Supporting cycling in Newham
We profited from the usual good weather to reprise our earlier River Ride, with Steve leading, despite this being a flatter and shorter ride than his usual.
We ventured very slightly south of the river overcoming all obstacles, notably a lack of a lift on the Greenwich side of the foot tunnel.
Instead of photos here is a video of the route taken.
Arnold
The meeting took place a week earlier than usual and in a new venue, the Terrence Brown Arc in Canning Town, currently the centre of the charity Ambition, Aspire, Achieve (AAA).
There are four side roads cutting through the cycle track. This is being taken up with Newham Council who are responsible for designing the Quietway. We discussed the need to document setting out the “critical fails” on this route to alert stakeholders in this route. Since the meeting we have also been pursing an audit ride with Council Officials.The conversation also drew attention to the frequent closures in the QEII Olympic Park and the lack of information on alternative routes.Arnold
This meeting was well attended and interesting. We were particularly indebted to our guests, Councillor Christie, Newham’s Cabinet Member for Strategy, Terry Patterson from the Board of Trustees and Officers of Newham Council with responsibilities for cycling who have been so open and helpful over the year. They promoted lively and interesting debate to follow the business section of the meeting – a good accompaniment to the excellent refreshments put on by the Greenway Common Cafe
For the record, the annual report was presented:
NEWHAM CYCLISTS ANNUAL REPORT 2016 – 17;
This includes a ride list and a list of consultation responses.
The Annual Accounts for 2016-17 agreed:
The same Officers were voted in to the same posts for 2017 -18:
Kerena Fussell and Arnold Ridout – Joint Co-ordinators
Bill Bremer – Treasurer
Oliwala Ajibola – Local Schemes Lead
Steve Smith – Rides Co-ordinator.
Arnold
The weather had still not particularly warmed up for the start of the second in our consecutive run of three Sunday rides. After Cake Mountain we were intent on a flat, leisurely off road circuit round Newham . A goodly band of participants included a contingent from the Forest Gate Women’s Institute assembled at the Greenway Common Cafe. Our 15 mile route started down the Greenway, and continued through Beckton to the Royal Docks, stopping only for a breather/puncture repair. We then took in nature reserves at East india Dock and the Bow Ecology Park. The latter is newly linked to a back entrance to Canning Town Station. Lunch at Trinity Buoy Wharf was swiftly followed by another coffee stop at Cody Dock, whilst all the time the weather was getting more cheerful. We returned to the Greenway under a blue sky.
Thanks once more to Robin for some excellent photos.
Arnold
A rather more select band of attendees than usual, but enough for lively discussion.
Arnold
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.
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.
Arnold
It was standing room only at our January meeting and a wide variety of interesting issues were considered. Please therefore forgive the long post. If you would like further details on any of these matters please get in touch.
If there are particular infrastructure concerns they can be raised with us.
The meeting appreciated the need to try to influence plans as they were being formed; the need to photograph and report (via ourselves) facilities not in good order, such as gates left open. Generally when these have been raised with the Council there is a positive response.
Issues which aroused particularly strong discussion were the Greenway (for which we will now seek a ride with Council officials) and events in the QE Olympic Park (which is also being looked at by LCC centrally). We also decided to assist those who had been waiting longer than they should for on-street secure cycle parking agreed by the Council.
First, West Ham Ward passed a motion seeking primary legislation to make it mandatory for cyclists to use cycle lanes. It was pointed out that this was a retrograde battle fought and lost some years ago in the redraft of the Highway Code. Also it was inappropriate in a borough where the cycle lanes can be very substandard (CS2 Warton Rd, Romford Rd) and the Council has even insisted on the removal of a protective lanes at a patently dangerous slip road (Tramway Ave) in order to accommodate driver misbehaviour. We have sought advice from LCC and agreed to engage with this issue on social media and in the forthcoming borough insert to the LCC magazine.
