Additions
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SPOKESWORKER 7th. January 2001
Spokesworker
is an occasional ("roughly monthly") news sheet, with stop-press news of
forthcoming events, and of road, traffic and planning matters. It is not
automatically sent to all members. A copy is enclosed if we are writing
to you anyway, and copies are handed out at meetings of working groups.
It is also published here on the website. If you wish to be notified by
email of a new Spokesworker or of other major updates to the Spokes website,
contact spokes@btinternet.com. Also, you can make sure of getting a paper
copy by sending Spokes 10 or so stamped addressed envelopes.
FOR
YOUR DIARY
See diary
page for more events.
Feb 22 Links Sports
Fair Huge evening event at Boroughmuir School 6.30-9.00pm to promote
physical activity; organised by 3 secondary-school clusters centred on
Bruntsfield. 1000 families expected. There will be Spokes stall selling
maps [special £4] plus displays etc. Stall helpers needed - especially
if you live in the area. If you have ideas or can help, contact Tim 0131
554 7264.
Feb 29 Transport White
Paper update 12.15-1.45, Grange Manor Hotel, Grangemouth. Meeting of
Central Scotland Energy & Environment Business Forum. [promoting environmental
considerations in business]. 01786.451030. Entry free.
Mar 2 Multi-Modal
Studies & Transport Appraisal Transform Scotland seminar, led by
Derek Halden. Glasgow, 6pm. Free, but limited spaces. To book a space contact
Colin Howden 0131.467.7714 or email campaigns@transformscotland.org.uk
Mar 7 Spokes Public Meeting
- What Now for Sustrans? Speakers Tony Grant,
Scottish Sustrans Manager - what next for Sustrans after the 5000-mile
national network?? Also Andy Dunn, coordinator of June 2000 Sustrans
events in Scotland. Friends Meeting House, Victoria Terrace. Rosemary 553
5819.
Mar 14 Virgin
Trains future in Scotland Allan McLean of Virgin, former Scotsman Transport
correspondent. Meeting of Capital Rail Action Group, 7pm, City Chambers,
High St., Edinb. Lawrence.Marshall@cityedin.demon.co.uk
Mar 18 Scottish.
Association. for Public Transport AGM with guest speaker Sarah Boyack,
Scottish Parliament Transport Minister. 11am, City Chambers. You are
welcome to attend, but will not be able to participate in the AGM business
if not a member.
May 27-29 National
Cycle Try-out Show At York, organised by Open Road/Encycleopedia/Bike
Culture, where you can try out folders, city bikes, child-carrying attachments,
trailers, etc. 01904.654654 or www.bikeculture.com
June 18 Bill Brockie
Retiral 'Eucharistic Ceilidh' (service cum party) Bill is the Minister
at St Martins Church, where Spokes rents office space. Bill has been a
member and good friend of Spokes for many years, and he invites everyone
who knows him to this event to mark his retirement, to be held at a local
Brewery! Note - this invitation is only for people who know Bill - through
any connection. More details from Bill 0131.337.5493.
June 17-25 Millennium Cycle
Week See diary page
June 24 Durris
Family Cycle Fun Day If you happen to be in Aberdeenshire during National
Bike Week, go to this event in Durris Forest. MarkHagger@aol.com or phone
01330.811328.
Sep 18-22 Change
Travel Week Replaces June 19-25 previously advertised 'No Car Week'.
Organised by Active for SAMH in partnership with Edin Chamber of
Commerce. Concentrating on boosting cycle, walk and bus use in Lothian
Road to Morningside corridor. SPOKES volunteers requested - see below.
Also...
Sep UK and European Car-Free
Day In 1999 over 150 towns became car-free for part of the day. 020
7613 0743.
VOLUNTEERS
NEEDED!!
CHANGE-TRAVEL
WEEK
Ian Reid, SAMH organiser,
requests Spokes members to help during the week (giving cycling advice,
mechanics, or staffing a stall on Lothian Road) or with advance publicity
(leafletting, etc). The odd hour or two will help a lot. Ian Reid 467.7905.
NORTH
SEA RIDE
May/June 2001 sees an inaugural
ride on the above 6000-mile route through Scotland and Scandinavia. A Spokes
representative is requested on the Scottish organising committee - preferably
a regular Spokes volunteer. Contact Dave.duFeu@ed.ac.uk, 01506 670165.
You must be able to devote some time to this, including meetings on weekdays.
First meeting Aberdeen 25 Feb, 11-2.
EDINBURGH
UNIVERSITY BUG
As readers of the University
Bulletin will know, the University needs to draw up an effective Green
Travel Plan - or they will not be able to get planning permission from
the Council for various new developments. This is therefore an ideal time
for interested cyclists at the university to set up a Bicycle Users Group,
to suggest and lobby for routes, parking, even financial incentives to
encourage bike commuting and cycling between campuses. There were a couple
of previous attempts, with some small successes on parking, but there is
now a great opportunity to feed ideas into the Transport Issues Group which
is to draw up and operate the Green Travel Plan. We could also apply to
them for support, as they would probably see a BUG as a helpful development.
