Archive for 'Campaign'
Love London, Go Dutch
February 22, 2012 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign.
“Love London, Go Dutch” was officially launched on Thursday 9th February, including an article in the Evening Standard whose columnist Simon JENKINS has commented on the Times Cycle Safety campaign, as the Londonist interestingly points out.
LCC’s current focus is on getting signatures on the petition and finding partners because they’re aiming to reach beyond the LCC family. Proposals for action by local groups like Richmond Cycling Campaign include:
1. Gathering signatures
a. Spreading the word on-line through e-mail and social media and telling friends and family;
b. On petition sheets, collected either pre-printed from LCC or downloaded;
2. Promoting Love London, Go Dutch
Using petition sheets to collect signatures and direct people to the LCC website at events, bike maintenance workshops or rides;
3. Forming partnerships with organisations like local residents associations, sports clubs, religious groups who are willing to feature Love London, Go Dutch on their websites, newsletters or mailings;
4. Volunteering as a Go Dutch champion to visit organisations and promote the campaign [apparently there are 32 Go Dutch champions but there are gaps in some Boroughs];
5. Collecting signatures on the street during the LCC Weeks of Action during the first and second week of April [note this coincides with the Easter holidays];
6. Running a Feeder Ride to “THE BIG RIDE” on Saturday 28th April;
7. Telling everyone what’s going on by posting pictures of events and Love London, Go Dutch activity.
We’ve got some ideas but are keen to hear yours: campaign@richmondlcc.co.uk
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What’s happening?
February 22, 2012 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Veloteer.
Before we clear the decks to support London Cycling Campaign’s “Love London, Go Dutch” here’s a round-up of what we know is happening locally, listed under the Veloteer Patches we talked about in October if you’re interested in a particular area of the Borough.
Mortlake/East Sheen: Manor Road
In a series of posts early last year we talked about the proposed footbridge over the railway in Manor Road, first in January when the planning application was refused, then later in the month when the design competition was announced and again in March when we talked about the challenge of ”severance” in the Borough. The winning design has been posted on the constituency MP’s website here with the opportunity to comment on it here before Network Rail submit another planning application to the Council. We’ll repeat our previous request for wheeling channels to be installed so cyclists can get ahead of the queue of motor vehicle traffic to reduce the risk of collision.
Mortlake/East Sheen: Clifford Avenue, St Leonards, Tangier Road
While we’re talking about “severance” and the particular challenge of crossing railway lines in the Borough, TfL have just published the Traffic Order for the proposed work in Clifford Avenue they consulted on at the end of last year. Click here to read their proposal to move the toucan, among other things, here for our written response to the consultation and here for their reply. We’ve written back to ask them about this paragraph:
“Introduction of new cycle lanes on Clifford Avenue
Clifford Avenue is not wide enough to allow for the provision of new mandatory cycle lanes in either direction alongside general traffic lanes. TfL is intending to implement a signing project advising cyclists travelling north or south of suitable parallel roads to travel either in a northbound or southbound direction.”
Can you confirm the “signing project” referred to is the same scheme listed in the TLRN Cycling Programme for London Borough Richmond upon Thames as “A205 Rocks Lane to Kew signage review (E2E) Provision of route signing along whole route and across route adjacent to A205 corridor to encourage alternatives: signing to expand on to Borough Roads to link troupes and provide consistent signing”? As you will know already, one of the greatest challenges for traffic travelling north south in the Barnes and Mortlake area is severance caused by the railway, especially in Barnes where two lines have to be crossed at Vine Road. As a consequence pinch points are created at the limited number of crossings that exist, where vulnerable road users, including people who cycle, are required to share space on the carriageway with high volumes of motor vehicle traffic, including heavy goods vehicles in Clifford Avenue as part of the South Circular. The difficulties here have been considered before as the TLRN Cycling Programme for London Borough Richmond upon Thames referred to above notes “investigated the possibility of shared use footway across the bridge, however this was not feasible.” The “parallel roads to travel either in a northbound or southbound direction” we know that cross the railway are B351 Sheen Road and B353 Manor Road neither of which have existing cycle facilities and both of which are surface crossings that create queues of motor vehicle traffic. Please can you tell us more about the proposed route of the “signing project”?
Hampton / Teddington: Hampton Court Roundabout
Click here for the posting updated on 12thFebruary. We’re waiting on a reply from the Council about why they preferred zebras to toucans but in the meantime the report submitted to the Cabinet Member says “Placing signalised crossings on all arms of the roundabout without signalising the junction would undermine the operation of the junction. This would severely impact on traffic flows and could lead to increased personal injury collisions.”
