Readout from the October Meeting

Another lively meeting on Monday 27th October in the new, and very comfortable, room in Coffee7.

  • We  agreed in principle to helping Newham Council with cycle related traffic surveys and had three instant volunteers for training.
  • We started by discussing the proposed Quietway proposal from Aldgate to Hainault which would pass across the north of the borough.  We thought this was a good idea in principle.   The question of traffic calming humps excited much interest – see earler post.  The points already made were confirmed by the meeting – see the earlier post of meeting with  Newham Council on 10 October.
  • We looked again at our ward asks.  Most stand the test of a few month’s hindsight and fit in to the basic “vision” of a network of  quietways infilled with permeability.  The ask for Beckton,  which was recently questioned by Councillor Christie, could be clarified.  Its essence is to provide a crossing, and continuity of the cycle track, over the access road to the ASDA car park.  Subsequent to the meeting more detailed suggestions have been put forward for this junction.
  • Bernard set out his vision for a traffic calmed area covering north of the Romford Rd between Forest Gate an Manor Park, which he would like to pursue.  The scheme woul not present an absolute bar to traffic but a “load of bollards” would create an area which deterred through traffic.  The meeting reacted favourably, making the points that any scheme would need to cover the whole area, and be “holistic” in the sense that it incorporated parking, 20 mph limits etc.  A precise plan would assist implemetnation, particularly if it took into account of the ward audit exercise of 400+ minor permeability improvements which was being developed and the Quietway proposal which would affect Capel Rd.  Bernard would welcome future ideas and suggestions.
  • The meeting was reminded of, and discussed, the outstanding consultations on CS2, the Silvertown Tunnel and the Central London east-west and north -south routes.  Please respond individually using the avaialble cycle friendly templates if your wish. Newham Cyclists had participated at the earlier CS2 event in Whitechapel and  it appeared that the market traders were not antipathetic to a better CS2.  No response had been received to the Freedom of Information requests to Newham and TfL concerning the removal of CS2 at Tramway Avenue.  The initial response to Councillor Christie’s invitation to put forward suggestions was that the best solution was to remove the sliproad in favour of a proper junction at West Ham Lane; and, of the less effective alternatives, the best was the wands that were previously there with better signage.  We will pursue this further.
  • Further information would be sought concerning the prolonged closure of CS2 eastbound in Statford Broadway and the closure of the cycle lane in Manby Grove
  • The monthly newsletter for October was well received and we will continue with this format, using the Yahoo Group for rides and urgent news until LCC provided the more flexible functionality.  It was suggested that a “core e-mail group” be compiled for day to day use.  If you are interested on being on this please let me know.
  • We agreed to Bill’s internet banking proposal.
  • Our next meeting will be on Tuesday November 25.  it will be a social occasion with some form of refreshment and take place at the Wanstead Tap in Pevensey Rd.  We will focus our business on next years’ rides, so please come prepared with ideas and rides you would like to see and may be willing to lead.

Arnold

Meetings with Councillor Christie and Newham Council Officers – 9 & 10 October

Meeting with Councillor Christie 9/10/14

Bill, Kerena, Arnold from Newham Cyclists (NC)

Handling cycle issues

• Councillor Christie indicated that his role as Mayor’s Cycling Office had always been informal. Whilst he now had another formal executive post, he did still take an active interest in cycling issues. The removal of cycle parking and other infelicities happened by oversight rather than deliberate policy. NC made the point that consultation was not full. Given the possibility of oversight, this was important. DC agreed to look into more effective consultation. NC to follow up disappearing cycle parking in Leytonstone Rd and Romford Rd. [10 October Richard Wadey (RW) informed us that he was populating a database of “assets” such as cycle parking, cycle lanes and this should pick up for reference to him, all instances where projects impacted on cycle assets.]

• The Council were preparing new design standards (complementing the new LCDS) that would help avoid cycling issues falling through the cracks.

• Some discussion on the removal of CS2 at Tramway Ave. Counciloor Christie distinguished this junction from others as (a) not signalised and (b) a sliproad rather than a junction. He indicated that there had been numerous near misses and that it was a question of balancing out providing incomplete protection for cyclists (as complete protection was not practicable) against giving cyclists a false sense of security. Newham Council had responded to the CS2 consultation by asking for CS2 extension to be brought up to the same standards i.e. “hold left turns”. He invited suggestions for improvements.

Olympic Park/Westfield

Councillor Christie had no progress to report re Westfield s, but offered to ask the Mayor to write to Andrew Gillighan re need for LLDC to up their game. NC asked that Newham Council engage in favour of improving the cycle facilities in the LLDC planning process.

Cycle Strategy

• Councillor Christie stressed that funding was tight and that highway money would be priorities on surfacing and pavement improvements which were getting particularly poor. NC stressed that for cyclists junctions were a priority. Financial constraints also bore down on the proposed cycle strategy.

• NC suggested a straightforward strategy built upon (a) a network of quietways (b) infilled with permeability measures in urban Newham and (c) 20 mph and (d) protection for cyclists on the relatively few major corridors (Romford and Barking Rds being LCN+ – albeit substandard). Councillor Christie was sympathetic to 20mph, but explained why politically it needed a robust evidential basis, and may be better approached piecemeal. NC were invited to assist in this. They indicated that immediate enforcement problems should not be a problem and 20mph could take effect over the long term. NC raised specifically 20 mph in Woodgrange Rd , but this was not discussed.

• Councillor Christie set out some current activity, particularly where funding was being sought or had been obtained: CS2; the Quietways programme -building especially on the Greenway, Royal Docks walking and cycling programme; the Roding greenway; and Gallions roundabout.

• Councillor Christie had obtained an update on the LCC ward asks: CTN – Leaway funded and in train; CTS – Silvertown Viaduct being looked at; Custom House – route from Building 1000 to UEL being sought from developers; SNT – Stratford gyratory junction improvement being sought from TfL; LI – Roding greenway study funded. He asked NC to look at their ward asks to ensure they were what we really wanted and gave the example of the Beckton roundabout. Posible future engagement with other Councillors discussed.

Meeting with Richard Wadey (Newham Council) 10/10/14

Bill, Anold and Olawale from Newham Cyclists

Aldgate to Hainault Quietway points:

• NC supported mini-Holland project of  a route  going past City of London Cemetery and over a new bridge to Ilford town centre.
• Junctions need particular attention, with proper crossings.
• Choice of route either Henniker Rd or Chobham Ave balanced.
• 20mph on route and on periphery very important.

Ward audit

RW outlined priorities based on (a) what could be achieved bearing in mind 2014-5 needed spending quickly and DfT rules on transport signing facilitating contraflows changed in March 2015 (c) need to spread the work around wards and (d) links to coherent routes.

NC to seek to obtain the map of the ward audits etc.

Silvertown Viaduct

Wok on this depended on there being funding left over from the priority section from Canning Town to Silvertown Viaduct including Tidal Basin roundabout. A cycle around revealed there was enough space s-e bound for two way track to link with that starting at West Sivertown DLR, and also a cycle facilities n-w bound using dock road and thus avoiding a difficult slip road. This may need to be held due to closure of tunnel under Sivertown Viaduct and pending development money becoming available.

RW asked if NC would be prepared to be trained to help with traffic surveys.

Rainham Ride: Sunday 4 October

In what is turning out to be a Newham Cyclists tradition, the weather was amazingly good. The ride was enjoyable; 25 miles, mostly off road.  Particularly notable was the Thames in the autumn light –  as still as a mill pond.  Below are a couple of phots, taken by Chris.  The first is the group stopping by the river for a photoshoot and the second on the marsh path approaching the RSPB.

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