metOctober06
NOTES OF HFCYCLISTS MEETING
Tuesday 3 October 2006 , 7.15pm for 7.30pm in the Info Centre
PRESENT
John Griffiths, Gwen Cook, Wendy Ann Matthews, Angela Brown, Susie Gretz, Andy Ellard, Bill Ogden, Chris Tranchell, Louanne Tranchell, Alan Rowden, Roger de Freitas
APOLOGIES:
Stephen Burke, Zuzana Simcova, Jonathan Gurney, Gemma, Mo Morgan
GRAEME SWINBURNE
Graeme Swinburne is the new shared Transport Manager for RBK&C and LBHF. Graeme has agreed to come to our next meeting on Tuesday 7 November.
We suggest that a reasonable format would be for Graeme to give a short introduction on his views and aspirations. There would then be a question and answer session. As Graeme is new to the Borough it would be good to give him some notice of questions, especially where some background knowledge is required.
If you could SEND ANY QUESTIONS you may have to John Griffiths - details below, by Sunday 15 October, then these can be sent on to Graeme.
If you are present on the evening you can present your question, otherwise we will present them somehow. We will have some questions from the floor on the day, and of course Graeme may have some questions for us.
We have also invited people from K&C LCC group
CYCLING IN CONTENTIOUS AREAS
In the email group we have discussed cycling along the riverside and in Lyric Square, and more views were presented tonight.
Along the riverside our general view was that considerate cycling should be tolerated, and that inconsiderate or dangerous cycling should be discouraged / penalised.
There is a problem as to what the regulations actually are, and who is responsible for enforcing them. In Furnival Gardens [between the Rutland and Dove pubs] the riverside walk is part of the park and comes under the Parks byelaws administered by the Parks Constabulary, under Council control.
Elsewhere it is not a pavement alongside a carriageway, so the normal Highways act about not cycling on the pavement does not apply.
Gwen believed that the Highways
Act 1980 (c.66) s35. - Creation of walkways by agreement -is likely to
be relevant. She explained that when a walkway is dedicated for public
use conditions can be made at that point on how it is to be used. John
queried why the police should have to police agreements between other
parties. The council would be able to make byelaws regulating the conduct
of persons using any walkway to which an agreement relates. [subsection
6a].
http://www.glass-uk.org/pub-library/acts/ha80/s035.html
For Lyric Square there was no real consensus on whether we needed the right to cycle through it, or whether it should be a pedestrian space. Again hopefully any action would only be taken against inconsiderate cyclists.
For both the riverside and Lyric Square perhaps our attitude should be to let sleeping dogs lie, but to understand the legal position as well if not better than anyone else.
John would like to see the exploration of movie clips on digital cameras as a means of backing up decisions to enforce inconsiderate cycling. There was not much enthusiasm for that.
Susie brought in an article from the Gazette, 29 Sept 06, p6 talking about zero tolerance of pavement cyclists.
Margravine cemetery is like the tour de France in the morning says the complainant. Pressure is being put on the Parks constabulary for zero tolerance. If you are plagued by cyclists on the pavement add you voice on edit@ealinggazette.co.uk says the article.
Andy pointed out that the council has no control over the police, and he thought that the police are too busy for zero tolerance stuff. Though of course they do co-operate.
UPDATE ON COUNCIL PLANS
On Monday 2 October 06 John Griffiths met with Colin Glendenning, Dion Hallett and Solomon Castillo of LBHF Highways dept. This was to receive an update on plans for Shepherds Bush Green and elsewhere. For simplicity this report just concerns developments at Shepherds Bush Green, and other areas will be reported in a later email.
I was not told that the Council had already approved the projects we were discussing at SBG. Fortunately Peter Savage has sent me a copy of this Cabinet decision made 14 September 2006. This Council decision does say that it is subject to a positive response to consultation.
Extracts from this decision follow between asterisks.
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SHEPHERD'S BUSH GREEN - CYCLE IMPROVEMENTS SCHEME
This proposal is to implement a two-way cycle track on Shepherd's Bush common and to improve the crossing facilities adjacent to Rockley Rd. This will provide a link for cyclists between the junction of Uxbridge Rd and Wood Lane with the junction of Shepherd's Bush Green and Rockley Road.
To approve the implementation of the cycle route improvements as detailed in the report subject to a positive response to consultation.
The main elements of the proposed works are to be completed in two phases:
Phase 1 - Construction of a two-way cycle path from the Wood Lane/Uxbridge Road crossing to the junction of Shepherd's Bush Green with Rockley Road.
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The 2-way route lies next to the road, with a parallel pedestrian path a little further into the park. It leads to a shared use area near the dog exercise area.
Andy noticed that the plans referred to in the decision were numbered 88900/94 whereas the one available to us at our meeting were the final CRISP drawings numbered 88900/86. Although more recent plans were available at the meeting the previous day, I was not allowed to take away a copy.
Susie questioned how much faster the new route would be. Using bits of string the new route appears to be 300m compared to the existing route of 375m [from a plan]. An extra 75m when you are toodling along at 15Kph [c9mph] is less than 20 seconds, and considerably less if you are in a hurry.
Roger pointed out that the existing route lies along the south and west sides of the Green, which are fairly dead areas, apart from night life on the west side. Whereas on the north side there are many shops and it is the gateway to the new Westfield development. People will be crossing to and from the green and the cycle track runs straight through the area where people will be waiting to cross or stepping from the road onto the green.