We’re also waiting for their reply to the proposal to create shared use on the wide paths between the Palace and Hampton Court Road
Teddington: Railway Station
While trying to get someone to agree to consider installing wheeling channels as part of the planned work on the footbridge linking the two platforms [we’re awaiting a reply from Network Rail] South West Trains told us that secure cycle parking is to be installed. This follows recent completion of the cage at Mortlake and the established one at Twickenham, shown below:
We’re waiting for the size and location at Teddington and how to use Mortlake but presume they’ll follow Twickenham which we’ve been told “is now secure card access parking for around 40 bikes for £25 deposit for the card. I use it and am very impressed, mainly because I’m always assured of a space and it has, or appears to have, integrated CCTV which makes it feel more secure.”
Twickenham: Area Action Plan
Click here for the posting updated on 12th February. The Action Plan contains some opportunities, like the River Crane shared use path and the “detailed traffic scheme” we’re trying to influence the content of, but also some threats, the most serious of which is the proposal to build a 3, or 4, storey car park in Station Yard. We strongly opposed this in our response because of the detrimental impact on the east west route of London Cycle Network 172 along St Mary’s Grove and Station Road, the likely congestion in London Road and increased vehicle traffic in the residential roads between Station Road and Heath Road.
Twickenham: Railway Station
We made some specific comments about the station in our written response to the public consultation on the Area Action Plan earlier this month but it was made clear the station was subject of a separate consultation [click here] This should run from 27th January to 9th March but shows as “Planned” rather than “Current“, presumably because the scheme approved by the Council has been referred to the Mayor. Our concerns remain that people who cycle to the station should be able to arrive and leave safely and conveniently with sufficient secure cycle parking.
Twickenham: London Road Mandatory Cycle Lane
We listed the problem of people routinely breaking the law by driving in this lane in our response to the Area Action Plan. By coincidence someone who cycles through Twickenham and was nearly knocked off their bike by a car in the lane has written to the Council asking what they’re going to do about it: we await their reply.
Borough Wide
The most recent Council Digest publishes the Agenda for the next Cabinet meeting on 23rd February with interesting reports on the extension of the Free Short Stay (30 Minutes) Parking Bays in Town Centres, Programme of Highway Works for the next financial year 2012/13 and Moving Traffic Offences, something we asked about at the Cycling Liaison Group meeting in October last year.
For more information read the Campaign Co-ordinator’s log for January and February
E-mail your comments to campaign@richmondlcc.co.uk
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It’s good to talk: Council highway engineering schemes
January 26, 2012 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Cycling Liaison Group Meeting.
Update: 12th February Hampton Court roundabout
A big thank you to all the Richmond Veloteers who replied so promptly to the consultation which meant we submitted our response well before the deadline: click here to read it.
Since then we’ve had this back from Highways and Transport:
“Thank you for your comments on the Hampton Court Roundabout and Hampton Court Bridge proposals. I can confirm that this does incorporate both Schemes 3 & 4 on the Cycling Capital Budget 2011/12.
The improvements include relocating the zebra crossing further away from the roundabout on the north east arm to help reduce the number of accidents attributed to shunts as a result of vehicles stopping for pedestrians at the crossing. Kerb re-alignments will also increase deflection, reducing vehicle speeds whilst maintaining existing carriageway widths.
By widening the traffic islands at the zebra crossings we hope to improve safety for the large number of pedestrians and in doing so provide sufficient protection for cyclists using the crossings.
Accidents at the roundabout have also been attributed to lack of clear visibility due to the planters on and around the roundabout. We anticipate that by removing the planting on the roundabout we can reduce this number.
The Council are extending the shared use pedestrian and cycle path facility from Hampton Court Bridge to the north-west arm of the roundabout, with a view to further improving and linking to existing cycle facilities as part of future phases.
The Council have worked with TfL in order to provide a new widened Toucan crossing outside Hampton Court Palace and are proposing shared paths to link the roundabout and the bridge with Barge Walk.
The Council have also worked closely with Hampton Court Palace and the scheme complements their proposals for alterations and further improvements to the entrance and exits and to the area in front of the Palace.”
In the meantime the Highways and Transport report to the Cabinet Member has been posted on the Council website [here] together with the plans [here] for the shared use path, linking Barge Walk to the Molesey side of the Bridge, which weren’t posted with the original consultation.
