Category: Meetings

November Monthly meeting

This meeting will take place via Zoom on 28 November 7.30 to 9.00pm. The joining details will be the usual for our monthly meetings.

The draft agenda is available here.

If you would like the log on details or or would like a specific invite 10 minutes before the meeting please e-mail me on ridoutsat13@gmail.com (stating which)

Regards

Arnold

Readout from October 2022 Meeting

With autumn setting in we met via Zoom.

The partnership with Ambition, Aspire, Achieve children’s bike club will be continuing with a maintenance session on the morning of 16 November and a ride with the children on 19 November. Please get in touch if you wish to help on either of these events.

Bike from Boleyn on 9 October went well and established our partnership with Pedal to the Pitch. We will be planning a further ride for the spring when the clocks go back.

The ride calendar for 2022 has almost run its course (except for the Christmas Lights Ride on 11 December) and planning for the 2023 ride calendar will be starting soon. If you have a ride you would like to lead get in touch. We are still looking at a ride around the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

The last Fix Your Ride session at Woodgrange Market for of 2023 is planned for 12 November.

Lots of discussion took place on infrastructure developments ahead of a planned catch up meeting with Newham Council officers on 18 November. Key issues discussed were:

  • Progress on the “Woodgrange” and “Capel” Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs 5 and 6).
  • Complementary measures for the existing Low Traffic Neighbourhoods now that they have become permanent.
  • Romford Road. There is need for clarity on at there now appear to be two sources of funding (Government Levelling UP and TfL Local Implementation Plan funding. There is a need to ensure that improvements to Romford Rd itself are not abandoned in favour of nearby back street routes and to ensure that TfL does not detract from cycle provision to promote bus priority, as has been the case with Barking Rd. A meeting and walkabout with the Council’s project officer is scheduled for 22 November in Forest Gate.
  • The Bromley by Bow Gasworks development is a good opportunity, in the medium to long term, to improve active travel permeability and complements the same builders current Twelvetrees development. Newham Cyclists met with the representatives of the developer on 5 October.
  • There were clarifications needed following the Council meeting of 17 October in relation north-south permeability in the borough, the Leaway and EV charging.
  • There were chances to make representations on developments in the QEOP, particularly in relation to East Village, the Leyton Ladder and Chobham Manor.

Alternative monthly meeting dates/weekday/time proposals and considerations. Reference was made to the discussion on this issue the previous month. Jonathan agreed to take the lead on this.

Next meeting is 28 November and we agreed, in principle, a social in early December.

If you would like any further information on any of the above matters please contact me.

Arnold

Readout from September 2022 Meeting

Our thanks to Ambition, Aspire, Achieve for providing a venue.

Our rides calendar is continuing.

  • The rearranged Bike from Boleyn is now taking place on 9 October. If anyone who has not already signed up is available to marshal on this day please contact me.
  • We will be assisting Woodcraft Folk on an evening ride on 28 September. Again if anyone would like to help on this please contact Bill. Woodcraft have expressed their thanks for our involvement to date.
  • The next Newham Ride is scheduled for 16 October.
  • There is a possible partnership with those involved with the Queen’s Market regeneration programme with a view to a Newham history based ride. It was agreed to take this forward as it can provide a new variation on the Newham rides.

The partnership with the children’s cycle club of Ambition, Aspire, Achieve is continuing. there will be a bike maintenance session at the Abbey Hub on 1 October .. we will be looking to arrange further midweek maintenance sessions and also Saturday rides. Again if you would like to participate in any of these activities get in touch with me.

The next Fix your Ride is scheduled for 8 October. September’s event was busy.

A lot is going on in relation to infrastructure:

  • A number of low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have been made permanent. This is good news. it opens the opportunity for complementary enhancements such as the crossing of Water Lane between 2 LTNs, and opens the way for a right turn into Dames Rd.
  • The Council have leafleted their decision explore the Woodgrange and Capel LTNs including preparing designs. We considered the need to pursue the actual data so far collected and the proposed designs. In this context we discussed how a more comprehensive coverage of information about LTNs and other topics could be achieved by the Council including what was actually possible.
  • The Romford Rd improvement scheme is progressing, with an event scheduled by the Council for 22 October. Details yet to be revealed, but a date for diaries as this should include a meeting between ourselves and the design team in addition to the launch of a data collection project. In the meantime we have helped publicise the data collection project.
  • Now TfL had agreed a funding package with the government the Council are likely to be in the process of formulation their LIP bid – the process whereby TfL fund local transport projects.
  • There are a number of major developments being followed. These include Custom House Regeneration where comments had been submitted and and responses received from local councillors and the Council’s regeneration officer. At Crown Wharf (which is an important site currently blocking the completion of the Leaway) we are still waiting for a promised contact from the consultants engaged to prepare a transport assessment. We agree to contact councillors and the developers direct with our suggestions if this was not forthcoming soon. Our response to the Beckton Riverside consultation was sent to Sir Stephen Timms who supported the Roding Way – Thames Path linkage by writing to the Newham Council’s Chief Executive. We are engaging with the developers of the Bow Gasworks Estate.
  • We agreed to seek a further catch-up meeting with the Council’s sustainable transport team.

