Month: August 2018

WI Suffragette Ride

A group from Newham Cyclists and the Forest Gate WI set off from Forest Gate to Tower Hamlets library to visit an exhibition on the East London Suffragettes.

Our route took us through the Olympic Park, Victoria Park and Mile End Park. We discovered that the East London suffragettes not only campaigned for votes for women (and men who did not have the vote) but also provided support for those in need via their campaigns against food poverty and also via their ‘pay-what-you-can’ restaurants’, one of which was recreated at the exhibition:

We returned home after lunch and a leisurely 12 mile ride.

Canterbury to Ramsgate Ride Report

A mixture of Newham Cyclists and friends from E20 Cycle Club set off from Canterbury West, heading through Canterbury University and up a hill to join the Crab & Winkle Way (some ‘Paris Roubaix’ surfaces here!)

 

 

 

 

At St Cosmos & St Damian Church, Blean, we met Jane from Southwark Cyclists, who joined us for the ride.  Then it was on to the coastal path – aka the Viking Trail.

 

 

 

 

 

A cheeky climb up to Reculver Towers…

Stopping for lunch (and a few ice creams) at the West Bay Cafe, we were joined by Newham Cyclist Anna, who was off for a swim at Broadstairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On around the coast to Margate and then finally to Ramsgate station for the train home, after 33.4 miles and 350m of climb (not pancake flat as previous advised by Robin!*)

More photos here.

Ride map here.

*Editor’s note – anyone spot a recurring theme with our ride leaders?!?

Apologies about the odd formatting – lost the will to live trying to get it to look right!

Readout from Meeting of 30 July

Despite the absence of some regulars 20 of us assembled in the Garden of the View Tube Cafe to participate in a lively meeting.

  1. Bill had sent in a note of the financial position which was a balance of £879.20 thanks in part to donations from the  Fix My Ride stall since April of £241.43 (£119.21 from the forest Gate Festival).  Some of that will be needed to replenish stocks.  Our payment for providing the RideLondon feeder ride from Stratford is to come.
  2. We discussed the fact that Newham was one of the few London Boroughs to provide free parking for a fist car for households in its in its parking zones.  We decided to put together a first draft of a letter to the Mayor, the responsible Cabinet Member and interested Councillors, setting out our view in the context of promoting  sustainable transport;  and to approach other interested bodies  (e.g. Living Streets, Newham CCG) with a view to putting the case jointly.
  3. Arnold outlined the results of the catch up meeting of 13 July with the Sustainable Transport Officer of Newham Council.  This chart provides a summary of the position:
    Newham Cyclists Issues of Interest July 2018
    and this document (the LIP) sets out planned spending in 2018-19 on various cycle projects intended to be implemented by Newham Council.
    LIP PROGRAMME 2018-19 V
    Please let me know if you have any comments or questions on either of these documents.
  4. We intend to be represented on an audit ride of the  CS3 extension to Barking being conducted by Newham Council.
  5. We debriefed on the RideLondon feeder from Stratford.   It did have very positive feedback from the participants (74 going and approximately 30 returning).  In particular we will examine alternatives to CS2  from Mile End to Aldgate.
  6. The next Bike from Boleyn ride is sceduled for 20 October.  If you would like to help put this in your diaries.  There are plans to link it with a street party/festival at the site of the World cup Statue.
  7. We decided to organise another sequence of bike fixing and rides for the children’s cycle club at Ambition, Aspire, Achieve for September/early October.  The feedback on the rides so fr this year has been very positive and those helping have found it very satisfying.
  8. We brainstormed how Brampton Primary might find some bikes for its bike club and where there might be some old bikes for reconstruction by Pro Bike Service.
  9. There have been some events on the Greenway organised by Sustrans and Newham Council.he section north of Stratford high St is due to open (at long last) next year. It includes (a) a 4m path (as per the rest of the sections between Wick Lane and Canning Road) with the legacy fencing/concrete blocks that the council is negotiating with LLDC to remove so we can install lighting and CCTV (b)  alarge bridge area next to the rail line (c) the possible reopening of the closed City Mill River Path on the north side of the Greenway which would that offeran additional high quality future connection, being more direct to UCL/Stadium Island etc and (d) a ramp, constructed by Crossrail, to Marshgate Lane.Since the meeting I have asked about the overhead lighting in the section of the  Greenway north of the View Tube.  Apparently they have never worked but there is permission for the power connection which should take place this month.
  10. Our Canterbury to Ramsgate ride takes place on Sunday 5 August.
  11. There was a long discussion, based on Jonathan’s Report (below) on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.  It was clearly disappointing how little regard LLDC had for cycling facilities, how little understanding of what was acceptable and how much it was promoting rat running.  Noe of this is particularly surprising given its poor track record.  A ray of light is that the Newham Councillors now on the LLDC Planning Committee had an understanding of cycle issues.  We decided to draft another letter  expressing our concerns and seek to act in partnership with neighbouring borough groups.  We would also examine the possibility of putting the QEOP forward as a Low Traffic Neighbourhood in an attempt to halt the current adverse trend.

Arnold