Readout from 27 November 2023 Meeting

Ted Maxwell, representing the informal group Save Our Safer Streets, spoke about the removal of the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods in Tower Hamlets even after being made permanent. The meeting was supportive of the campaign. Ted outlined ways in which Newham Cyclists could provide practical asistance .

There has been one Newham Ride since the last meeting, on 12th November 2023. Next ride is the Christmas Lights Ride on 10 December 2023. There was discussion on improving the link with the LCC website and providing a GPS link of our rides.

The ride for the Ambition, Aspire, Achieve (AAA) children’s club proposed for 2 December 2023 will not go ahead because AAA are engaged with their toy delivery then. A new calendar will be put together for maintenance and rides in the New Year.

Fix Your Ride (FYR) has now finished for 2023. It will start again in 2024.

On infrastructure:

  • The opening of phase #1 of the Romford Road Active Travel Scheme (RRATS) scheme will happen when the Council is satisfied with the safety. The regular NC dialogue (which is good on this particular project) will continue. There will be a further liaison meeting in December 2023 when there should be information on Phase #2. Public engagement events are planned by the Council for December 2023.
  • Implementation of the borough-wide 20mph speed limit will be implemented in #4 Phases , northern part of the borough to the southern part. The traffic order for Phase #1 has been published. Liaison will continue with the organisation 20 is Plenty and other interested organisation in case of problems in implementation and to ensure enforcement.
  • A response has been submitted to the Bromley-by Bow Gasworks (BBBG) planning application raising the fact that some of the critical roads for local Active Travel connectivity are currently designated as “private roads” i.e. not adopted or controlled by LB Newham so don’t .
  • The Mayor of London (MoL) has rejected the planning application for the MSG Sphere (to be located next to Stratford railway station), to which Newham Cyclists had objected.
  • LB Newham Liveable Neighbourhoods team have proposals for complementary measures for Low Traffic Neighbourhood/LTN 2 (Odessa) includes proposals for complimentary measures. The exact nature of these are not clear from the Council’s website.

There was feedback from the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) Campaigning Summit. A key message was that campaigning by ‘personal witness’ stories was more effective that reliance on ‘dry data’ (to promote and support cycling). There were also tips on improving outreach through partner organisations and cycle shops. A strategy could usefully include means to attract younger activists. A consolidation of mailing lists increased the numbers by 10%. The suggestion of a separate meeting of the interested to develop an outreach strategy was favourably received.

Other business:

  • London Cycling Campaign (LCC) Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday, 6th of December 2023.
  • Voting ends on 29 November for the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) Board of Trustees interest/Board elections 2023.
  • The Newham Cyclists Christmas Social is scheduled 11 December 2023 at the Boleyn Tavern. For those wanting the Christmas menu the choice of dishes needs to be given to Arnold by 3 December.
  • The suggestion to look into the activities of the Safer Transport Team of Newham Police command, if it exists, will be looked into.

Readout from 30 October 2023 Meeting

In relation to rides, the Bike from Boleyn ride has taken place since the last meeting and went well. There will be a local Newham Ride on 12 November.

There has been a maintenance session for the children’s cycle club of Ambition, Aspire, Achieve at the ARC. There is still work to be done at their Abbey Hub and the meeting indicated at willingness to seek to arrange this in November or December. If you are interested in either maintenance of helping with a Saturday children’s ride let me know.

There was a Fix Your Ride session at Woodgrange Market on 14 October 2023 and the last one of the year (i.e. 2023) is scheduled to take place on 11 November 2023.

On infrastructure:

  • A report on the last monthly meeting with the Romford Road Active Travel Team (RRATS) is available. The completion of the current phase #1 has now been put back to December 2023 with phase #2 (eastern end , Dersingham Ave to Ilford Hill) due to start in January 2024 next year. NC have been emphasising the need for good publicity for the scheme given the piecemeal approach to this project. The Council are planning a public event in November. The meeting expressed frustration at the delay in opening the sections of phase 1 that appear to be complete.
  • There is also available a report on the useful Newham Liveable Neighbourhoods (LN) team organised audit ride of 26 September of schemes around the Romford Rd, western end. There was a good turnout from the Newham Council new Liveable Neighbourhoods (LN) and Transport for Lonon (TfL) teams, including Michael Barratt – a longstanding friend of NC.

    The audit ride looked at the schemes in the recently created (from 2020) Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTN’s) in the Stratford, Maryland and Forest Gate areas which have now been made permanent and examined a possible new LTN scheme bounded by Vicarage Lane, Romford Rd, Ham Park Rd and Upton Lane, the major motor traffic “cut through/rat runs” runs being Ham Park Rd, Margery Park Rd and Tavistock Rd.

