Minutes of Camden Cycling Campaign Business Meeting on 8th August 2005
Present: David Arditti, James Brander, Stefano Casalotti, John Chamberlain, Jean Dollimore (chair), Meade McCloughan (minutes) and Helen Vecht.
Apologies: Jane Boardman.
Camden Council’s pavement cycling initiative
• The Council’s leafet (“Hop off your bike when you hop on the pavement”) has now been finalized, with our amendments included.
• There will now not be an August meeting at the Council, as we originally supposed.
• The Police may still have a one-day blitz on pavement cycling in Kentish Town – if so, Stefano to notify Jean so that she can pop along and monitor it (briefly).
Link 27 CRISP (Highgate to Tottenham Court Road)
• Jean & Meade have met with the Camden Consultancy staff dealing with Link 27; the latter seem interested in investigating our proposals.
• There will be pre-CRIM planning meeting on the 31st August, with the CRIM itself due to take place on the 28th September (likely to be all day). Jean and Meade to attend both, maybe with others if possible.
• Debate ensued as to the desirability of ensuring that Tufnell Park tube station stays on the route.
Holborn Viaduct cycle lanes (A201 CRISP)
• We have received plans for the cycle lane along Farringdon Street under Holborn Viaduct.
• The proposed 1.8 metre wide southbound cycle lane is a definite improvement on the previous plans.
• The proposed northbound bus lane will also be beneficial to cyclists. Its minimum width of 3.2 m does not allow buses or cycles to overtake one another, but due to the low bus flows we think that this is acceptable.
• Regarding the approach to Charterhouse Street: we object to the presence of three traffic lanes. We would prefer one straight ahead and the second ahead+left. Left turn only lanes are a hazard to cyclists going straight ahead, who are liable to get cut off by turning vehicles. If the left-turn only lane is not removed, the feeder lane should be to the right of it – cyclists going straight ahead can use that and those turning left use the vehicle lane.
• We also request that all efforts should be made to enforce the speed limit in this section of the road.
• Jean to communicate the above to Buchanans, the consultants involved.
2012 Olympics
• LCC is to set up an Olympics Working Group.
• There are two aspects of relevance to us: (i) the infrastructure projects, esp. transport, centred on east London; (ii) sporting events which may take place in Camden, esp. cycling along Fitzjohns Avenue.
• It was agreed that we should participate in the Olympics Working Group as and when it gets going.
Camden’s Walking, Cycling & Road Safety Advisory Group meeting, 27th July
• Fitzjohn’s Avenue Safer Routes to Schools: Doug Amer (Camden Council) now says that cycle lanes can’t be put in on Fitzjohn’s Avenue, due to trees on pavements and parking. We have said that the Council should remove the parking, and are urging that a corridor approach be considered as an alternative.
• St Pancras Way cyclist fatality: Dave Stewart (Camden Council) has been involved in giving evidence at the inquest for the St Pancras Way cyclist fatality; we will consider the situation once this and the police investigation have been completed.
• Gordon Square/Seven Stations Link: Dave Stewart now assures us that safety measures will be put in this year (he has the funding for them).
• Other issues: Jean to post her notes from the meeting to those present.
Future meetings
• Stefano is arranging for Barry Mason (Southwark Cyclists co-ordinator) and Alistair Hanton (Southwark’s Pedestrian Association representative) to come to our October meeting; Barry has agreed, Stefano is waiting for Alistair’s response.
• We have CTUK ‘Dr Bike’ arranged for the September meeting; it was agreed to have one more, in November, but just with one engineer.
• James wondered whether we could hold our monthly meetings at other community centres at Saturday afternoon fairs, if such events still occur. For future discussion.
Minutes of Camden Cycling Campaign Main Meeting on 8th August 2005
Present: as above, plus George Colouris, Martin Fahey, Dianne Richards, Ebuni Ueyel and others.
• The meeting was taken up with a presentation by Rachel Kirk, Community Projects Co-ordinator of Groundwork in Camden, about proposed improvements to Regents Canal for pedestrians and cyclists. Following a successful bid to the Government’s Liveability Fund last year, Camden Council will receive a total of £3 million over the next year to improve public spaces in Camden Town. The Regent’s Canal was among the areas earmarked for investment. Camden Council and British Waterways are working in partnership to deliver improvements along the canal in Camden.
• Towpath widening is proposed along three stretches where the path is particularly narrow (between Kentish Town Road & Camden Street, Camden Road & Royal College Street and St Pancras Way & Camley Street). Comments from the meeting included:
- won’t this encourage cyclists speeding? (need signs stating ‘pedestrian priority’);
- the blue bricks may be slippery for cyclists and are liable to fall into disrepair;
- what about the electrical conduits which run beneath the towpath?
- the existing clacking paving slabs are at least good as notifying pedestrians of approaching cyclists;
- even with widening the path, it will still be narrow, leading to conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists, so what about extending the path over the water with metal overhangs?
- take care that the widened path doesn’t lead cyclists into mooring bollards.
• Further towpath lighting from Kentish Town Road to Royal College Street:
- the recent improvements were applauded, and their extension encouraged;
- will the improved lighting be to CCTV standard?
- shouldn’t the improved lighting be extended towards Kings Cross?
• Planting and landscaping:
- good to use ivy and encourage wildlife;
- public art on the Sustrans model would be good, e.g. a tiled map of the canal?
• Entrance/Exit Improvements at Oval Road:
- the proposed removal of the castellated wall by Pirates Castle was deplored;
- if the point is to make the canal more visible from the road, how about putting some windows in the wall?
- the steps are very steep, but a cycle gulley to run bikes along was not thought to be a good idea;
- couldn’t a ramp be installed – this would help cyclists and others.
• Entrance/Exit Improvements at York Way:
- it was felt that this was a particularly important access point;
- the removal of the wall was not thought to be necessary;
- as with Oval Road, the best thing would be to put a ramp in.
• Other points:
- get the Street Wardens to patrol the canal on bicycle, and concentrate on evenings.
- would we want to get involved in a Friends of the Canal society? Only if it had genuine management powers.
In general, the priorities were felt to be:
- access points, esp. ramps;
- the quality of the canal path surface;
- visibility and head clearance under the bridges.
For further information, the LB Camden contact is Margaret Lee, 020 7974 2612.
