hfcyclists AGM
At Info Centre, Hammersmith Broadway, 5 November 2002, 7.30pm

[Part One - Discussion with Chris Bainbridge]

Present:
Alan Rowden, Alex Forrest, Bill Ogden, Chris Bainbridge, Chris Tranchell, Edison Pereira, Grevil Quinn, Huw Davies, Jane Knight, John Griffiths, Louanne Tranchel, Paul Alexander, Rik Andrew, Roger de Freitas, Sarah Shubinsky, Wendy Matthews, Wolfgang

Apologies:
John Ryan, Gavin Donovan, Mo Morgan, Pat Tookey, Stephen Burke

[notes taken by John Griffiths with changes/clarifications made by Chris Bainbridge]

1 THE DISCUSSION

We were fortunate to have Chris Bainbridge of the LBHF Transportation team at our meeting.

Chris B explained that LBHF had five officers in its Transportation policy team, four of whom regularly cycled. H&F is eminently suited for cycling as it is compact and flat. A Citizen Panel survey showed that 9% cycled every day and a further 9% cycled at least once a week. It is promising that car use is also dropping, 21% now going to work by car compared to 25% two years ago. A lot of the motor traffic in the borough was passing straight through, particularly on the A4 and A40. LBHF has no control over this traffic. [75% of the traffic on these roads passing through]

Chris B and Simon Franklin had had a meeting with Rose Ades of TfL's cycling Centre of Excellence earlier that day. They agreed that the biggest problem areas in the borough were:
a) Hammersmith Gyratory
b) Shepherds Bush Green and the Holland Park roundabout.

This years' LCN funding was for Hammersmith Gyratory and Hammersmith Road.
There was also £40k for local "tweaking" and £10k for cycle parking. For example Addison Gdns is good going northeast, but poor in the opposite direction. Improvements could be made behind Olympia and around Stamford Brook. Any suggestions to Alex Forrest [ref 1]

There was also money to study new pedestrian/cycle bridges across the Thames at Chelsea Harbour and the West London Line and former motorway at Westway.

Next year LCN+ would spend £200K in the borough, on
New Kings rd/ King St [there is some uncertainty here]
Uxbridge rd [which could include work at SBG]
Hammersmith Gyratory [£30K]
Fulham Broadway [£10k]

The borough spending plans also includes Home Zones and safe routes to schools. There is an intention for further cycle training for school children. The Urban Studies Centre is useful for contacting schools. The Green Travel Plans for new developments include showers at work. A success has been putting in showers at the Town Hall. Cycle parking will be put in this year at Olympia station, as a BR station. LT stations have not been so co-operative.

A vigorous debate followed summarised thus:

On a pedestrian / cyclist river crossing

RIK: Is there any progress for a possible footbridge /cycle bridge across the river opposite Barn Elms?
CHRIS B: We had heard of this suggestion but I am not sure how far it has got. The site would be near Fulham football ground.

On Shepherds bush Green

JOHN: Will work start on the Rockley rd and the Goldhawk rd junctions before there is a review incorporating the Holland Park roundabout.
CHRIS B: Yes, but the work need not necessarily exclude any later change.

On cycling along the riverside Mall

CHRIS B: The situation is not so bad on a weekday morning. But on a Sunday afternoon you could not get past the pubs. On Hampstead Heath there is a cycle route that only operates in the morning.
RIK: Use the riverside as a shared route. Have dismount when busy signs. I would rather dismount than go along the A4. There is a second University of Surrey paper that says that shared use does not cause problems and cyclists give way. Average speed of cyclists was 9mph.
ROGER: Avoid Rutland / Blue Anchor - Dove - Ship. Not suitable for mixed use.
JOHN: improve connection under Hammersmith Bridge - between Crisp rd and Rutland Grove. That piece of grass on the corner could be adjusted. [site of what was millennium steps/beach plans]

On other off road routes

RIK: Are there any plans for a route through Ravenscourt Park.
CHRIS B: We are looking to develop a route through Ravenscourt park linking Hammersmith Hospital with Ravenscourt Park Hospital and nurses accommodation.

On OYbike

JOHN: I hear that OYbike will be starting soon.
CHRIS B: A trial will be starting between two sites at/near BBC establishments in early December 2002. That is to iron out any technical problems. Then going into full operation in January across the Borough.
BILL: Oybike should have their own stands. They are an independently financed group.
PAUL: Possible damage to other bikes, as renters may not be so circumspect about a non-OYbike on stand.
CHRIS B: The advantage of a shared stand is that when an OYbike stand is empty it can be used by other cyclists.
JOHN: Worried about problems of a cyclist releasing their bike from under one to three OYbikes. Should be a notice on the stand saying how to contact Council for release / comment [it is a trial organised by the Policy group after all. Whose name will they use as the Council contact?]

On Fulham Palace rd crossing

JOHN Not very sensible to spend about £150K on a pavement route that takes cyclists down a pedestrian subway. This subway link is considered temporary. For several years there may be pedestrian / cyclist conflict.
ROGER: The subways are narrow and crowded in the rush hour. It will be madness to take bikes down there when it is busy.
JOHN We have promoted plans for a possible surface level crossing here a year ago [ref 2]
CHRIS B: Rose said she would look at a possible surface level crossing. It is also possible that a new bus station would mean no southbound buses leave the present bus station. That would make plans for a surface level crossing easier.
ROGER: Just do it. Just dump rubble down the holes one night [our anarchist].

On rat runs

BILL: Hoping after Car Free Day that Mulgrave rd would be closed. Residential roads should not be used for through traffic.
RIK: Would like to see Trussley rd closed off. Residential roads should not be used for through traffic.

On NDC area [New Deal for Communities -North Fulham]

BILL: We hope to have a) a cycle proficiency scheme. b) close Mulgrave rd
c) dovetail NDC with home zones
Said John Ryan/Cycick is proposing a recycled cycle rental scheme in the NDC area. White bikes would be available for £10 for 6months.

On Parking stash

PAUL: Are there large reserves of money hoarded by the Parking dept?
CHRIS B: I do not think so. Parking revenue is used to fund the Freedom pass, street lighting and local road maintenance among other things.

On other developments

RIK: What can be done about King Street?
HUW: The pavement has been widened in front of M&S and this has been a great improvement.
CHRIS B: It would be very difficult to make it completely pedestrian. There are some schemes that work well, eg "dynamic traffic management" as at Boreham Wood.

On a stranger

JOHN: Who are you?
HUW: Huw Davies. Councillor for Hammersmith Broadway and chair of Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel [ERSP] Thank you for inviting me. I have just come to observe. Chris has already presented a paper on cycling to the ESRP. Cycling is going to come up again soon. I hope some of you will be able to come along and that you will find the Scrutiny Panel a useful forum.
JOHN: We are pleased to see you. We have been to meetings under its previous chair. We hope to come.

John thanked Chris for his valuable participation.

[ref 1] alex.forrest@lbhf.gov.uk
[ref 2] http://www.hfcyclists.org.uk/bwynew.htm

John Griffiths
co-ordinator hfcyclists
john@truefeelings.com
www.hfcyclists.org.uk