The LCC AGM and Community Skills Summit is on Saturday 15 October. details and registration link are in the post below.

There has been contact with the Redbridge Cyclists Co-ordinator, particularly on that council’s sub-optimal plans for the Ilford Hill. Both groups are unsure what is happening with the Ilford Gardens scheme under the A406 bridge.

Any group response to the unfortunate developments in Tower Hamlets would need to go through LCC. It was agreed that rather than a group response individuals should be invited to comment.

The new Sustainable Transport Officer for Newham, Su Guy, has agreed to come to a future meeting.

We discussed the timing and venue for future meetings. Finding a venue and making changes to the timing requires further consultation for which a volunteer is needed.

If you would like further information on any of the above please contact me.

Arnold

Readout from Annual Meeting 27 June 2022

AAA provided us with the hospitality of their premises at the Arc in the Park, Canning Town. We are very grateful.

In respect of the formal business:

  • The Draft Annual report (see earlier post) was approved.
  • The Annual Accounts for 2021/2 and the budget for 2022/3 (see earlier post)were confirmed, having been previously approved by the Committee to meet LCC deadlines.
  • The following Officers were elected. They will also form the Committee:
    Co-ordinator – Olawale Ajibola
    Interim Deputy Co-ordinator and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Representative – Jonathan Rothwell
    Secretary – Kate Byrne
    Treasurer – Bill Bremner
    Deputy Treasurer – Thom Sanders
    Infrastructure Representative – Chris Kershaw
    Rides Co-ordinator – Steve Smith
    Better streets Liaison Officer – Kerena Fussell

The lively discussion that followed covered a number of issues including the need for full consultation on Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and the imperative to respond to the latest consultation on the subject found at newhamco-create.co.uk/en/projects/street-survey, health workers and cycling, the variety of cycle hire schemes in the borough, proposals for Tollgate Rd, the levelling up funding aimed at the south of the borough, Leytonstone Rd, the MSG Sphere, and the QE Olympic Park.

We also discussed some new campaigning tools we could make use of in the forthcoming year which promises to be busy and exciting..

Arnold

Readout from 30 May 2022 Meeting

A select band avoided the rain to ride Cycleway 16 to look at Temple Mill Lane East, and in particular the crossing over the railway line. Whilst we were there only a small minority of those on bicycles used the eastbound shared path despite the considerable danger from westbound buses. We decided to formulate a list of possible solutions starting with a possible diversion of the buses.

Afterwards we discussed the follow up to the Climate Safe Streets Campaign in the light of the forthcoming meeting between ourselves and Better Streets/20’s Plenty with Councillor Asser.

Next meeting is the Annual Meeting on 27 June.

Arnold

Readout from 25 April 2022 Meeting

A lot going on.

Events:

  • Around Newham Ride, 30 April
  • A round of maintenance and a ride with AAA on 21 and 28 May.
  • We are looking for availability to help with either maintenance or a ride on any of 18 June, 25 June or 16 July.
  • Freecycle Ride is 29 May. We are looking for more marshals. There are some LCC training spots left.
  • Regular Fix Your Ride 14 May.
  • Nature Reserves of the Lea Ride 15 May.

If you would like any more information on any of the above or if you would like to participate in any of them, please let me know.

Accounts: Bill presented the accounts for the year 2021/2. Our position is financially stable and we are well stocked with material for Fix your Ride. The accounts were approved subject to minor editorial amendments. They will appear in the annual report. A budget for 2022/3 will be produced for next month.

Infrastructure:

  • We have put in comments on the [Twelvetrees Park/Stephenson Street development] which provides some key permeability in an obstructed area. Given TfL presence in the area the Walking and cycling Commissioner has been alerted and after the election ward councillors will be lobbied. Individual submissions were encouraged. This is a connectivity map and this is the Newham Cyclist response.
  • At the Newham Council Regeneration and Housing Commission meeting of 21 April which was scrutinising the Council’s performance in promoting active travel we pressed in evidence for improved leverage of active transport benefits from the current rash of developments and learnt that the Council was contemplating full segregation for the funded Romford Rd scheme and learnt that there was likely to be a general bid for capital funding for active travel developments (which has been lacking to date).
  • We decided to pursue improvements for Temple Mills Lane where the layout creates conflicts between cyclists and buses. We would like to work with Waltham Forest Cyclists and are likely to include a site visit as part of our May meeting ride.
  • In the absence of early consultation we decided to urgently make our own plan for LTNs 5 and 6 (Woodgrange and Capel). Anyone interested in formulating these should get in touch.
  • Reactions to the currently temporary LTNs 3 and 4 on the Council’s commonplace site have been muted but generally favourable.
  • The Redbridge project for Centre Rd, Aldersbrook Rd, Lakehouse Rd and Blake Hall Rd was poor but served to emphasise the need for the Newham end of Centre Rd to be addressed.
  • The Vision Stratford document was interesting. Individual responses were encouraged.

