Tower Hamlets Cycling News

Thames Crossing Consultation
Submitted by dave on 24 November 2012

TfL are consulting on proposals for a new East London river crossing. This is aimed at providing more road capacity, and the proposals consist of a new ferry at Silvertown (replacing the Woolwich ferry) and a new tunnel between the Greenwich Peninsula and Silvertown. You can find more details here. The result of these proposals will inevitably be more road traffic in East London, which seems to be  a step in the wrong direction to us...

The London Cycling Campaign will be producing a full response.

The Thames is a major barrier for those of us who favour sustainable transport but crossing the river could be a considerably better experience for cyclists.

We flag up the Rotterdam tunnel built, to accommodate cyclists, pedestrians as well motorists.

It is clear that the costly cable car is not a contribution to a viable cycling crossing. It is leisure use only. It closes at 9pm and the seats have to be adjusted by the staff to carry cycles - an impossible task in a busy rush hour.

One idea suggested is creating space in the Greenwich foot tunnel by giving free travel between the north and south bank DLR to pedestrians. And when the tunnel is closed allowing cycles on the DLR.

Many cyclists have applauded ferries, as they link localities along the river as well as up and down it.

consultations, ferry, river, TfL
Svitlana's Bike Restored
Submitted by Mr Jones on 11 November 2012
Svitlana Tereschenko's restored ghost bike

This month last year Brian Dorling and Svitlana Tereschenko were both tragically killed in collisions with trucks at Bow roundabout. 40 days after Svitlana's untimely death her family placed a 'ghost' bicycle in her memory at the place where she died. Unfortunately the bike was vandalised with the wheels, brakes and basket stolen principally because it was a vintage bike with hard to find spare parts however, this is lack of respect is inexcusable. With the permission of her family we removed the bike just before the council disposed of it and restored and repainted it.

Today on the anniversary of her death the bike was returned to Bow roundabout and her family, who had made the trip from the Ukraine, and her friends met to rededicate the bike which has now been placed on the railings above the canal towpath.

Wheelers would like to thank Colin Smith of Waltham Forest Bike Recycling, Steve Davies a friend of Wheelers and an unnamed London taxi driver for their generous help with the bike's restoration. We would also like to thank Andrij Bebko for acting as the family liason and RebelRebel of Broadway Market for their kind donation of flowers.

bow roundabout, ghost bike, memorial, svitlana
Mile End BMX track opens
Submitted by caroline on 14 October 2012
Mile End BMX track

The new BMX track at Mile End Park was officially opened on 13th October as part of charity Access Sport’s BMX Legacy Project. It was funded by Tower Hamlets Council, Access Sport and the Mayor of London’s office, and offers cyclists of all abilities the chance to learn and develop BMX riding skills.

One issue was that with the clocks going back this month, it would not be possible for school and youth groups to use it in the evenings once it was dark. So James, Sustrans’ Bike It officer for Tower Hamlets, initiated a fund-raising drive to buy temporary floodlights. A great talk at Sustrans London office by round the world adventurer Al Humphreys raised nearly £1000 and then following twitter appeals and a press release, Canary Wharf Group offered the balance of the funds, so hopefully soon there will be light.

It is also open to the public – it’s not fenced off from the park (one of Wheelers’ committee members had a sneaky go on a Brompton - well at least over the easiest section – before being completely upstaged by some enthusiastic young BMX-ers with the right sort of bike!).

BMX, mile end park, sustrans
London to Cape Town on a bicycle
Submitted by owen on 10 October 2012
Kumi and Dan

Long time Wheelers workshop attendee, Kumi, has set off on an epic journey riding to Cape Town.

Kumi has been on several touring adventures before including crossing Turkey. This time she and her fellow adventurer Dan aim to cycle around 1700km per month, hoping to arrive in August 2013. You can follow their journey at london2capetown.net where they are posting updates as often as they can.

They are also looking to use the ride as a means of raising money for St Catherine's Hospice. Visit their donation page for full details.

