Following a pleasant and instructive ride around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park we held a brisk meeting and discussed the following.

• Fix Your Ride has been busy at Woodgrange Market and will be held as part of the Forest Gate Festival on July 8th.  This  will be busy so volunteers as fixers or simply to discuss cycling in Newham with festival goers welcome.
• The Freecycle feeder rides from and back to Stratford was well attended and successful.  Our feedback has  been given to LCC HQ.
• The Brewery Ride due on 1 July has been postponed to 16 September.
• We are planning to support a Kidicle Mass ride, likely to be 22 or 23 July.
• 16 July a number of us are planning to participate in the London to Southend Ride.
• On 12 August Bexley Cyclist are organising a Family Cycle Fun day in Greenwich Park and welcome visitors.  We will consider if a feeder ride is feasible.
• The refreshment and modernisation of our website is underway and work will continue in liaison with LCC.
• A local charity, the Renewal Programme, based at High Street North Manor Park, has bought a couple of electric cargo bikes in order to collect food for its foodbank. It is seeking volunteers for this project.  This is the role description.  

As usual a lot going on in respect of infrastructure

• We have submitted objections to the formal planning application for Crown Wharf.
• We have written to the Council urging progress on LTN’s 5 and 6 (Woodgrange and Capel) given that funding for this features in the Council’s capital spending list.
• We have been pursuing with the Council instances where road works have involved unnecessary blockage of cycling and walking.  There is a need to keep up pressure on the Council and its contractors.
• Our FOIA request has revealed that the appalling bus priority scheme for Prince Regent Lane was undertaken without reference to the Cycling Level of Service tool in LTN 1/20, contrary to TfL’s and Newham’s own best-practice standards. The excuse given was that the preliminary design for the scheme was undertaken prior to 2018/2019, but this does not hold water: if the scheme does not meet modern standards, it should not have been funded and built in 2023 as a “Healthy Streets” scheme and should’ve been redesigned. We are considering with LCC HQ how to bring pressure to prevent TfL causing detriment to cycling through motor traffic capacity schemes masquerading as “bus priority.”
• TfL has been adding route signage to the Newham portion of Cycleway 16. We have objected to this route in the past due to junctions that range from substandard and confusing to outright dangerous, including the infamous Temple Mills Lane bus bridge. We are pleased to hear that Newham Council understands these deficiencies and is proceeding with design work to look at longer-term fixes, but our view remains that this route should not be marketed as a Cycleway in its current state and risks damaging the brand. TfL’s own Cycleway route assessment for C16 (which we have obtained via FOIA) appears to be little more than a tick-box exercise that outright ignores many of the key issues on the route.

As always, do get in touch if you would like further information on any of the matters mentioned here.

The meeting was held at the AAA ARC in Plaistow (“in-person” format)and via Zoom (“virtual format”).

Many thanks to Arnold, Jonathan and Bill for getting the Zoom set-up done.

The readout from the last Newham Cyclists Annual Meeting (27 June 2022) meeting was agreed, as were the NC Accounts for 2022-23, and the NC Budget for 2023-24 (including a sum for website hosting) after a good discussion and deliberation session on these financial documents.

We decided that we would ask for the annual LCC Grant but deferred on the question whether we would donate any payment for running the Freecycle feeder back to LCC.

Bill Bremner and Thom Sanders were thanked for their work as Treasurer/Deputy Treasurer and their particular work on producing the NC financial statements/documents on time.

The following Officers/NC Committee members were elected having been duly nominated and seconded:

• NC Co-ordintor: Olawale Ajibola,
• NC Deputy Co-ordinator and Olympic Park Representative: Jonathan Rothwell,
• NC Secretary: vacant,
• NC Treasurer: Thom Sanders,
• NC Deputy Treasurer: Bill Bremner,
• NC Rides Co-ordinator: Steve Smith,
• NC Infrastructure Representative: Chris Kershaw,
• Communications and Outreach Co-ordinator: Karen Flanagan,
• NC Community Infrastructure (Fund) lead: vacant.

On stepping down from the NC committee (i.e. Better Streets for Newham liason post), Karena was thanked for her work for Newham Cyclists over the years.

The following “Any Other Business” items were raised:

• We agreed to look further into providing teaching on bike maintenance to the AAA children’s cycle club and a Fix Your Ride stall to the local Community at the ARC. If you would like to participate please get in touch.
• We have committed to provide a feeder ride to the Freecycle on 28 May. Before then there are many opportunities for training as a marshal. If you are interested in training please get in touch.
• We agreed to support (but not run) a Kidicle Mass event in the QEOP on 2 July.
• We agreed to participate in a forthcoming podcast on the QEOP.
• We agreed a system of rotating chairs for future meetings.
• Our next meeting will be Monday 26 June 2023 and potentially include an evening ride (weather permitting).
• We will publicise this and provide other publicity material at the Forest Lane Park Green Fair in Forest Gate on 1 May.
• We established a working group to refresh the website.

Arnold

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