Tower Hamlets Cycling News

LBTH Emergency Motion on Cycle Safety
Submitted by owen on 4 December 2013

Reproduced from LBTH Decisions of the Council, held on 27 November 2013.

13. EMERGENCY MOTIONS

13.1 Emergency Motion on Cycle Safety

Councillor John Pierce moved, and Councillor M A Mukit MBE seconded the motion as tabled.

Councillor Harun Miah moved an amendment to add to the third point under ‘this council resolves’ reference to the Cable Street cycle lane, which was accepted by Councillors Pierce and Mukit.

Following debate the motion as amended was put to the vote and was agreed.

RESOLVED

This Council Notes:

  • Six people have now tragically died on Cycle Superhighway 2 (CS2)
  • CS2 was recently labelled an “accident waiting to happen” by the coroner investigating the recent deaths of cyclists along the route.
  • London Cycling Campaign’s Space for Cycling campaign calling on Transport for London and local authorities to ensure:
    • Safer Routes for schoolchildren
    • Streets without through motor traffic
    • Protected space on main roads/major junctions
    • Safe cycle routes via parks and canals
    • 20mph speed limits
    • Liveable town centres
  • That despite the high number of accidents involving lorries Tower Hamlets Council only scores 3/5 on the London Cycling Campaign’s Safer Lorries rating.
  • That over 10,000 Londoners have written to the Mayor in support of the London Cycling Campaign who want an urgent review of CS2.
  • Labour London Assembly Member John Biggs has led the way campaigning passionately on cycle and pedestrian safety for many years.
  • That he will tomorrow host a high level CS2 Safety Summit giving local residents and cyclists who use the CS2 an opportunity to air their views on what actions should be taken and to agree a list of demands for the Mayor of London and Transport for London.
  • Labour representatives in the GLA have consistently put forward tangible solutions to make London safer for cyclists including calling for segregation of cycle lanes as well as an early phase for cyclists at traffic lights.

This Council believes:

  • That cycle safety is a vitally important issue not only for road users but also to support cultural change and encourage more people to take up cycling.
  • John Biggs’ work on the London Assembly over the past years has helped to highlight this as an important issue and that his proposals for segregated lanes and early phases for traffic lights would help to protect cyclists.

This Council further notes:

  • The Mayor of Tower Hamlets’ dangerously ill-designed cycle scheme in Bethnal Green which was condemned by the Cyclists in the City group as a “new contender for the worst bike lane in London” and labelling its creation as “an utter scandal” with “absolutely no excuse”.
  • The bike lane was littered with lamp posts and parking ticket machines blocking its path as well as having car parking
  • That during the planning process Tower Hamlets Wheelers described the scheme as "a waste of money" saying it was "unclear who was meant to be benefiting" from the work.
  • The IbikeLondon blog described the Bethnal Green route as “woefully inadequate; narrow, within the dooring zone of the parked cars, and ridiculously short before they spit you back in to the road from behind some parking.” And actually encourage cyclists to boycott the paths as the (now narrower) roads are actually safer than the cycle route.

This Council further believes:

  • That whilst the Mayor of Tower Hamlets may say the right things on cycle safety he does not understand that cycling cannot be treated as a fashionable add-on. It needs to be integrated into the heart of road design and that badly designed cycle routes, whether CS2 or the Bethnal Green route actually put cyclists in more danger.
  • That the widely condemned Bethnal Green route puts cyclists at more danger as a result of both the poor design of the cycle route and the narrower road space.

This Council resolves:

  • To call on the Mayor of London to attend tomorrow’s CS2 Safety Summit to hear the concerns of local residents.
  • To support the proposals resulting from John Biggs’ consultations with residents and cyclists at the CS2 Safety Summit and to write to the Mayor of London in support of that work.
  • To call on the Mayor of Tower Hamlets to fully review the Bethnal Green cycle route project and the Cable Street cycle lane and to report back to Council on what went wrong.
  • To support the London Cycling Campaign’s Safer Lorries Campaign and to strongly encourage contractors used by the Council to meet its Safer Lorries conditions.