We’ve written back to the Council:
“Thanks for the detailed response: we’re very pleased to hear about the extension of the cycle path and look forward to seeing details of the proposed work in due course. Just a couple of outstanding queries:
- Was replacement of the 2 zebras [north-east and north-west arms] with toucans considered, and if so why was it rejected? [By the way will cycling over the north-west zebra be permitted?]
- What’s the Council’s current view on creating a shared use path between Bushy Park and Hampton Court Bridge?”
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Twickenham Town Centre
January 18, 2012 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation.
Update: 12th February 2012
Twickenham Area Action Plan public consultation
Thanks again to the Richmond Veloteers who helped us submit our written response to LDF Consultation before the deadline on 10th February [click here to read it] as well as the two background reports, written in 2009 and 2012, we sent in to inform the content of the “detailed Traffic Scheme” the Action Plan refers to.
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Cycling Liaison Group 9 January 2012
January 3, 2012 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Cycling Liaison Group Meeting.
The next meeting of the London Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames Cycling Liaison Group is Monday 9th January 2012, 630pm, York House, Twickenham.
Click here to read the agenda which includes a report from the police on bike theft and an update on the Cycling Strategy.
Click here for our proposed agenda items which includes asking for an update on the 2nd Local Implementation Plan for Transport and for cycle collisions at identifiable locations, including Richmond, Teddington and Twickenham town centres, to be a priority for action.
Click here to read notes of the last meeting in October, including:
Item 8: Cross Deep, Twickenham
“LBRuT is working in partnership with LB Hounslow, LB Ealing and Royal Borough of Kingston regarding cycle direction signage for LCN Route 75. The Heath Road / Cross Deep junction has been identified as an important junction on the route and the consultant’s proposals for how people follow route 75 and join / leave this route are awaited.”
Now interestingly, London Cycle Network Route 75, appears to run along Strawberry Vale, Cross Deep and London Road, including the long-standing problem of the roundabout on A316 Chertsey Road. The route includes significant clusters of cycle collisions at the junctions with Ferry Road in Teddington, Waldegrave Road, Heath Road, King Street and Whitton Road so we’re very interested to know what the consultants have to say about “improvements to route continuity“ and how this fits with the Twickenham Area Action Plan and Item 6 on next week’s CLG agenda A310 Strawberry Vale and Twickenham Road Improvements Update
Item 5 20mph zones and limits confirms the requirement for at least 51% households to agree. We note this is 1 of 4 issues the Liberal Democrat candidate for this year’s London Assembly elections is campaigning on.
Item 8 Adoption of the Elevated Footway in the Terrace includes the Council’s decision on our suggestion, which is ”Given the additional responsibility of taking on maintenance of this area, adoption was not possible.“ So, no change here then, which we think is a missed opportunity.
E-mail campaign@richmondlcc.co.uk with your thoughts, comments, questions, issues to raise: we’ve already been asked about the planned works on the footbridge at Teddington Railway Station.
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“War: what are we fighting for?”
December 13, 2011 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Cycling Liaison Group Meeting.
Safe Cycling on a Cycle Lane in Richmond
Richmond Cycling Campaign, the local group of the London Cycling Campaign, exists to encourage people to cycle. We do this in different ways:
- organising two rides a month;
- running maintenance workshops at different places in the Borough;
- asking the two relevant highways authorities, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and Transport for London, for safe and convenient routes to cycle in the Borough;
- asking the Council for sufficient cycle parking to meet the need;
- asking the police to work on the problem of bike theft.
No one of these activities is more important than another which is why we supported Sky Ride Local this year, funded by the Council in partnership with British Cycling [click here for their review of the 2011 programme] and why we wouldn’t argue with Councillor Harborne, our Borough Cycling Champion, about the value of “promoting an exciting programme of events to get more people cycling, more often, safely and for fun”.
But because no one of these activities is more important than another we think Councillor Harborne should be concerned when cycling is not safe and is not fun on the Borough’s roads. That’s why we wrote to the Council, after Liverpool City Council and the local Primary Care Trust agreed to jointly fund 20mph schemes, to ask if:
“there are any comparable discussions going on between the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and the Primary Care Trust about the public health benefits of 20mph limits? Are there any plans to do so?”
We received this reply from our Borough Cycling Champion:
“Did you know that:
There are already 46 20 mph zones in the borough and large parts of the rest of the borough where there is no record of any accidents at all, ever.
We are the 3rd safest LB out of 33. Obviously we should be the safest, but that’s a work in progress.
Sometimes campaigning to improve safety is counter productive. It puts potential new cyclist off. Is that what you want to do?
Particularly when the fear of accidents is not backed up by statistics. Don’t you think?