If interested, especially
if you are a potential organiser, please contact Dave.duFeu@ed.ac.uk [I
don't have the time myself].
Much help on BUGs and Green
Transport Plans is available. For example, Green Transport Plans
free from 0870 1226 236 [quote ref. 99 ASCS 0174A]; and Strathclyde University
BUG web site www.strath.ac.uk/campus/cycle.
Advice on BUGs is also available from Dave Marsh, SCDP officer, 0141.287.9374.
CYCLE
COUNTS
It is some years since Spokes
stopped holding regular annual cycle counts, due to the amount of organisation
involved. Now Ian Maxwell is hoping to organise periodic counts in the
Portobello area, as part of a PB community project to measure a variety
of 'community indicators'. Cycle counts would be done in the rush hour,
probably twice a year. If you can help count, organise or analyse, contact
imaxwell@gn.apc.org or 669.6542.
CONSULTATIONS
-
SCOTTISH
INTEGRATED TRANSPORT BILL The government has published
its draft proposals. The final version will be published presented to the
Scottish Parliament in the Spring. The draft is available from 0131.244.7242
or on the web at www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/doc11/itb-00.asp.
Comments must be sent in by 24.3.2000. Main proposals are..
-
Congestion & workplace
charging. These proposals have been watered down and still remain under
heavy pressure from the AA, opposition parties and much of the press. Sadly,
there is nothing on charging car-based retail and leisure developments
(especially out of town) for car spaces
-
Bus partnerships and
concessionary fares improvements
-
Regional transport partnerships
[eg cross-Forth]. These proposals are weaker than hoped, mainly on a voluntary
basis. Thus, for example, the controversial A701 proposal could remain
up to Midlothian, not assessed as part of a Lothian-wide transport strategy.regardless
of its impact on Edinburgh
There are also small items,
e.g. to simplify legal complexities about bike parking. Some others members
have suggested adding are below. We have not checked these out fully yet...
-
Legal priority for walkers/cyclists
in 20mph or Home zones
-
Powers to create 10mph zones
easily
-
Ban parking on bus stops and
on zig-zags outside schools
-
Make it easier to prohibit
parking on cycle lanes (how?)
-
Allow speedier passage of Traffic
Regulation Orders [TROs] if there are just one or two objections
-
Allow experimental TROs
(to test controversial schemes)
We urge you to write
in by 24.3.2000, to: Richard Lyall, Transport Div 1/1, SEDD, Victoria
Quay, EH6 6QQ or email richard.lyall@scotland.gov.uk.
There will be great pressure for the Bill to be weakened further, so it
is vital that people are also asking for stronger measures. Feel free also
to add your own suggestions for additional areas in the Bill, such as specific
cycle-related measures. Send us a copy of your letter, so we can
consider your points for the Spokes submission.
-
GRANTON
WATERFRONT Edinburgh Council is to consult on a draft blueprint, a
15-year £500m project, and part of a wider plan stretching round
through Leith to Portobello.
The Granton scheme proposes
5000 houses, two schools, a university campus (possibly moving of Queen
Margaret College), retail centres, a 5000-seat ice rink, and so on. Of
course, there is one big worry, which we expect to be covered by the Plan,
but not sufficiently, and that is sustainable transport/planning.
A development on this scale, combined with equally ambitious proposals
around the rest of the Waterfront, will mean huge pressure for a north-Edinburgh
bypass and massive road developments within a few years. The road north
from Crewe Toll, though we are promised it is not stage one of a new bypass,
could become that.
Even a tramway (likely
to be proposed) will be far too little to solve the problems. Therefore
the scheme needs to build in the utmost attention to all aspects of sustainable
transport and planning. This must include measures such as below, though
it is questionable if even these will be sufficient to defuse future demand
for big road construction...
-
A full tram and cycle network,
the tramway going through the heart of the new developments, and the cycle
network penetrating all areas as well as a leisure coastal route.
-
The above networks to be paid
for by the developers and opened at a very early date, before the development
becomes car dependent. This must be legally tied in.
-
Sustainable planning - houses
near jobs, schools, etc.
-
A requirement on all new local
employers, retail, schools, etc to have effective Green Travel Plans. Employer
plans should include financial incentives to employ local people.
The consultation takes
place Feb 21 - Mar 31. We don't yet have details, but the Granton
Waterfront Master Plan report can already be inspected at the Council
Info Unit, 12 St Giles St, 0131.469.3887, and they should soon have details
of the consultation. It is likely to be based at the Planning Dept, 1 Cockburn
Street, and probably in Granton area also.
Please copy us your
comments, so we can consider them for the official Spokes submission -
especially if you have any revolutionary proposals or local insight!
