Minutes of Camden Cycling Campaign Business Meeting on 14th November 2005
Present: James Brander, John Chamberlain, Jean Dollimore, Meade McCloughan (minutes) and Helen Vecht (chair).
Apologies: Jane Boardman and Stefano Casalotti.
CCC meeting 14th December
• Sgt Barry Loader is due to speak about the Scotland Yard “Two-wheeled terrorists” (!) conference he is attending on the 30th November.
• After the speaker, we will move into the Christmas party, say about 8:15pm [later if much discussion?].
• Stefano & Meade to bring the drinks along (box of red & white wine, beer, soft drinks).
• Jane to bring the Indian snacks, with John or maybe Jean assisting if necessary.
• Helen and Meade to bring along their existing supplies of drinking vessels and plates.
• Jane to bring along her existing supply of paper napkins.
Speakers for future meetings
• It was agreed that we should invite someone from the Council to speak at the February meeting about the consultation process, perhaps using a case study to illustrate what happens (and what doesn’t). Jean to ask Lisa Bailey if she would like to come.
• Some names were floated as possible speakers for our AGM in April, e.g. Paige Mitchell from the Slower Speeds Initiative. Jean to find out more about her. Other suggestions to be discussed at the December meeting.
Cycle Training UK (CTUK) Dr Bike sessions at CCC meetings
• No CTUK Dr Bikes sessions have been arranged for next year (and see following item).
• However, the newsletter imminently going out does say that there will be a Dr Bike at the January meeting; therefore James and John to bring their tools along and do Dr Bike.
Maintenance Workshops
• James outlined his proposal for CCC to host a monthly bicycle maintenance workshop (using CTUK’s services) at the Castlehaven Community Centre. This met with general approval. The following questions were raised.
• Would the workshops be structured as a course or as open sessions? (Some preference was expressed for the latter.)
• Would LCC membership be required or merely promoted?
• Would there be a charge for participants?
• James to check how other borough groups do it (e.g. via London Cyclist and through his contacts).
• Likely cost? One CTUK maintenance instructor for 1½ hours = £90, plus room hire.
• James to contact CTUK and see what they say.
Future CCC meetings
• James also raised his ideas about changing the nature of our ordinary monthly meetings.
• Speaker meetings have proved to be successful, and should be continued on the current frequency of about five a year.
• These meetings could take place at venues other than Castlehaven Community Centre, e.g. Primrose Hill Community Centre (where we are meeting in February). Jean to ask Primrose Hill if we could meet there more regularly and if so at what cost.
• James wondered whether we needed to have meetings on months other than ones in which speakers are arranged given that committee business can be dealt with by e-mail.
• Most felt that quite a lot would be lost if we stopped having open meetings, e.g. the ability of members both to participate in detailed committee discussions and to come forward with their own experiences and ideas (as with Marcus in the main meeting below).
ECO Design Fair, 26th November
• CCC will have a stall and Dr Bike at this event at Cecil Sharp House, Regent’s Park Road (see http://www.ecodesignfair.co.uk/ )
• Stefano to bring his supplies along and help set up at 11am.
• James to do Dr Bike from 11-3, with Helen assisting in the latter stages.
• The stall to be run by Jean from 11-2 and by Meade and Helen from 2-5;
• Meade to pack up (will Stefano be able to assist with packing up?).
St Pancras Way/Baynes Street
• The Sustrans report has been circulated to the committee [and is now on the web at http://www.camdencyclists.org.uk/info/tforum/Agar Grove Sustrans.pdf ]
• We don’t yet know if JMP (the Council’s consultants) have submitted their report, and don’t know when to submit ours (i.e. Sustrans). Jean to find out.
Any other business
• Anne reported that a ‘Winter Fair’ was being held in Lamb’s Conduit Street on Friday 25th November. Anne to find out more and e-mail Jean and Meade. If Bikefix are taking part, we could ask them to dish out CCC leaflets.
• Paul Gasson is leaving Camden for Walthamstow. It was agreed that he should be made an honorary life member of CCC!
• Jean and Meade to review and update the chairing instructions (including locking up the Community Centre).
Minutes of Camden Cycling Campaign Main Meeting on 14th November
Present: as above, plus Marcus Boyle, Anne Boston, Paul Braithwaite, George Colouris and Vanessa.
Cycling in the workplace
• Marcus Boyle, who works for the publisher Reed Elsevier in its Jamestown Road office, reported on his recent workplace activities.
• He suggested that his employer sign up for LCC Corporate Membership (see http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=43 (No Longer there 2.04.21) ). At first, this seemed not to be going very far, but then the idea was taken up by a colleague, Mark Gough, who had been charged with preparing for the forthcoming EU ‘environmental audit’. It transpires that LCC Corporate Membership can count towards an organization’s environmental profile and thus help with its tax liabilities. This obviously makes such membership attractive (especially given its cost).
• James and Marcus to find out more about the details of this.
• Marcus also described the very informal ‘bike users group’ which was underway at his workplace. He had recently arranged for a friend of his who has a bicycle maintenance business to come to the office one day a week to do repairs for employees. The employer had been happy to provide space for this. This provision was very helpful for employees who otherwise would find it awkward getting to and from a bike shop during the working day
• Those present were very impressed with Marcus’ initiatives.
Gender (im)balance?
• Paul Gannon recent count of cyclists on Brecknock Road: only a ¼ were women.
• According to Jean’s rough and ready analysis of CCC members 38% are women.
• It was suggested that we could do a cyclist count in either Royal College Street or Byng Place recording numbers of men and women. This would also be useful as an idea of current usage (e.g. relative numbers going north and south along Royal College Street).
• To give a full picture on both counts this would have to be an all-day survey, so would use up a lot of members’ time and be best to do when the weather was warmer – so maybe Spring next year? Is this something we could ask Rose Ades’ outfit to undertake?
• John to see what statistics the Women’s Design Service Cycling for Women project has.
King’s Cross Development
• Anne, James and John reported on the work they had been doing on the revised planning application. Many of our ideas have been taken on as part of the general Community Forum response, but we will also be submitting our own more detailed response. (Responses have to be in by 21st November.)
• The summary points of our response were then discussed.
• Anne and James to send their revised drafts to John, who will then collate and circulate the draft response to Jean and Stefano.