Second, a motion was put at the Labour Group for the Council to reverse its position of support for the Silvertown Tunnel and to call for the project to be cancelled. although this was in line with recently expressed deep concerns about the project by the Council this motion was wrecked by an amendment proposed by a Cabinet Member. The meeting noted this development with deep disappointment given the significant environmental degradation that this project will cause.
Arnold
Quiz Night
Newham cyclists are fielding (at least) one table for the Bike From Boleyn Group’s Quiznight on Friday 13 January at 7.30pm at West Ham Supporters Club, Castle St. This is essentially a fundraiser but two prizes already secured are two taster sessions at the Velodrome and tea for two at the House of Commons.
If you would like to come along please do. It would assist if you let me know in advance.
Our Next Meeting …
will be at Coffee7, Forest Gate, at 7.30pm (note the new time) on 30 January.
Rides
Steve’s Ride to Greenstead is scheduled for 15 January.
Workshop Space
We are looking into having some kind of workshop – probably at Forest Gate market. Plans still at an early stage.
Infrastucture
Headlines:- The ramp at Twelve Trees Crescent is now open making it much easier to get from Three Mills to Cody Dock along the Lea Pathway. However the completion of the path from Canning Town is now so delayed that an (unsatisfactory) cycle diversion is being signposted.
– The Greenway improvements (Quietway 2.1) comprising lighting, longer opening, some resurfacing, more ramps, some targeted training- are beginning to be put in place. This will be complemented by the long awaited examination of these sequencing of the lights at the A13 flyover. These improvements will provide a key artery for cycling through Newham.
– Some improvements to Quietway 6 through north Newham are being put in place, but there remain some critical uncertainties over key junctions crossing at Leyton Rd, Leytonstone Rd and Woodgrange Rd. Astonishingly the Council have recently introduced pavement parking for vehicles in Cemetery Rd.
-The Council are planning to extend cycle improvements from Silvertown Way (delayed further whilst more remodelling is done for TfL) along North Woolwich Rd.
– Stratford Gyratory work is envisaged to start in August 2017.
– Some improvements to CS3 designed to improve access to Barking could bring cycle benefits to Jenkins Lane. The cycle parking under the Westfield bridge is well used, but closed between midnight and 5.00am.
– We have been provided with an early draft of a long awaited Cycle Strategy for Newham. It includes an assessment of the main routes through Newham (which are mostly very sub-standard) and an interesting factual introduction: Cycling has increased as a share of travel in recent years but the biggest increase has been on public transport (buses), whilst motor vehicle use and walking has declined; less than half the households in Newham own a car.
A new chart of ongoing infrastructure issues in the light of this meeting is available on our website.
Please get in touch if you would like any further information.
We had a good turnout for the last Newham Cyclists ride of 2016, despite the rainy weather. Taking the CS2 into to central London was a breeze and suddenly as we entered the City and St Paul’s we were surrounded by hundreds of young people dressed as Santa Claus, wasn’t he supposed to be an old, bearded man? Bemused we negotiated the West End traffic, both on the roads and pavement, well, there are not that many shopping days to go. Our aim was to see as many of the fancy street lightshows as we could. This included Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Regent Street, New Bond Street, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, and Trafalgar Square, where there appeared to be a Santa rally occurring, so we had a photos taken with a couple.
Our route then continued towards Covent Garden and Somerset House, where we descended to the Embankment to take the CS3 route home. The scorecard on this year’s lights still seems to be weighted in favour of Carnaby Street, although, on recommendation, we included Neal Street this year it was hard to reach a consensus (11/10 Bernard, 4/10 Bill). I suppose everyone has their own idea of Christmas
More photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/rsstephenson/sets/72157675936870792
Steve
A well attended social gathering at the Wanstead Tap.
We managed to conduct some business. The main item was next year’s ride programme which is shaping up nicely and should be ready in the early New Year. Early dates for your diary are 10 December for the Christmas Lights Ride and 14 January for a ride to the William Morris museum exhibition, “Posters of Protest”.
Other issues:
Happy Christmas and New Year!
Arnold
