Archive for 'Campaign'
London Mayor’s Question Time – December 2011
December 22, 2011 by admin, under Campaign, Mayor's Question Time.
December’s questions and answers on to the London Mayor on cycling related issues for your perusal. You can also find questions and answers from previous months:
No Comments
“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
No Comments
Richmond Entries for Cycling Facility of the Month ?
December 3, 2011 by Paul Luton, under Campaign.
A nice clear logo to show where cyclists should ride
(Staines Rd Twickenham)
Textured paving and sign clearly show the end of shared use of footway. Just turn right to move to carriageway — over the fence !
(Sixth Cross Rd Twickenham.)
Fortunately there’s a convenient warning painted on the ground in case you don’t see the car before you hit it head on!
(Church Road, Richmond)
No Comments
Community and Police Partnership meeting report
November 30, 2011 by Paul Luton, under Security.
A few items of cycling interest.
Bike Theft. – the police reported 506 bikes stolen (from street ?) and 683 “non-residential burglaries (mainly bikes stolen from sheds) for the year so far. The latter is a 7% increase. I did ask whether this usually unlocked sheds – apparently not always. Expensive bikes are being targeted. One decoy bike was stolen and quickly taken to Westminster. The Borough Commander – CSI Chalk who is himself a regular cyclist – will send on more details and I will add them here.
Sgt Boulton of Richmond Park Safer Parks Team told me that they had a problem with cyclists not wanting to mar their lightweight bikes with a lock and then leaving them outside a cafe. They will tag bikes on request.
Usual complaints from an individual about cyclists on the footway in Broad Street , Teddington. Why on earth would anyone do that when congestion traffic-calms the road pretty effectively ?
No Comments
“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.
——————————————————————————————————–
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
No Comments
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:
No Comments
LCC AGM and Bow roundabout
November 17, 2011 by nick, under 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
No Comments
Maybe they are listening…
October 25, 2011 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation, Cycling Liaison Group Meeting.
1. Twickenham
Back in June we asked you to respond to the Council’s consultation on the Twickenham Area Action Plan [click here for the original post] We said then:
“Unfortunately the 8 page consultation leaflet ”Twickenham Rediscovered, looking back looking forward” available at yesterday’s public meeting and here doesn’t actually use the words “bicycle”, ”cycling” or “cyclist”. ”Cycle” does appear, once, on page 3: “Limited widening of eastern footway in London Road through removal of cycle lane.”
Well, a report on the consultation for the Council’s Cabinet has been published [click here] together with a summary of all consultation on the options [click here] If you live, work or spend time in Twickenham you’ll be interested in all of it but as cyclists we’re particularly interested in what it says on page 49 of the Cabinet report under 3.19 Responses to Traffic and Pedestrian Proposals:
“Separate comments received within the questionnaires and at various meetings included concerns about sufficient provision being made for cyclists.”
“It is proposed that further detailed feasibility work and modelling is carried out. The main areas for further investigative work are:
Station area improvements, including consideration of bus lanes and stops, provision for cyclists and taxis, improved junctions and site access;
King Street/York Street improvements including changes to bus lanes and stops, improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, servicing and consequent environmental improvements;
Water Lane/Church Street/Embankment – further investigation of opportunities to reduce turning movements and through traffic, consequent environmental improvements to public areas.”
So thanks to all of you who responded to the consultation and made sure cycling in Twickenham is on the agenda.
What we didn’t have in June was the cycle collisions data the Council gave us in September. This shows clearly clusters of blue squares [serious collisions] and green circles [slight collisions] in Heath Road, King Street and London Road [click on the photo to make it a bit bigger and a bit easier to see]
At last night’s meeting of the Cycling Liaison Group we asked the Council if they use the cycle collision data to 1) prioritise highway engineering works and 2) decide what work is appropriate. They said “yes we do“, the officers discuss it with the Cabinet Member when deciding on the programme of works for the next financial year. That time is soon so while we work through the CLG we’re asking those of you living in Twickenham to ask your councillors what’s being done to reduce the number and severity of cycle collisions. King Street and London Road south of the railway are in Twickenham Riverside Ward, London Road north of the railway in St Margaret’s and North Twickenham and Heath Road is South Twickenham, according to My Richmond.
Depending on the cause of each collision maybe 20mph zones are the way to go in Richmond [including Richmond Bridge] and Twickenham town centres.
2. A316 Cycle Route
In August we asked you to respond to TfL’s consultation on the proposal to permanently close the junctions on the Chertsey Road at Godfrey Avenue, Redway Drive and Jublilee Avenue [click here for the original post] We’ve received this reply to our response:
“TfL considers that this current proposal will reduce illegal rat running through Redway Drive, the proposals will also encourage cyclists to use this adjacent route as an alternative to the shared use footway.
With regard to the bollards at Jubilee Avenue, I can confirm that the bollard on the northern side of the junction between the telecommunications box and the railings will be removed from the proposal and a further bollard will be relocated as per the attached design. TfL considers that the remaining bollards follow the line of the northern timber fence and therefore do not present a significant barrier to cyclists or pedestrians.
TfL is currently investigating renewal of the lighting columns on the A316 and will, subject to feasibility and the availability of funding seek to relocate the lamp columns away from the centre of the footway. Resurfacing of the route will be considered as part of our future maintenance. In the interim we will instruct our maintenance team to trim back the existing foliage to maximise the available width.”
Reasons to be cheerful, 1, 2, 3?
E-mail: campaign@richmondlcc.co.uk with your thoughts about cycling in Twickenham and on the A316 Cycle Route
No Comments
A316 Cycle Route
October 19, 2011 by nick, under All Posts, Campaign, Consultation.
This post has been updated [again] on: 21st February 2012
Nothing new in the Mayor’s answers to these cycling questions, except being told work won’t begin until after the Olympics: no surprise there but maybe an opportunity to seek another review after the Mayoral Elections on 3rd May?
A316 cycle route (1) Question No: 200 / 2012 Jenny Jones
Will you look again at the past recommendations for light controlled crossings on the A316 cycle route at London Roundabout? A constituent informs me that the recent changes by Transport for London to help cater for pedestrians and cyclists travelling east/west along Chertsey Road, crossing both arms of London Road, are minimal and ineffective.
Written response from the Mayor
A feasibility report into the signalisation of London Road Roundabout was completed in 2008. At the time it concluded that it could be technically feasible to replace the roundabout with signalised crossings, but there would be costs close to £1m to divert the statutory undertakers’ equipment within the roundabout. The cost benefit ratio of these changes is therefore deemed to be too high. TfL is currently progressing an option to provide refuge islands for pedestrians and cyclists on the northern and southern arms of the roundabout. These will alert motorists to the presence of crossing pedestrians and cyclists and will provide a safe waiting space to cross in two phases. It is anticipated that these works will be constructed after the Olympics.
A316 cycle route (2) Question No: 201 / 2012 Jenny Jones
Will you make public Transport for London’s data for the predicted use of the London Road roundabout on the A316 and the judgement criteria that they used to decide that providing a continuous cycle route via a signalised crossroads at London Road/A316 would result in increased queuing and displacement of traffic?
Written response from the Mayor
Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.
Yes, and we’re looking forward to reading it.
