metOctober05

NOTES OF HFCYCLISTS MEETING
Tuesday 4 October 2005 , 7.30pm in the Info Centre

PRESENT: John Griffiths, John Smits [briefly], Mark Fossick, Sarah Taylor, Jonathan Gurney, Frank Florez, Bill Ogden, Sgt Chris Everett.

APOLOGIES: Simon Rumble, Belinda Shattock, Paul Alexander, Andy Ellard, Louanne Tranchell, Chris Tranchell, Susan Gretz, Veronique Cartier, Chris Bainbridge, Alex Forrest

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RIDES

We were all keen to have a ride. So:
Sunday 16 October 2005 / We will have a Surprise Ride along the river. Surprise means we have not really got it together what we will do.

We will set off along the river going up to Kew Bridge. After that we will have some kind of undemocratic decision on what we do next. Suggestions include Richmond, Brentford, pubs, teahouses, etc. Note District line probably not functioning that day, should you have wanted to return by tube.

We will leave from Furnivall gardens at 12noon sharp. [Furnivall Gardens is the bit of greenery along the river fairly near Hammersmith bridge, and between the Rutland and the Dove pubs. Across the big road from Hammersmith town hall]
Suitable for all ages. Further details. John Griffiths, as below

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CYCLE THEFT and CRIME
We were fortunate in having Sergeant Chris Everett from Shepherds Bush Safer Neighbourhood Team of the Metropolitan Police with us.

TARGETS - Cycle theft is now included in a target to reduce crime. Hopefully this crime will be given the resources needed to make an impact. John said that it would be good to have "stings" now and again. Apparently they have been held in the past, eg at Charing Cross hospital.

UNDER REPORTING OF THEFT - We assumed that most people would not report their bike stolen to the police unless it was insured. If the bike is insured a crime number is needed for the claim. There appears to be little expectation of getting a bike back. As a result there is probably a large under reporting of cycle theft.

We may carry out our own survey on this amongst our members. [John Smits had his bike lifted from Olympia station last week. Not insured, not reported].

[An internet search gives:
The British Crime Survey thinks 44% of cycle thefts are reported.
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/crimeew0405.html
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb1105.pdf at p58

And in Islington
There has been a 120 per cent increase in recording of 'pedal cycle theft'
going from 757 in 2001/02 to 1,669 in 2003/04.
http://www.islington.gov.uk/pdf/communitysafety/icdyp_audit_2004.pdf]

LOCKING YOUR BIKE. Use a good lock. A frequent way of busting a lock is to lever a D-lock open. Try to avoid leaving space inside the D-lock where a lever could be inserted. Preferably lock to something very solid, lock both wheels, and remove bits others might remove. Jonathon had opened a friend's lock with a jack, another method frequently used, or just bashing it with a hammer.

Choose a place that is busy, well lit, has CCTV coverage. The CCTV is covered by the Council and has someone watching a bank of screens. There is a direct line to the local police is something is seen. Some cameras move around, so do not cover everything.

Chris talked about hopes of having a high quality bike parking at Shepherds Bush Place, with CCTV, but rather expensive and who will pay? [perhaps can be included in the CRISP for the SBG].

STICKERS -Chris supplied us with a bunch of identifying stickers to put on your bike. A small panel for writing postcode and house number, with a transparent tail that wraps around the frame and covers the marked panel. We will have them at future meetings and events.

FRAME NUMBER - Chris also emphasised the importance of knowing the frame number. This may be under the bottom bracket, or on the upright below the seat. [my bike and another I looked at had no frame number. Another I looked at had a frame number but one of the digits indistinct. Sometimes grimy. Not the piece of cake it sounds. BUT CHECK YOUR FRAME NUMBER NOW AND RECORD IT.

WWW.IMMOBILISE.COM - Record details of your bike here, also mobile phone etc. Flag up when it goes away. This is a national database promoted by the police.

WWW.CHECKMEND.ORG You can also use this partner site to check if a frame number is flagged as stolen, though this costs £1.50 a go.

These sites are nation wide. However the Met has its own database. Other police forces have theirs. So a bike nicked in the Bush could be sold in Birmingham without it showing up.

Bill said he saw a large truck full of bikes for sale at Denham car boot sale, varied. Suspicious, worth looking into. Also suggested bikes transferred North / South for selling.

Also notices of bikes on railings say "buy me". but could be genuine as people leaving country etc.

GRUNGE - Some of us are fortunate in having this natural defence against bike theft. Apparently some pay for this effect to make their valuable bikes less attention-worthy.

CYCLING ON PAVEMENTS - Chris pointed out that there was no excuse for this and anyone cycling on the pavement may be liable to being dealt with, perhaps a caution or a £30 fine. Some of us expressed a hope that effort would be concentrated on inconsiderate cyclists, rather than anyone found on the pavement. But Chris pointed out that picking on a certain type not approved of.

Meanwhile I [John] get regular complaints concerning cyclists and particularly of unpleasant cyclists on the pavement.

TEN PIN - A program where police flood a given area for a day. Carried out in the borough perhaps once every 6 to 8 weeks.

POLICE BIKES - Although the SBG team has 6 bikes, only one officer trained to go out on one. It requires a 2 day training course before you are let out. A shame this resource not fully used, when some officers very competent cyclists.

SPEEDING VEHICLES IN 20MPH ZONES
The council put in the infrastructure and the bumps, but it requires the police to stop any one. If an area is of particular concern, the police call in an agency for 24hr speed monitoring by road strips. If found to be a significant problem one of 6 mobile speed cameras owned by Met can be set up. Recently Dalling road was suggested as a raceway.