(Action by: Stephen Halsey, Corporate Director, Communities, Localities and Culture)

bethnal green road, cable street, CS3, LBTH, safer lorries, safety
Email the Mayor to demand CS2 upgrade
Submitted by owen on 14 November 2013

The London Cycling Campaign is calling on supporters to email Mayor demanding to upgrade CS2 to continental standards.

EMAIL THE MAYOR NOW

Three of the latest cyclist deaths have occurred on the Mayor's Cycle Superhighway 2 between Aldgate and Bow, which LCC has said for years isn't safe enough.

We're calling on Mayor to act immediately to:

  • Install immediate protected space for cycling at Aldgate junction
  • Commit to installing cycling and pedestrian-specific traffic lights across Bow roundabout
  • Publish a timetable to upgrade the whole of Superhighway 2 to continental standards.

We're also calling on the Mayor to upgrade all Superhighways to continental standards, and work towards making every street in Greater London safe space for cycling.

LCC Chief Executive Ashok Sinha said, “We warned the Mayor about the potentially lethal flaws on Superhighway 2 over a year ago. The Mayor must now signal that he wants to eliminate such avoidable fatalities by transforming CS2 – including the junctions at Bow and Aldgate – into an example of the highest standards in cycle safety.

"We extend our deepest sympathy to the recently bereaved, and to everyone who has lost family or friends in collisions on London’s streets."

#makeBowsafe, #space4cycling, aldgate, bow roundabout, CS2, mayor of london, space for cycling
Bow roundabout protest, 13 November
Submitted by owen on 13 November 2013

Today at 6:00pm, for a 6.30pm start, London Cycling Campaign will mount a peaceful flash protest in response to the four recent cycling deaths in just over a week, and the increasing number of serious cycling injuries. The most recent fatality, a young woman in her mid-20s at Bow roundabout this morning, was the third cyclist to die at this location.

Read more: LCC urges Londoners to join cycling protest at Bow roundabout tonight calling for Mayor to take immediate action to make cycling safe.

#makeBowsafe, #space4cycling, bow roundabout, campaigns, CS2, LCC, safe streets for all, space for cycling, TfL
Remembering Svitlana
Submitted by gerry on 12 November 2013

Yesterday it was 2 years from the day when Svitlana Tereshchenko was killed at Bow Roundabout. On behalf of friends and family we would like to thank Gerry Matthews and other 3 ladies from Tower Hamlets Wheelers for joining us last night and sharing our memories with us. Many thanks!
Tanya

#makeBowsafe, bow roundabout, svitlana
Work restarts on Greenwich & Woolwich Foot Tunnels
Submitted by caroline on 11 November 2013

Long term good news for anyone who uses the foot tunnels to cross the river - renovation work has now resumed, following a long period of inaction.

However note that the Island Gardens-Greenwich tunnel will be shut every night between 20.00 and 05.00 during November, but fortunately now you can take your bike on the DLR after the evening peak period so there is an alternative up to about midnight.

For more details on what is being done check out the tunnel friends' group FOGWOFT - their website is http://fogwoft.com

fogwoft, foot tunnel, greenwich, island gardens
Alternative routes to the towpath? Come to our September workshop.
Submitted by gerry on 26 August 2013

All users of the towpaths in the borough agree that at times the canals are victims of their own success; there are too many users!

The Canal and River Trust are working on alternative routes to ease congestion and LCC borough groups are helping. Encouraged by a recent Hackney Cyclists' event, Tower Hamlets Wheelers and friends are holding a workshop with the C&R Trsut on ways of making routes near the Regents Canal attractive and safe for pedestrians and cyclists.