Can we please have RCC encouraging people to cycle not putting them off. It would be better for everyone.”
Now, we exist to encourage cycling so being told we’re putting people off is a worry, so we wrote back to our Borough Cycling Champion:
“very helpfully we have a map of cycle collisions recorded in the Borough between 2006 and 2010 so we know exactly where they do and don’t happen which is why we’re particularly concerned about the 4 clusters identified below
[Click here for our previous post about where collisions happen in the Borough and here for a searchable map of all collisions for the last 10 years]
As a campaigning group we constantly wrestle with the problem of unintentionally discouraging people from cycling but it’s our view that people make informed decisions about risk when they know the facts, hence our concern about these four clusters. I am very happy to publicise the fact we are the 3rd safest Borough in London if you tell me the meaning of ”safe” and the statistical source.
Do you have a list of the 46 zones in the Borough and do you know how this compares with other Boroughs, say the neighbouring Boroughs of Hounslow and Kingston with whom we share our Assembly Member? It’s been suggested Richmond has the 2nd lowest number of zones in the country, do you know if that’s the case?
Are you able to answer my original question about talks with the PCT?”
We haven’t received a reply to date.
Early in the New Year LCC will launch ”Go Dutch – clear space for cycling on London’s main roads“ the single issue campaign to accompany the London Assembly elections. It’s about safe and convenient cycle journeys not least because of the cyclist fatalties in London this year.
The campaign aims to get 100,000 signatures on a petition and 10,000 cyclists on the road to persuade the candidates for the London Assembly that this important, not just for cyclists, but for everyone who want to improve the quality of life in London, who want people-friendly streets.
Which is what we want in our Borough. We want Richmond, Teddington and Twickenham town centres to be people-friendly, which is not how you could describe them now. Was it coincidence that last week’s Richmond and Twickenham Times had “High street havoc” on the front page and Tim Lennon’s excellent letter ”Deal with this congestion” inside?
Which is why we’ll go on commenting about the effect of planned highway engineering schemes even though we have to search for them and even though we were told in September we can’t go to the Transport Management Liaison Group. And thank you to all the Veloteers who replied to our request for comments on these schemes.
[Click here to read what we've done this month]
Which is why we’ll go on asking the Council what they’re doing for people who cycle even though few, if any, of our Manifesto requests at the 2010 local government elections have been realised.
Which is why we’ll keep going to the Cycling Liaison Group and ask the Council questions about cycling in the Borough.
[Click here for the issues we've raised ahead of the next meeting on Monday 9th January 2012]
E-mail your comments to: campaign@richmondlcc.co.uk
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“On your bike” – Proposed Highway Engineering Works
November 29, 2011 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Cycling Liaison Group Meeting, Veloteer.
This post has been updated on: 15th December 2011
Thank you to all the RCC Veloteers who responded to our request for comments on these 3 schemes. Click on the locations to read our submissions:
Hanworth Road Whitton, Stanley Road Teddington and Terrace Yard Petersham.
It’s worth noting we have been consulted about a proposed Advisory Cycle Lane in Richmond Road, East Twickenham, but this may be the result of a long-standing working relationship with the Highway Engineer: click here to read our response.
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Since the Council told us earlier this year that we couldn’t go to the Traffic Management Liaison Group anymore, and while we wait to hear how they will consult us about the potential impact of proposed highway engineering works on people who cycle, we’ve been picking up proposed work through Richmond Council’s Digest, an e-mail list of Council activity [click here if you want them to tell you what they're doing]
There are 3 this week, all relating to proposals to spend Section 106 Town and Country Planning Act money on highway improvements at:
1. Terrace Yard, Petersham Road, Richmond
1. Terrace Yard, Petersham Road, Richmond
“3.2 The new layout of the development and the new crossover access to the site has impacted on the existing pelican crossing. To ensure that the crossing is safe for pedestrians it is essential that the crossing is relocated away from the vehicle crossover. Associated footway and surfacing works are considered necessary to ensure that the approaches to the relocated crossing are to an appropriate standard.
3.3 This project will comprise two main elements:
- A slight relocation of the existing pelican crossing to ensure that it is mid way between the two vehicle crossovers and not partly over one as is the current position;
- Improvements to the footways and road surfacing in conjunction with the changes to the pelican crossing, with the addition of anti-skid surfacing to improve road safety.”
“3.2 Residents have reported ongoing issues with vehicles parking on the zig-zag markings on the approaches to the Stanley Road Zebra Crossing and illegal manoeuvres associated with the one way restrictions at the junction of Fulwell Road/Stanley Road. The development site is opposite the junction of Fulwell Road/Stanley Road and just north of the Stanley Road Zebra Crossing.
