the London to Southend Ride organised by Bike Events.

Our partnership with AAA is also now in full swing with another ride forthe children’s cycle club scheduled for 29 April. Again if you would like to help marshal the ride or with maintenance of the bikes and have not already volunteered please get in touch.

Out Fix Your Ride programme continued at Woodgrange Market in March. It has been going now for 5 years and is self sustaining from donations. we shall be buying some new kit; so if you have any suggestions for what is needed let us know.

The discussion extended to how we might increase our outreach throughout the borough using the Fix Your Ride model. There was support for this and various locations were suggested. Maryland is high on the list of practical priorities. However, elsewhere we do need an invite (e.g. from local councillors) to ensure a suitable space is officially available.

On infrastructure: (a) there was strong attendance at the initial phase 2 Romford Rd workshop. There will be a formal response from Newham Cyclists but individual comments should also be make on the Newham Co-create site before 16 April. (b) There was discussion on next steps in the light of the extremely poor TfL sponsored scheme for bus priority along Prince Regent Lane. (c) we are participating in the workshops developing a scheme for Beckton Riverside. (d) we are in touch with the developers of the Bow Gaswork Site and have recently given them feedback on their initial plan.

We need a volunteer to liaise with LCC Headquarters in respect of its Pathways Programme to support local groups and its active member survey. If you would be able to undertake this role please get in touch.

We agreed to set up a database of ongoing consultations and to have this as a rolling item on the agenda of future meetings.

We will hold our Annual Meeting on 24 April 2023 at the Terence Brown Arc. full agenda and documents to follow. We are aiming to have a Zoom facility available as an alternative to presence. If you wish to stand for office if would be helpful if you could give advance notice if you have not already done so.

If you would like further information on any of these items please get in touch.

Arnold

There is a lot going on. Not least, that our meeting coincided with a Council meeting which voted a significant sum over the next years towards sustainable transport. This is good news.

Eilidh Murray, Chair of the Board of Trustees of LCC and our link Trustee gave a presentation on the role of Trustees and the “Pathways” which provide a framework for LCC relations with each borough group. She also gave a shoutout for the Women’s Freedom Ride this Sunday to which we are providing feeder ride from, and back to, the View Tube.

There is a ride calendar now set up. The next rides are the feeder ride to the Women’s Freedom Ride in Central London (5 March) and a Discover Newham Ride the following Sunday (12 March).

We did another bike maintenance session for the childrens cycle club of the charity Ambition, Aspire, Achieve on 22 February and took a group of 10 children on a ride using the Greenway and QEOP on 25 February. we shall be continuing our maintenance and ride activities. If you are interested in participating in either let us know and you can be included in the correspondence to find suitable dates.

Fix Your Ride resumes on 11 March at Woodgrange Market. Again let us know if you have not been previously involved but would like to be. We need people who are happy to organise the work and chat with interested market goers as well as those able to carry out simple repairs.

An update was provided on progress towards Low Traffic Neighbourhoods 5 (Woodgrange) and 6 (Capel) and urged all those who had not put in a personal response to the consultation to do so before the revised deadline of 5 March.

There was a report on the meeting that had taken place with Councillor Asser on 15 February in response to our letter to the Mayor reinforcing the importance of a sustainable transport budget. Now agreed, this will greatly assist in securing and implementing vital infrastructure like LTNs, the Romford Rd improvement and bike hangers.

There was a perception that there was now a greater appetite within the Council to secure planning gain for active travel – a point on which we have been campaigning for some time. ther is still lots to play for – like the massive proposed dockside development at Silvertown.

A document for collecting information on Climate Safe Street Reports will be circulated generally in order for us to be able to collate a response to LCC by the deadline of 13 March.

We attended the inaugural meeting of Sustainable Newham on 16 February. We will be seeking to provide a Fix Your Ride Stall at the Green Fair that will take place on 1 May in Forest Gate. If you can help let me know.

We discussed how we might handle our social media. More volunteers still needed in order to spread the load.

By way of other Business our attention was drawn to Kidicle Mass which is planning action days over Europe in May and September – including London on 15 May. That organisation will be seeking volunteer marshals.

And finally…we are taking action in respect of BT stations which are being placed in such a way as to block pavements.

For more information on any of the above matters please get in touch.

Next meeting 27 March, details to be confirmed.

Su Guy, Newham Sustainable Transport Officer was our guest and we benefitted from the participation of Katy Rodda, LCC Network Co-ordinator.

Newham Council “soft measures” to promote cycling

Su outlined her role in essentially taking the soft measures which promote cycling in conjunction with infrastructure improvement projects. These include training and engagement with schools and religious institutions. She indicted that the bike light/journey data collection scheme for those who cycle in the Romford Rd area is still open for applications.