    NC are seeking regularly LN events of this sort. The meeting recalled that a Newham Planning Committee had recommended that Wyatt Rd should be made two-way directional for all carriageway traffic and filtered to meet the concerns of residents with regard to “cut through/rat run” issues. This is within the area under examination.

    Comments were also made about some movement of installed planter observations in the existing LTN’s.
  • Still no more news on the Woodgrange and Capel areas and a related concerning lack of information.
  • There are major developments coming up for planning permission around the North Woolwich Rd which provide opportunities for the Council to leverage funding to support local Active Travel. Specific current “planning permission” related schemes schemes include the Beckton Masterplan and the Bromley by Bow Gasworks where NC have a particular concern about the fact that the major routes providing potential Active Travel connectivity are currently designated “private roads.”

London Cycling Campaign (LCC) HQ have provided membership by ward data. NC have increased membership to 171 but membership is still heavily biased to the north of the borough. The meeting noted that the opening of new university campuses in Newham provided an opportunity for outreach, as did spreading our activities to different areas of the borough. It was also worth seeking lessons from other LCC borough groups with a more successful outreach in terms of local membership and activism.

Other business:

Next meeting provisionally set for Monday 27 November by Zoom subject to other arrangements to be notified.

Agenda for Meeting of 30 January 2023

 

Agenda Items

ItemOwner
OpeningWelcome.Attendees/Apologies.Guests.Confirmation of previous minutes (Confirmed/Seconded). See NC website readout : Prepared by Arnold Ridout (28th of November 2022 meeting).  Olawale Ajibola, Newham Cyclists Coordinator.
Business arising from previous minutesReference 1.4 above.Presentation  from Su Guy, LB Newham Sustainable Transport Officer.  Olawale Ajibola, Newham Cyclists Coordinator.   Su Guy, LB Newham Sustainable Transport Officer.
NC Rides program/Ride from Boleyn and developmentsReport(?).  Steve Smith, Newham Cyclists Ride Lead Coordinator.  
Ambition Aspire Achieve (AAA) at Terence Brown ARC in the Park/Newham Cyclists partnership work.Report (?).  Arnold Ridout.
Fix Your Ride (FYR)         5.1   Report (?).  Bill Bremner/Kerena Fussell.
 Infrastructure Report(s)          6.1   LTN 5 (Woodgrange)/LTN 6 (Capel): Developments.          6.2   Levelling Up Fund (LUF) Active Travel Romford Road scheme : Developments.          6.3   Newham Cyclists response to the Building a Fairer Newham 2023-24 Budget.          6.4   Newham Cyclists Beckton Walking and Cycling Project (BWCP) formal response.          6.5   Consultation response: Silvertown Tunnel bus network.            6.6    Newham Cyclists response to Newham Local Plan consultation. Deadline 20th of February 2023.          6.7    Community Infrastructure Funded related developments: Report (?).          6.8    London Vision Zero forum report.          6.9    Newham Cyclists response to LB Newham Severe Weather/Winter Service Plan update.    6.10  Meeting with Luke Tozer of Pitman Tozer Architects.    Kerena Fussell. Olawale Ajibola, Newham Cyclists Coordinator.     Jonathan Rothwell, Olympic Park Representative & Interim Newham Cyclists Deputy Co-ordinator. Olawale Ajibola, Newham Cyclists Coordinator. Arnold Ridout,Community Infrastructure Representative. Olawale Ajibola, Newham Cyclists Coordinator. Olawale Ajibola, Newham Cyclists Coordinator. Arnold Ridout,Community Infrastructure Representative.
Any Other BusinessLCC Civi platform/dealing with e-news shots: A volunteer needed to lead and manage this for Newham Cyclists.Plan to invite Eilidh Murray, link LCC trustee for Newham to NC February 2023 monthly meeting to talk about the ‘Pathways‘ approach the LCC is taking with the borough groups and the opportunities you have locally.     Newham Food Alliance  Olawale Ajibola, Newham Cyclists Coordinator.       Karen Flanagan.
Close outNext meeting : Likely date – Monday 27th of February 2023 by Zoom/To Be Arranged/Confirmed.  Olawale Ajibola, Newham Cyclists Coordinator.  

Readout from 25 July 2022 Meeting

Arnold Ridout was elected to the Committee as Community Infrastructure/Bespoke Task lead.

It was agreed that Thom Sanders and Olawale Ajibola be added as signatorries to the bank account.