Good luck to them both from all of us at Tower Hamlets Wheelers.

maintenance workshop, touring
Borough loses a bike shop
Submitted by Mr Jones on 9 October 2012

Recently the borough's oldest surviving bike shop Daycocks in Roman Road closed. I'm not sure how long they have been trading in Roman Road but I think they opened in the 70s. No news why they closed but their other branch in Stoke Newington has also closed and I've not seen them in their usual spot in Brick Lane.

bike shops, brick lane, roman road
New bike shop at Westfield Stratford
Submitted by Mr Jones on 9 October 2012

When Westfield opened in September 2011 a walk around the centre soon revealed that you could buy a car but not a bike. I talked with one of the centre's managers and he said that there was plenty of space if I wanted to open a bike retailer. Not the answer I was looking for from a location claiming green credentials. Just before the Olympics a bike shop opened called The Bike Rooms. It only sells the Italian Pinarello range of bikes which are quality but come with a hefty price tag and the Assos range of clothing. These were the bikes supplied to Team GB. If you've been fortunate enough to win the National Lottery then their time trials bike with a price tag of £14,000 shouldn't faze you. At the other end of the price spectrum, £8.99 for a tub of Assos chamios cream could be the start of an aspirational purchase. A good looking modern shop with good looking staff. The Bike Rooms, 108 The Street, Westfield Stratford City. http://www.thebikerooms.com/

bike shops, pinarello, westfield
Workshop location change for October 2012
Submitted by thwheelers on 1 October 2012

Our bicycle maintenance workshop on Saturday, 20 October will be held at:

Lighthouse Baptist Church Hall
135 Devons Road
Bow
E3 3QX

Entrance in Brock Place - map

Start and end times remain unchanged, 11.00am until 3.00pm. Further details at wheelers.org.uk/workshop.

We will return to our usual location of Limehouse Town Hall from November onwards.

maintenance workshop, notices
Bethnal Green tube station cycle parking
Submitted by owen on 1 October 2012

A planning permission application has been submitted by LBTH to provide much needed cycle parking at Bethnal Green tube station. The scheme involves demolishing the disused toilet block in Bethnal Green Gardens and providing parking for 78 bicycles.

Planning application details: PA/12/02233.

A decision is expected to be made by the planning committee during November 2012.

consultations, cycle parking, LBTH
Canal & River Trust - Strategic Cycle Routes Coordinator
Submitted by thwheelers on 28 September 2012

The Canal & River Trust is recruiting for a new post of Strategic Cycle Routes Coordinator.

https://www.britishwaterways.candidata.co.uk/view.aspx?JobID=312

"This challenge is all about creating new east-west cycle routes that both benefit commuter cyclists and preserve the historic Regent's Canal towpath.  Aiming to connect Camden, Islington, Hackney and Tower Hamlets, you will take every opportunity to make sustainable highway improvements for an ever-growing cyclist community."

Closing date for applications is 12th October 2012.

canal & river trust, jobs, towpath
Crap Cycle Lanes: Westfield Honoured!
Submitted by terry on 22 September 2012
Crap Cycle Lanes: Westfield Honoured!

If you've ever cycled to Westfield you will know the design chaos that awaits as you approach the multi million pound shopping mall. No expense spared for cars but bikes get treated to random planning events that switch on and off like psycho disco lights. So you might have thought the Olympics was a chance to build a proper cycling legacy for the DMZ that is Westfield? Not a bit of it.

It was a moment of crazy anticipation as I approached one of the most ludicrous cycle lanes in the country, when Westfield reopened its parking in September after the Olympics. Would this nutty cycle lane still be there?....oh yes! It's all of 5 bike lengths long. It's nestled under a bridge, by a fence, on a roundabout. It starts on the roundabout. And stops. On the roundabout. A few yards later.

Thank you planners. We are grateful.