Rides and events

We discussed the feeder ride to central London for International Women’s Day on 5 March. Volunteers are need to marshal – for which training is available. We also plan to do a feeder ride to the Freecycle event on 28 May. Again, volunteers will be needed.

Steve has published the indicative ride calendar for 2023 (below). To this should be added a Bike from Boleyn Ride towards the end of the football season.

There has been one maintenance session for the children’s cycle club at the charity Ambition, Aspire, Achieve and another is planned for 22 February. The next ride is planned for 25 February. Get in touch if you would like to participate.

Fix Your Ride at Woodgrange Maket will restart on 11 March.

Infrastructure

• Detailed plans have been published for the Woodgrange and Capel Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. These were greatly welcomed and herald implementation in the late spring/early summer. We will be formally responding as a group with our support Please register you support as individuals.
• Phase 1 of the Romford Rd improvement scheme should begin imminently. After discussion with the Council we removed any formal objection. Phase 2 is in the planning.
• We have responded to the Council’s proposed draft budget highlighting the importance of making provision for active travel, particularly from the pot of money created by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). This is potentially a gamechanger. The current draft is an improvement in this respect on previous budgets.
• We have responded to the Beckton Walking and Cycling Project and participated in a workshop.
• We re active in the current phase of consultation on the draft Local Plan. This is also a potential gamechanger over the longer term in leveraging finance for active travel from the many new developments in the borough.
• Jonathan was congratulated on his excellent draft for our response to the Silvertown Tunnel bus network consultation.
• We participated in a London Vision Zero forum which was very useful.
• We have been in correspondence over Newham Council’s inadequate provision for severe weather and hope to work constructively with it for an improvement in provision to maintain active travel.
• Major new developments which call for action are: the development of the site of the Padel Club on Stratford High Street; a huge development on the south side of the Royal Victoria Dock; and a development on the site of the Greenhill Centre in Manor Park.

Miscellaneous

With the aid of Karen we plan to liaise with LCC in producing newsletter.

Eilidh Murry our link LCC trustee will attend our next meeting on 27 February 2023 (by Zoom).

We will continue liaison with the Newham Food Alliance with regard to developing delivery of food by cargo bike. Again if you would like to help in this venture get in touch.

For any further information on any of the above get in touch either with myself or via newham@lcc.org.uk.

Arnold

Quite a few live issues to discuss, particularly following a series of infrastructure meetings with Newham Council and LLDC in November.

• Our last scheduled ride is the traditional Christmas Lights Ride on 11 December.
• In relation to current infrastructure issues we discussed (a) a potential audit in the New Year of the area in Forest Gate bounded by Upton Lane, Wyatt Rd and Romford Rd, where residents are pressing for a low traffic neighbourhood; (b) the timetable for the proposed Woodgrange and Capel low traffic neighbourhoods; (c) significant funded proposals for improving Romford Rd as an active travel corridor; (d) proposed additional measures for complementing the low traffic neighbourhoods that have recently been made permanent; (e) our proposed response to the Stratford Station consultation; (f) Olympic Park developments relating to Montfichet Rd and Chobham Manor; (g) our proposed response to the Beckton District Parks Masterplan consultation (h) the opportunity to leverage development funds for the Roding Path from a proposed development in Jenkins Lane.
• We have continued our partnership with Ambition, Aspire, Achieve in November by providing maintenance of children’s bikes and leading and enjoyable ride around the QEOP and Hackney Marsh. We are looking to do a further maintenance session before Christmas.
• We agreed to hold a Christmas Social at the Wanstead Tap on 12 December from 7.00pm (details on our Events page) and provide bread and cheese as in previous years.
• We agreed to invite Su Guy from Newham Council to our next regular monthly meeting on 30 January 2023.

As usual if you would like further information on any of the above please get in touch.

Arnold

With autumn setting in we met via Zoom.

The partnership with Ambition, Aspire, Achieve children’s bike club will be continuing with a maintenance session on the morning of 16 November and a ride with the children on 19 November. Please get in touch if you wish to help on either of these events.

Bike from Boleyn on 9 October went well and established our partnership with Pedal to the Pitch. We will be planning a further ride for the spring when the clocks go back.

The ride calendar for 2022 has almost run its course (except for the Christmas Lights Ride on 11 December) and planning for the 2023 ride calendar will be starting soon. If you have a ride you would like to lead get in touch. We are still looking at a ride around the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

The last Fix Your Ride session at Woodgrange Market for of 2023 is planned for 12 November.