If you would like further information on any of the above get in touch through the usual channels.

Arnold

Readout from 28 March 2022 Meeting

Back to Zoom for this meeting.

We started with a discussion of the Climate Safe Streets Campaign and in particular our borough “ask” for 20mph throughout the borough. Jeremy Leach from the 20’s Plenty Campaign joined us and provided some horrifying statistics on the safety of some Newham main roads using crashmap.co.uk and the lack of 20mph streets in the south of Newham. He provided some positive news on the progress of the campaign for 20mph (notably, more boroughs adopting it, TfL fitting limiters on buses, EU rules on intelligent speed assistance, and a more enlightened attitude to enforcement). He advised pushing for a universal 20mph in Newham rather than on specific streets, and sought help in making local candidates aware of support for this – a principle we have consistently applied in consultation responses for some years now.

In the broader discussion on the campaign, the general view was that all our asks (relating to low traffic neighbourhoods, Romford & Barking Rds cycle provision, 20mph, school streets and enforcement of parking rules) were important. Members were urged to use the LCC campaign tool to e-mail the mayoral candidates and to approach local candidates using the same information.

We decided to lobby the Mayor of London to reverse the disappointing LLDC decision to give planning approval to the MSG Sphere and also decided to keep monitoring its requirements for transport improvements. We also decided to respond to consultations on the important development at Twelvetrees Park This provides an important opportunity for permeability and accessibility in an area severely lacking both and huge potential to open up good cycling connections. We can call upon a useful earlier Transport Assessment of the area.

In the past busy month there had also been consultation responses on Brampton Academy Highway Scheme, Pool St (QEOP), the Royal Docks and Beckton Riverside Opportunity Area Planning Framework Document and a planning objection to Velor park (site of the Showcase Cinema).

Our ongoing non-infrastructure activities include:

  • Seeking volunteers for our partnership with the AAA children’s cycling clubs.
  • A possible Bike from Boleyn Ride on 1 May.
  • The continuation of the Fix Your Ride Stall at Woodgrange Market on the second Saturday of each month, but switched to 2 July for the Forest Gate Festival. This will need heavy support.
  • An Essex County Lane Ride on 3 April and a Discover Newham Ride on 30 April.
  • A feeder ride to the Freecycle event of 29 May for which marshals are required.

We decided to postpone our Annual Meeting unless the need to submit accounts made that impossible. This would avoid complications of a clash with the local election campaign.

Finally we briefly discussed plans for the sell off of a section of West Ham Park. Submissions can be made (by 16 April 2022) to the agents at:alex.soskin@savills.com   and hbushell@savills.com

If you are available and would like to participate in any of the events mentioned please get in touch via newham@lcc.org.uk. Also if you would like more information on any of the matter mentioned or other cycling issues.

Arnold

Readout from 28 February 2022 Meeting

Our numbers were down for the first indoor meeting for over a year at a comfortable new venue in East Ham.

  • We heard about members’ progress on the Joyriders Challenge
  • We discussed the outcome of the positive catch up meeting with Newham Council. There is (funded) progress with the existing scheme of 7 Low Traffic neighbourhoods and the ongoing roll out of School Streets. Work is about to begin on Romford Rd improvements and there is a funded plan in place for the Leyton Rd from the borough boundary to Stratford. There are early signs that further low traffic neighbourhoods may come on stream. We have emphasised the importance of ourselves being involved at the planning stage. Also it would be useful to reappraise “old” low traffic neighbourhoods. A revision of the Cycling Issues Chart in the light of this meeting will be posted on this site.
  • Other infrastructure developments are dominated by large planning applications and planning framework documents. We are pursuing our policy of encouraging development money for cycle infrastructure from major developments and ensuring that documents outlining future planning in the borough reflects the need for improvement in active travel.
  • On future events: Our ride calendar is in place. We decided to continue our partnership with the AAA Saturday Children’s Cycling Club. This involves a session of bike maintenance in Canning Town and Stratford with, the following week a ride for the children. Fix Your Ride at Woodgrange Market starts again on 12 March. We decided also to organise a feeder ride to the Freecycle on the weekend of 28/9 May. Free ride leader and ride marshalling training is available from LCC over the next few weeks. We have received a request for cycle assistance for the Moonwalk overnight on 14/15 may. If you would like to participate in any of these events please let me know.
  • We decided to approach the Council about the apparent default to “Cyclists Dismount” where there are works that have disrupted cycle provision. Recent experience has shown that this is not always necessary and that works often require better signage.
  • Our annual meeting will take place on April 25. Details to be confirmed.

If you would like further information on any of these topics or other matters concerning cycling in Newham please get in touch.

Arnold