On rides:

  • Steve reported that the 2022 ride programme was continuing but he was no longer available for the planned 13 November ride to Hertford.
  • Arnold updated on plans for the 11 September Bike from Boleyn Ride where the organisers were planning to return to a pre-pandemic scale event.
  • Rides around potential low traffic neighbourhoods were discussed and agreed.

On bike maintenance:

  • Bill reported on the success of the Fix Your Ride at the Forest Gate Festival. The next Fix Your Ride session will be at Woodgrange Market on 11 August.
  • It was agreed that funds could be used for parts to fix bikes donated for refugees.
  • It was agreed that we would support the local charity Magpie in fixing buggies as this promoted active travel the skills needed were similar to fixing bikes.

On infrastructure:

  • Olawale reported and discussion on the extensive and generally positive meeting with the Head of Transport Policies and Programmes for Newham Council. We are grateful for the time he gave us and look forward to the significant developments outlined.
  • Jonathan reported on developments in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park including the soon to close Westfield Ave consultation (please respond by 30 July if you have not yet done so), Montfichet Rd, possible improvements in the Greenway crossing of the railway line, and the “Leyton Ladder”. He detected a more positive approach to active travel from the authorities.
  • Olawale reported on the workshop he attended on East Ham Town Centre.
  • Arnold reported on the development proposal at “Crown Wharf” and was authorised to take forward further discussions with the developers.
  • Olawale reported on his attendance at the Royal Docks Corridor Construction Liaison meeting, highlighting some of the outstanding issues.

Olawale reported back on the LCC Group Co-ordinators meeting. The most relevent item was that on dangerous junctions.

We agreed to support Tower Hamlets Wheelers in protection of cycle infrastructure in a a manner that they advised. Olawale will liaise.

If you have a question or would like further detail please get in touch.

Arnold

Readout from Annual Meeting 27 June 2022

AAA provided us with the hospitality of their premises at the Arc in the Park, Canning Town. We are very grateful.

In respect of the formal business:

  • The Draft Annual report (see earlier post) was approved.
  • The Annual Accounts for 2021/2 and the budget for 2022/3 (see earlier post)were confirmed, having been previously approved by the Committee to meet LCC deadlines.
  • The following Officers were elected. They will also form the Committee:
    Co-ordinator – Olawale Ajibola
    Interim Deputy Co-ordinator and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Representative – Jonathan Rothwell
    Secretary – Kate Byrne
    Treasurer – Bill Bremner
    Deputy Treasurer – Thom Sanders
    Infrastructure Representative – Chris Kershaw
    Rides Co-ordinator – Steve Smith
    Better streets Liaison Officer – Kerena Fussell

The lively discussion that followed covered a number of issues including the need for full consultation on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and the imperative to respond to the latest consultation on the subject found at newhamco-create.co.uk/en/projects/street-survey, health workers and cycling, the variety of cycle hire schemes in the borough, proposals for Tollgate Rd, the levelling up funding aimed at the south of the borough, Leytonstone Rd, the MSG Sphere, and the QE Olympic Park.

We also discussed some new campaigning tools we could make use of in the forthcoming year which promises to be busy and exciting..

Arnold

Annual Meeting 27 June 2022

A reminder that our Annual meeting will take place on 27 June at 7.30pm at the Terence Brown Arc in the Park.

As well as the usual formal bits (election of officers, approval of accounts, annual report. There will be an update on developments in cycling in Newham we will be setting our future direction.

Light refreshments will be served.

If you would prefer to attend by Zoom we are planning (and have successfully experimented with) a link. Let me now if you want the joining details by e-mailing newham@lcc.org.uk.

Arnold

News update

  • As the weather is looking suitable, May 30 meeting will be an evening ride in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with a short stop at the end for (bring your own) coffee/beer and discussion. See events for details. Let me know if there is anything particular you would wish to discuss.
  • Arrangements for the June 27 Annual meeting are crystallising. It is likely to be at the Terence Brown ARC in Hermitage Rd Park (home of AAA) starting at 7.30pm, with light refreshments. Subject to IT constraints we will try to give a Zoom option.
  • We are leading a ride for the children’s cycling club at AAA – Ambition Aspire Achieve, from 10am to 1 pm on Saturday, 28 May. If you would like to help on this please let me know.
  • Our LCC Freecycle feeder ride is Sunday 29 May. There are a lot of sign ups!
  • We have sought a meeting post election with Councillor James Asser, the re-appointed Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainable Transport. This has ben done in conjunction with Jeremy Leach (20’s Plenty and London Living Streets).
  • We have contacted Will Norman (the London Mayor’s walking and Cycling Commissioner) concerning the importance of extracting the best active travel benefits from the Twelvetrees/Stephenson St Development opposite West Ham Station.

Arnold