This local treat has now been honoured by the internationally renowned Cycle Facility of the Month website. We are privileged to be listed in the Crap Cycle Lanes hall of fame for July 2012!

cycle facility, westfield
London Bikeathon Dr Bike 2012
Submitted by caroline on 17 September 2012

Volunteers from the Wheelers workshop provided a Dr Bike service on Sunday, 16th September as part of the London Bikeathon. Located at King Edward Memorial Park, Shadwell we were on hand to give assistance to those on this big charity ride in aid of Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.

maintenance workshop
Cycling during the Olympics
Submitted by robl on 13 July 2012

Things to bear in mind when cycling in London during the Olympics...

[This page will serve as a placeholder for all Olympic cycling restrictions and changes as we hear about them...]

Disclaimer: I have found that staff at various stations and facilities also seem confused about policy, so it may well be worth checking their site and taking a printout of the policy if you are relying on taking your bike on a train, for example. We will try to keep this as up-to-date as possible but please check also with the websites concerned... If you know of any changes please let us know.

See also: [LCC: Getting around during the Olympics]

  • The towpath on the eastern bank of the River Lea navigation was fenced off just past Hackney Marshes, at the point where the A12 flies over it, all the way to Bow to the south. [Guardian Article re: Closure and demo]
  • Greenway Closure: The Greenway is scheduled to reopen in December 2012 once temporary London 2012 facilities have been removed.
  • Canal Towpath Closures include: From the Eastway ramp to the Bow Flyover. These will affect not just those cycling to the Olympic games but also those who regularly use the routes. This restriction is being put in place as it is seen as a security risk. [London Cyclist: Cycling to the Olympics]
  • Olympic and Paralympic Route Network (ORN and PRN) Cyclists risk £130 fine for being in the Olympic lanes during operation
    See: The "Cycling" section at http://www.getaheadofthegames.com/things-you-should-know/changes-roads.html
    Claims that "Disruptions to cyclists should be minimum as 95% of closures will be on the far side as opposed to the bus lane."
  • Total ban on non-folding carriage by train companies: [Original Article: CTC] :

    Both First Great Western and Southern, serve Dorking, which is the town closest to Box Hill, the focal point of the race. A special timetable, with 6 trains per hour, will run from Waterloo and Victoria in central London to Dorking, calling at Box Hill & Westhumble station.

    The ban on bikes throughout the summer was proposed by both Southern and South Eastern. However, in the last few weeks, they have both quietly backed down from that position and bikes will be allowed on in the period between the Olympics and Paralympics

    • First Great Western trains from Reading to Redhill, passing through several stops close to where the race will go has a ban on cycle carriage throughout the weekend of the 28/29 July.
    • Southern operates between London and Brighton and also operates trains to the stations closest to Box Hill.  Restrictions will apply from 27 July to 12 August and 29 August - 9 September.
    • Southeastern operate trains between London and Kent, they are proposing a total ban on non-folding bikes from 27 July - 12 August and again, for the Paralympics, from 29 August - 9 September
    • South West Trains serves parts of the race route, the cycling time trial and Wimbledon. Non-folding bikes are not permitted on trains serving Dorking during the cycle race events on 28/29 July
    • C2C services to Southend and Shoeburyness during Mountain Bike events, 11-12 August
    • London Overground: "During the 2012 Games additional restrictions are on trains timed to depart in either direction Monday to Sunday all day between Clapham Junction / Willesden Junction and Stratford and between Highbury & Islington and New Cross/Forest Hill." (A rather long-winded way of saying bikes are banned at all times, in almost all of zones 1-3!)
    • ATOC Cycle Rail Policy - including Olympics updates [pdf]
  • Cycle Hire / Docking Station Suspensions: A number of Cycle Hire docking stations will be suspended at various times.
    The nearest docking stations are around 15-20 minutes walk away from the Olympic Park.
  • Emirates Air-Line Cable Car: Unknown
  • Thames Clippers River Service: Unknown
  • Bicycle Parking: Expect bike parking facilities to be more limited as more Londoners are expected to commute by bike. At London Bridge station, some of the cycle parking has been removed "to make more space" - Some additional temporary cycle parking...
    [LCC: Paid attendants required for cycle parking facilities in the Royal Parks]
olympics
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