-
A702
ROUTE ACTION PLAN Edinburgh Council is consulting on bus/cycle/pedestrian
improvements from Holy Corner to Greenbank Crescent. They include advance
stop lines at 3 junctions and some short stretches of bus/cycle lane. Detailed
plans can be seen till end February at Morningside Library and 1 Cockburn
Street, and at www.edinburgh.gov.uk. One small point might be whether the
lead-in lane to the ASL at Morningside Station would be better adjacent
to the central traffic lane (like in Buccleuch St) rather than by the pavement.
Comments must be sent by 1.3.2000 to: A702 Action Plan, City
Development, Freepost SCO4882, Edinburgh EH1 0BR. Please send us
a copy of your comments, so we can consider them for the Spokes submission.
-
'MOVEMENT
AND DEVELOPMENT' Edinburgh Council is consulting on the above document
of guidelines to be followed at new developments within the city. Previous
guidelines concentrated largely on just the design of road access, but
the new draft takes a very positive line on walking, cycling and public
transport. If you want to see or comment on the draft guidelines, contact
Mr C Day 0131.469.3568. Comments are required by 31.3.2000.
-
NORTH
BERWICK TOWN CENTRE Spokes is shortly to be consulted by East Lothian
Council on transport/ traffic issues for the above. If you know the area
and would like to make comments once details are available, please contact
Dave du Feu 01506.670165.
-
FALKIRK
COUNCIL STRUCTURE PLAN The Plan covers the Council's entire land-use
strategy (including transport) for the next 10 years. We have not seen
a full copy, but if you know the area and would like to comment phone the
council at 01324.504719 for details. It is unlikely Spokes will have the
time to comment as it is a bit beyond our normal area, so if any members
who know the area can do so that would be specially useful. The Draft Plan
can be seen at Falkirk Libraries or the Municipal Buildings. It is also
on sale at £10 for the main document. A summary leaflet is available
free from the above phone number. Comments by 31.3.2000.
OTHER
LETTERS NEEDED
-
SWEEPING
OF RAILWAY PATHS A few years ago Edinburgh railway paths were regularly
swept once weekly. We have a letter of 24.2.1997 confirming this! Following
Council re-organisation it became unclear which department was responsible,
and from what budget. We are concerned that regular sweeping no longer
happens, despite the great capital investment in this transport infrastructure.
Following complaints, the
Council has promised a major cleanup - this may have already happened
when you read this. But that is not good enough. There must be regular
sweeping, as on the road system. This should be at least after
each weekend. Please ask your councillor to raise this with
Cllr Lazarowicz, Chair of the Transport Committee, seeking assurance that
at least weekly sweeping will be re-instated. To get your councillor's
name, phone 0131.529.3186.
To complain about
a specific problem of broken lights, flooding, potholes, etc, phone
Clarence 0800 232323 or email clarence@edin-city-dev.demon.co.uk. If it
is a major item of "dumped rubbish or litter eyesore" (such as a dumped
car or smashed TV with glass all over the path) you can also phone the
'Rapid Response Team' on 0808.100.3366.
-
BARNTON
AVENUE PATH The path from Barnton Av to Barnton Av West is a crucial
link in the National Cycle Network, in the section from Edinburgh to the
Forth Bridge, and also has potential as a Safe Route to the Royal High
School. The path is overgrown in the summer, and often rutted due to poor
drainage. Although it is open to the public, the Bruntsfield Links Golfing
Society, who control it, will not allow it to be upgraded, even though
Sustrans and the Council are willing to do the work.
Sustrans asks anyone who
wants the path upgraded to ask the Society to demonstrate their commitment
to sustainable development by agreeing to this upgrade. Write to:
Mr D Sandford, Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, Barnton Avenue, Edinburgh
EH4 6JH. If you know anyone in the Club, then some personal lobbying would
be especially valuable!
-
HEAVY
LORRIES A petition to the European Parliament is being prepared by
organisations all over Europe, requesting them to institute a per-kilometre
charge for heavy goods vehicles. This would encourage transfer from road
to rail, and the use of more local materials. Already the Swiss population
has voted in favour of this in a national referendum. At present use of
heavy lorries is growing fast, and they have a very disproportionate effect
in terms of cyclist deaths compared to other motor vehicles.
For more information
/ petition forms... see www.alpine-initiative.ch
(section LSVA), or email alpite@rhone.ch, or post ITE, Postfach 29, CH-3900
BRIG, tel 0041 27 924 22 26.
-
BIKES
ON BUSES LRT (or Lothian Buses plc as it is now called) has agreed
to consider the possibility of carrying bikes on longer-distance routes,
especially those not near rail lines, such as to Penicuik, Gorebridge,
etc. If this is of interest to you, write to Neil Renilson, LRT, 27 Hanover
Street.
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SPOKES,
St. Martin's Church, 232 Dalry Road, Edinburgh EH11 2JG
Tel: 0131 313 2114 (a/phone
only) or e-mail to spokes@spokes.org.uk