By Arnold Ridout
The majority of the meeting was dedicated to the LCC Space for Cycling campaign with the help of Amy, the LCC Actiism Co-ordinator.
Of the other matters happening:
Newham received the largest grant from the London Boroughs, of almost £1m to promote the Mayor (of London’s) Cycle Vision. This can be used for projects such as cycle parking and training. The Council are to be congratulated for achieving this. We will ask what specific projects they have have in mind.
The Council e awaiting the outcome of its excellent Mini Holland bid following presentation made last week. Fingers are crossed, but even if not successful the bid provides a blueprint for cycle improvements some of which can be funded through other sources.
The Council has taken on board our request for cycle contraflow in Godwin and Sandringham Rds. There remains some technical issues about reconsultation which may affect implementation.
We will respond to a concultation on a 20mph area around Upper St Plaistow. We will make the point that the whole borough should be 20mph (not such a radical objective these days) and the specific point that if the area around Upper St is to be made 20mph the same should apply to Upper St itself.
There were a number of volunteers to host some Dutch students on their visit to the Bow Flyover on Thursday.
We are participating in the Friends of the Greenwich and Woolwich Foot Tunnels Group. It is making headway with improvements.
We discussed the completion of CS2 at the Stratford Broadway end. It was meant to have started by now. I will enquire. There were criticisms of the work that has been done, especially the left hooks at Warton Rd/Carpenters Road/puddling and paint deterioration. These confirm an earlier post implementation audit carried out by LCC, Tower Hamlets and ourselves. I will enquire whether TfL have this.
The website is on its way despite an unavoidable delay. A twitter feed will follow. We decided to set up a new and improved Facebook account.
There was an update on the ward by ward audit for permeability measures. This is intended to identify and prioritise minor measures such as drop kerbs, signage, cycle contraflows and vehicle barriers that would improve the permeability of urban Newham for whihc existing funding on £100,000 pa is avaialble over the next three years. The Council are aiming to complete this exercise by the end of February. Two outings have been undertaken and we have lined up a group of volunteers to continue this exercise.
The first Newham Ride will take place on 15 March. It was thought that there is too long a gap before the next one in June and that a repeat of the Councillor’s ride might be a good idea.
Space for Cycling Campaign
We considered the LCC Space for Cycling Campaign for which we have been asked to identify one “ask” per ward to improve cycling. The ask should follow one of the 6 themes of the campaign.
We progressed on a number of wards and decided to bring forward our February meeting to confirm these and to decide ward asks for other wards. This meeting will take place on Monday 10 February at CoffeE7 (our usual meeting place) at 7.00pm. In the meantime please forward to me any specific cycle projects for your area which you think are important wand which we can consider for a ward ask in the campaign, particularly if it is for a ward not so far covered (see below).
it is clear that Newham is in a special position because many of the Space for cycling themes can be linked to projects found in the miniHolland bid.
Here are the outcomes.
Stratford and New Town Removal of Stratford gyratory as per the mini Holland bid but making the access streets to Stratford town centre more cycle friendly (amongst those raised at the meeting were access fro Cam Rd to the Broadway, Warton and Carpenters Rd. Comment: This accords with the “liveable town centre” theme. If the mini Holland bid is successful, including this as part of the campaign will help ensure local political support and therefore increase the chances of implementation. If that bid is unsuccessful there are many other alternative potential ward asks.
Manor Park and Forest Gate South Completion of Cycle Superhighway 2 from Stratford to Ilford. This accords with the “Protected Space for Cycling” theme and the response to the LCC survey which gave greatest priority to this theme. Again a project which is part of the min-Holland bid but which has lacked political support in the past.
Forest Gate North Removing through traffic from Woodgrange Rd, decluttering it and a 20 mph limit for necessary traffic (for deliveries or access.) Comment: This meets the “20mph” , “liveable town centres” and “roads without through traffic” themes. It is not part of the mini Holland bid. Some funding for improvements to Forest Gate town centre are contemplated from Crossrail environmental improvement money. This will need some working up in order to identify the specific measures that would achieve access only.
East Ham Central Cycle contraflow in the restricted areas of High St North and improvement of the junction with Barking Road. Comment; Accords with the “liveable town centre” and “protected space for cycling” themes.
Wall End Improve Burgess Rd by removing the mini roundabouts, ensuring 20mph along its length and replace the existing square cushion traffic calming humps which encourage speeding traffic to swerve.Comment: This meets the “20mph” theme.
Beckton Improve the Greenway link where it crosses the A13 and the section from that crossing to Gallions Reach. Comment This accords with the “quietways theme”. it could also provide a link to a prospective cycle route up the Roding Valley. Whilst part of the mini Holland bid there is also potential funding for this though a separate Quietways fund. Political support makes implementation more likely.
Canning Town North Complete the Lea Valley Path from Three Mills to the Thames in accordance with the plans originally drawn up by the late Thames Gateway Development Corporation and adopted in the mini Holland bid. This includes at least two crossings of the River Lea. Plus improve access via the Crows Rd bridge (currently closed) Comment Whilst part of the mini Holland bid there is also potential funding for this though a separate Quietways fund. Political support makes implementation more likely.
Arnold