3.3 This project will have two main elements:
- Footway widening at the junction of Fulwell Road/Stanley Road to improve the start of the one way working;
- The introduction of a central refuge on the zebra crossing outside the parade of shops, just south of the development to shorten the crossing distance and discourage parking on the zig-zag markings.”
“3.2 The junction of Hanworth Road/Powder Mill Lane has a history of Personal Injury Collisions. The junction is currently controlled with a mini-roundabout and has a Puffin Crossing in close proximity to the mini-roundabout.
3.3 The project comprises:
- Relocation of the existing crossing and the possible provision of a new crossing facility or signalised junction (subject to feasibility/design)
- Realignment of the mini-roundabout to increase deflection and alterations to the existing parking arrangements.”
E-mail: campaign@richmondlcc.co.uk if you know any of these locations and think there’s an opportunity to make things more safe and more convenient for people who cycle, or you think that what’s proposed could make it unsafe and inconvenient.
And why not e-mail the Council as well: HighwaysAndTransport@Richmond.gov.uk
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London Mayor’s Question Time – November 2011
November 22, 2011 by admin, under Campaign, Mayor's Question Time.
November’s questions and answers on to the London Mayor on cycling related issues:
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LCC AGM and Bow roundabout
November 17, 2011 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign.
Apologies if you were at the London Cycling Campaign Annual General Meeting last night and know all this.
The motion endorsing Go Dutch was passed with a majority.
Click here to read the welcome letter from the LCC Chief Executive concentrating on the imminent campaign and here to see the 10 Go Dutch Key Principles printed on the wallet-sized foldout given out at the meeting.
One of the words used by the Chief Executive to describe the campaign was “transformative“, which I take to mean “things will be very different afterwards”. His letter refers to “3 flagship Go Dutch developments on major streets and/or locations” and during the refeshment break members were invited to comment on displays relating to:
- Bow roundabout;
- The Embankment;
- Tottenham Court Road.
It wasn’t clear whether these are the “3 flagship developments” envisaged.
Bow roundabout was subject of an emergency motion that was passed overwhelmingly: click here to read it and here for the LCC Press Release. While Bow is a long way from our Borough these very tragic events brings it close because
- the first cyclist was a local man whose wife is working very hard and very publicly to stop it happening to someone else;
- our members went on Saturday’s ride;
- we all cycle, and
- we’ve had our own argument with TfL about London Road roundabout.
Richmond Cycling Campaign is writing to London Assembly member Tony ARBOUR asking him to press TfL for immediate remedial work at Bow roundabout and you can to: tony.arbour@london.gov.uk
Here’s the reply from Caroline Pidegeon, Chair of the Transport Committee, London Assembly, to another members e-mail:
“I know that I speak for all Assembly Members when I say that I too am appalled by the tragic deaths of cyclists on London’s roads and am doing all I can to urge the Mayor to improve safety as well as hold him to account over his decisions. To this end, cycle safety in London has been discussed as a priority at several Meetings of the Assembly over the past fortnight.
At the Assembly Plenary on Wednesday 9th November, Assembly Members had the opportunity to question the Mayor in his capacity as Chair of Transport for London. I asked him outright if TfL’s roads are safe for cyclists, and indeed whether he takes cycle safety seriously. You can read the transcript of the meeting here
http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=179&MId=4331
At Mayor’s Questions yesterday (16th November), I urgently raised this matter once more. As a result, the Mayor has confirmed that TfL are undertaking a review of all of the roundabouts where serious injuries and fatalities have taken place so see what can be done to improve safety. Furthermore, he has agreed to meet with the family of one of the cyclists who was killed at Bow Roundabout. A webcast of Mayor’s Questions can be found on the GLA Website http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/webcasts, my question starts about 10 minutes in.
A written transcript, including responses to written questions tabled by Members, will be made available online next week http://www.london.gov.uk/moderngov/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=183&MId=4335
Please rest assured that I will continue to press the Mayor on this issue in order to hold him to account over his decisions which will impact on safety for cyclists. I am also keen to continue working alongside the London Cycling Campaign and other cycling groups to raise awareness and campaign for safer roads.”
Click here for the flyer about the Bow Vigil this Friday evening.
With a Cycle Superhighway coming close to us, on the north side of Kew and Hammersmith Bridges, you may be interested to read here what Cyclists in the City say about one in our neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth.
E-mail your thoughts to: campaign@richmondlcc.co.uk