Lots of discussion took place on infrastructure developments ahead of a planned catch up meeting with Newham Council officers on 18 November. Key issues discussed were:

• Progress on the “Woodgrange” and “Capel” Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs 5 and 6).
• Complementary measures for the existing Low Traffic Neighbourhoods now that they have become permanent.
• Romford Road. There is need for clarity on at there now appear to be two sources of funding (Government Levelling UP and TfL Local Implementation Plan funding. There is a need to ensure that improvements to Romford Rd itself are not abandoned in favour of nearby back street routes and to ensure that TfL does not detract from cycle provision to promote bus priority, as has been the case with Barking Rd. A meeting and walkabout with the Council’s project officer is scheduled for 22 November in Forest Gate.
• The Bromley by Bow Gasworks development is a good opportunity, in the medium to long term, to improve active travel permeability and complements the same builders current Twelvetrees development. Newham Cyclists met with the representatives of the developer on 5 October.
• There were clarifications needed following the Council meeting of 17 October in relation north-south permeability in the borough, the Leaway and EV charging.
• There were chances to make representations on developments in the QEOP, particularly in relation to East Village, the Leyton Ladder and Chobham Manor.

Alternative monthly meeting dates/weekday/time proposals and considerations. Reference was made to the discussion on this issue the previous month. Jonathan agreed to take the lead on this.

Next meeting is 28 November and we agreed, in principle, a social in early December.

If you would like any further information on any of the above matters please contact me.

Arnold

Our thanks to Ambition, Aspire, Achieve for providing a venue.

Our rides calendar is continuing.

• The rearranged Bike from Boleyn is now taking place on 9 October. If anyone who has not already signed up is available to marshal on this day please contact me.
• We will be assisting Woodcraft Folk on an evening ride on 28 September. Again if anyone would like to help on this please contact Bill. Woodcraft have expressed their thanks for our involvement to date.
• The next Newham Ride is scheduled for 16 October.
• There is a possible partnership with those involved with the Queen’s Market regeneration programme with a view to a Newham history based ride. It was agreed to take this forward as it can provide a new variation on the Newham rides.

The partnership with the children’s cycle club of Ambition, Aspire, Achieve is continuing. there will be a bike maintenance session at the Abbey Hub on 1 October .. we will be looking to arrange further midweek maintenance sessions and also Saturday rides. Again if you would like to participate in any of these activities get in touch with me.

The next Fix your Ride is scheduled for 8 October. September’s event was busy.

A lot is going on in relation to infrastructure:

• A number of low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have been made permanent. This is good news. it opens the opportunity for complementary enhancements such as the crossing of Water Lane between 2 LTNs, and opens the way for a right turn into Dames Rd.
• The Council have leafleted their decision explore the Woodgrange and Capel LTNs including preparing designs. We considered the need to pursue the actual data so far collected and the proposed designs. In this context we discussed how a more comprehensive coverage of information about LTNs and other topics could be achieved by the Council including what was actually possible.
• The Romford Rd improvement scheme is progressing, with an event scheduled by the Council for 22 October. Details yet to be revealed, but a date for diaries as this should include a meeting between ourselves and the design team in addition to the launch of a data collection project. In the meantime we have helped publicise the data collection project.
• Now TfL had agreed a funding package with the government the Council are likely to be in the process of formulation their LIP bid – the process whereby TfL fund local transport projects.
• There are a number of major developments being followed. These include Custom House Regeneration where comments had been submitted and and responses received from local councillors and the Council’s regeneration officer. At Crown Wharf (which is an important site currently blocking the completion of the Leaway) we are still waiting for a promised contact from the consultants engaged to prepare a transport assessment. We agree to contact councillors and the developers direct with our suggestions if this was not forthcoming soon. Our response to the Beckton Riverside consultation was sent to Sir Stephen Timms who supported the Roding Way – Thames Path linkage by writing to the Newham Council’s Chief Executive. We are engaging with the developers of the Bow Gasworks Estate.
• We agreed to seek a further catch-up meeting with the Council’s sustainable transport team.

The LCC AGM and Community Skills Summit is on Saturday 15 October. details and registration link are in the post below.

There has been contact with the Redbridge Cyclists Co-ordinator, particularly on that council’s sub-optimal plans for the Ilford Hill. Both groups are unsure what is happening with the Ilford Gardens scheme under the A406 bridge.

Any group response to the unfortunate developments in Tower Hamlets would need to go through LCC. It was agreed that rather than a group response individuals should be invited to comment.

The new Sustainable Transport Officer for Newham, Su Guy, has agreed to come to a future meeting.

We discussed the timing and venue for future meetings. Finding a venue and making changes to the timing requires further consultation for which a volunteer is needed.

If you would like further information on any of the above please contact me.

Arnold