Cyclists are likely to take a yet shorter route coming from Rockley rd and may cut through between the picnic area and the playground, leading to the pedestrian path rather than the cycle track.
Susie pointed out that it does not look good for a Council eager to cut down on waste to spend money in this way.
There is the question that the planned route leads to the north of the disused toilet block. The block contains an electricity substation, and this will not be moved, or sunk, until about 2008. We have raised the point that cyclists should not be steered towards the north side of this block as they come off the Green as it is on a blind corner. At the meeting yesterday Dion said that they would put up barriers if necessary to prevent cyclists going that way.
[We are pleased that the Highways team have redirected the flow of bikes to the south of the toilet block, and signals are to be moved soon]
John thought it would be better to await the appointment of the architects of the Green and listen to their views. The Council should not pre-empt the architects' aspirations of how this space will become a desirable community area.
The Highways team in their enthusiasm to put in a route does not seem to be sensitive to the issue of cyclists unnecessarily invading pedestrian spaces.
We AGREED that John will write to the Council saying that we do not recommend this cycle path.
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Phase 2 - Improvements to the crossing facilities at the junction of Shepherd's
Bush Green with Rockley Road to include an improved cycle crossing facility.
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At the meeting on the 2 October 2006 we also discussed the refuge that
would allow cyclists travelling westwards on Shepherds Bush Green to pause
until the lights changed to let them cross to the Green.
I was surprised that drawings for a refuge at Rockley rd had already been sent to DTO [Dept of Traffic Operations] to approve signals. I thought that they were going to discuss the design of a refuge with us.
I would expect designers to know how many cyclists per light change they are expecting to come along. Apparently the refuge will hold 5 cyclists. We discussed ways this might be increased. [at Hyde Park corner the crossing can no longer cater for the number of cyclists using it.] If more cyclists use it than designed for it may be dangerous, as you are unprotected and are exposed to traffic passing close on both sides of the refuge. It should be designed so that cyclists do not feel threatened. Being close to fast moving traffic is threatening.
If it cannot be designed safely, I would suggest encouraging cyclists to turn left into Rockley rd and doing a U-turn to join the north bound cyclists and wait at the lights there. There are some dangers in doing a U-turn as other traffic is turning left into Rockley rd.
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3 CONSULTATION
3.1 The Council has consulted with stakeholders identified through the
CRISP Study process. The proposals put forward in this report are based
upon input received from these stakeholders which include representatives
from the London Cycle Network Project Manager (London Borough of Camden),
TfL, Metropolitan Police and the Hammersmith & Fulham London Cycling
Campaign Group. All parties were satisfied with the proposals to be implemented.
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This final sentence does not tally exactly with the response from hfcyclists.
We thought the Draft CRISP appalling. We made comments. A final CRISP was then produced with no opportunity to comment upon it. This prompted the following declaration by hfcyclists, on our website at
http://www.hfcyclists.org.uk/SBGfinal.htm,
and the notes of the hfcyclists
meeting of 1 November 2005.
http://www.hfcyclists.org.uk/metNov05.htm
where we agreed that as one of 5 points
4 WE OPPOSE THE TWO-WAY CYCLE
TRACK ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE GREEN.
Unnecessary, and restricts the freedom of pedestrians. It also seems to
be the reason for directing cyclists to the north of the toilet block.
Bill was very upset that we had never received a reply to the email we
sent at that point. Instead there has been an occasional on-going discussion
about progress, mainly about the area around the toilet block.
We AGREED that john would also send our views on the consultation process.
DEFUNCT BIKES
The bikes we specified as being defunct have been removed. However there
seems not to be a very uniform operation by the Street Scene officers.
On the broken windows principle, seeing a lot of defunct bikes hanging
around for a long time does not encourage anyone to use a bike, and makes
it look like vandalising bikes is the norm. John will follow up.
TIME OF YOUR LIFE
Event on Friday 6 October, where cycling will be promoted to older people.
Gwen Cook is involved in organising a cycling component of this event
put on by BGOP, Better Government for Older People. The event is in the
Town Hall, and the cycling part in an outside marquee. The event from
10am to 4pm, the cycling part from 11am to 3pm. There will be 2 cycle
instructors there using bikes from Pedal Power and 2 Doctor bikes, all
funded by Good Going. If you can spare any time to go along and help,
please contact Gwen on gwen.cook@btinternet.com, 020 7385 8536. Angela,
Susie, Louanne and Gerry are expected to help. And if you need your bike
being looked over, bring it along.
TOUR DE FRANCE 2007
LCC HQ would like our involvement [as active spectators]. This would be
in July. Roger enthused us with the sense of occasion it would be. We
are being asked to lead rides to it, and to bring new people along.
ANY RIDES TO BE PLANNED
We were talking about the possibility of a ride along the canal this Sunday.
Susie may help lead one. If any one is interested in helping her / going
on ride please contact me soon as possible so that we can promote it.
EXPENSES
John had expenses tonight of £18.36 for refreshments.
CHEQUES
John was issued with a cheque for £54.64 for recent refreshment
expenses, and another for £52.76 for expenses incurred with the
festival.
DATE FOR NEXT MEETING -
Tuesday 7 November 2006. 7.15pm for 7.30pm At the Info Centre
PLEASE PUT IN DIARY NOW.
John Griffiths [chair / co-ordinator]
020 7371 1290 / 07789 095 748
john@truefeelings.com
OUR WEBSITE www.hfcyclists.org.uk