Similarly police action can be taken against parking problems in cycle lanes. Wardens may tend to keep to quieter backstreets, and the police can give them support in tougher areas. Hammersmith rd between North end rd and Edith rd was highlighted by John and Bill, though not a particularly tough area.

We are very grateful for Sergeant Chris Everett coming along. He and his team can be contacted on
Tel: 020 8246 2783,
Mobile [cheap to phone number] 020 8721 2056
ShepherdsBushGreen.SNT@met.police.uk

We are also in touch with Inspector Dan Stobbart and PC Cassandra Woods of Hammersmith concerning cycle crime.
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PEDAL POWER LONDON

The Urban Partnership Group have developed a plan for distributing their stock of bikes remaining from the Oybike scheme. The original not-for-profit company "The Oybike Initiative [Hammersmith] Ltd" has been renamed Pedal Power London and has a website at www.pedalpowerlondon.org.

A bike may be obtained by joining the pedal power network at a cost of £10 and then paying £40. You need to be an employee or working for a voluntary group, in LBHF, Brent or Ealing. Alternatively, as an incentive/reward, attendance at 3 West London SEED Workshops or Capacity Building Workshops organised by UPG entitles you to a FREE bike, once you have come up with the £10 membership fee.

Frank who is here tonight works as a volunteer mechanic for them. Martin from CTUK is a paid mechanic and will run their maintenance workshops.

The official launch of the scheme is meant to occur early November 2005. If you know of any suitable recipients please direct them to the web page.

The scheme seems to be concentrating on redistributing the bikes, workshops and repairs. Other aspirations initially proposed, such as recycling abandoned bikes, seem to have been dropped, or at least for the time being.

Bill wondered whether the present scheme needed to fit in with any restrictive conditions and targets one would expect to be associated with the EU funding for the original Oybike project.

Meanwhile a few Oybikes with the duck motif on them are still around. John wonders under what authority the docking stations and bikes belonging to Oybike systems Ltd are allowed to be there. And to whom the revenue from the advertising for the Wetlands Centre is going. The effort seems to have gone into getting advertising onto the street rather than developing a green transport system that is user friendly. Will the two Imperial College academics, who have received £30K to appraise the Oybike trial, come to this same simple conclusion?

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CRISP AT SHEPHERDS BUSH GREEN

[Cycle Route Implementation Stakeholders Plan]
Steve Cardno of LCN+ had a meeting earlier today with Simon Franklin [cycling officer at LBHF] to discuss the progress of this CRISP. LCN+ is paying for this study. It is believed that the Council will take on board the issues raised by LCN+ and ourselves. Our response to the draft report at
http://www.hfcyclists.org.uk/SBGcrisp.pdf

Colin Glendenning of the Highways dept said that we should be hearing from him in a matter of weeks. One thing that they have dropped from their proposal is injecting the cyclist into the fast lane of the eastbound Uxbridge road and then leading you across the line of turning buses at the apex of the green. We can expect the new CRISP report to have an executive summary so one can figure out what is actually going on.

Colin said that the intended [interim] plan for the cycle crossing leading to the disused toilet block is to direct cyclists around the north of the toilet block. Not a very natural route if your route is to or from Shepherds Bush rd in the south. Apparently problems with the radius of the roadway on the corner prevent them moving crossings to the south.

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WORMHOLT 20MPH ZONE CONSULTATION.

We have sent in a response to this. If anyone has any further comments on speed cushions and this area I will pass them on.
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A4 STUDY / CRISP

TfL have engaged the consultants Faber Maunsell to carry out a study to improve cycling along the route of the A4 from the east end of Hammersmith flyover via the Hogarth roundabout to Sutton Court rd. I have already responded saying that we would like to be involved as stakeholders. LCN+ and LBHF are also stakeholders. The principal consultant Darren Pacey says that the facilities need not actually be on the A4, but on the line of this route. If you have any comments at this early stage I will pass them on. Jonathan regularly cycles on the flyover.

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CYCLE TRAINING
LBHF is offering a subsidised two-hour session to anyone who lives, works or studies in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham.

The session is tailored to the needs of the individual, at a time and location of their choosing, from absolute beginner to experienced cyclists who want to boost their confidence in traffic, £5 for the session, tel CycleTraining UK [CTUK] on 020 7582 3535 to arrange a session.

[Information supplied by Chris Bainbridge, Transport Planning Manager, LBHF]

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OUR WEBSITE - Mark has been looking at it and hopefully he and john will make it more useful and relevant. Input from all welcome.

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OUR AGM - As our accounting period has changed to January - December we will probably have our AGM in February. We may need to alter our constitution slightly to fit in with LCC requirements. Jonathan urged people to join the LCC for its advantages, 3rd party insurance, discounts, campaigning opportunities, and support for the work it does. www.lcc.org.uk.

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EXPENSES
John had expenses tonight of £12.35 for refreshments.

Some previous expenses had not as yet been paid to john
These comprised refreshments for August £10.83, refreshments for September £11.20, bluetack 5.45, rubber bands 0.99, So a cheque for £40.82 was made out to John

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DATE FOR NEXT MEETING -
TUESDAY 1ST NOVEMBER. AT 7.30PM AT THE INFO CENTRE
PLEASE PUT IN DIARY NOW.

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John Griffiths [chair / co-ordinator]
020 7371 1290 / 07789 095 748
john@truefeelings.com
OUR WEBSITE www.hfcyclists.org.uk