Date Thursday 19th September, at Arts Pavillion, Mile End Park (location details), time 6.30 to 9pm (snacks and beverages from 6pm). All welcome.

canal & river trust, routes, towpath, workshop
Island Gardens Pit Stop Cycles
Submitted by caroline on 13 August 2013

If you travel via Island Gardens you may have noticed a "pop up" cycle repair facility by the foot tunnel entrance. Glen (ex Bikeworks) started Pit Stop Cycles as an informal service to local cyclists and now wants to apply for a licence to formalise it. When I chatted to him he told me about the many people he has helped, and not just bicycles - he has assisted a motorised wheelchair and a few baby buggies too! The aim is to run the service as a social enterprise. He is located on a popular cycling route and often seems to be busy.

If you think this sort of facility is useful, and would like to support his application then there is a petition which you can sign in person at the kiosk or cafe in the park. He would also welcome any messages to pitstopcycles@live.co.uk and if you could copy those to councillor Gloria Thienel at cllrgrthienel@aol.com that would be helpful.

isle of dogs, repairs
Request for your views on cycling
Submitted by owen on 7 August 2013

Poplar & Limehouse MP, Jim Fitzpatrick is requesting your views on cycling in London. This is ahead of the Commons debate on cycling taking place on 2 September.

Read his full request on his website www.jimfitzpatrickmp.org then leave a comment on that site or email jim.fitzpatrick.mp@parliament.uk (subject 'Cycle Safe') or via twitter @FitzMP.

Feel free to copy us in with any of your views using wheelers@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk.

MP, parliament, safe streets for all
Family Cycle Training in Mile End Park
Submitted by owen on 4 August 2013

Free family cycle training sessions will be taking place in Mile End Park this August. The training is open to parents and accompanying children in years 3-7 who have not received cycle training in school.

Bicycles are provided for those that require them and the training will take place from outside Mile End Stadium on Sundays at 11am-1pm from 11th August to 1st September inclusive.

Pre-registration is required.  To book your place please go to cyclinginstructor.com.

For further information please contact cycling@towerhamlets.gov.uk or ring 020 7364 6940.

cycle training, mile end park
Aldgate protest ride, Friday 12 July
Submitted by gerry on 9 July 2013

Join the London Cycling Campaign protest ride on Friday, 12 July calling for clear space for cycling on our streets.

  • Meet 6pm for 6.15pm start at Tower Hill (where it meets Minories) http://goo.gl/maps/8Czme
  • The protest ride will last approximately 20-30 minutes, including a brief stop at the junction of A11 Whitechapel Road and A1202 Commercial Street to pay respects at the place where last week's victim died
  • The ride will be marshalled by LCC staff and volunteers, and will finish at Altab Ali Park around 6.30pm

Read full details and background.

#space4cycling, aldgate, CS2, LCC, safe streets for all, space for cycling, TfL
Art Spokes - Best Bikers project
Submitted by owen on 13 June 2013
Art Spokes

Art Spokes is a local social enterprise set up by Sarah Hammond in 2012 providing creative workshops for primary schools.

Their star project, Best Bikers for children, puts "cycling, the environment and healthy living centre stage of the school" whilst "helping promote a cycling culture and positive attitudes towards active travel and healthy life styles amongst their peers, staff and parents".

The Best Bikers workshops integrate into the school curriculum and are often combined with cycle training and safety sessions. They have worked well combining with Bike to School Week activities which ran from 10-14 June this year. Read the flyer for further information.

You can also read an article Sarah wrote for the London Cycling Campaign's website explaining how the project started and what it has achieved: The power of bikes and one way to get more children cycling to your primary school.

children, community, cycle training, LCC
Six month's trial of bikes on DLR
Submitted by owen on 31 May 2013

The London Cycling Campaign reports that a six month's trial of bikes on DLR will begin on 1st July. People will be allowed to take their bikes with them at off-peak times on all DLR services except for Bank station. Bikes will be not be allowed between 0730 and 0930 or 1600 and 1900 on Mondays to Friday (except bank holidays).

This is part of the Mayor's Vision for Cycling that promised a trial of allowing people with bikes to use the Docklands Light Rail network.

Read LCC's full article

This has been a long time coming...

DLR, mayor of london, vision for cycling
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