Minutes of Camden Cycling Campaign Business Meeting on 2nd April 2007
Present: David Arditti, James Brander, John Chamberlain (minutes), Jean Dollimore, Meade McCloughan (Chair), Helen Vecht
Apologies: Anne Boston , Jane Boardman, Stefano Casalotti and Richard Fletcher
Location: Due to an apparent double booking with a dance class, this was moved at short notice to the Princess of Wales Public House. Jean subsequently received an apology from Mick Hudspeth; the dancing group had no booking on 2nd April.
Matters Arising from the Minutes of the Previous Meeting
Mabledon Place/Euston Road/Ossulston Street Crossing: Jean and Meade had attended a meeting on the 4th with TfL to discuss both the north- and south-bound crossings. Present were Sam Monck (Camden), Owen Bentley (TfL), Peter Smith (Hyders), Paul Braithwaite (Camden Councillor & CCC), Meade and Jean. Agreement was reached to address the southbound issues; TfL will design a reduced size yellow box junction to protect the southbound cycle exit from Ossulston Street. A possible later alternative would be to move the eastbound stop line to the west of Ossulston Street to make room for a conventional yellow box. There was no agreement on what could be done to assist the northbound cyclist movement although possibilities including a box treatment in the eastbound lane of Euston Road opposite Mabledon Place were discussed. Reviews of traffic flows will be done when the CTRL station is opened. The results may affect the need to solve the northbound problem as well as moving the stop line.
Rides: Primrose Hill Community Association had requested details of rides planned for 2007 by CCC and Jean had provided these.
Maintenance Workshops: Stefano has contacted people on the waiting list and informed them that the classes have been postponed until the autumn.
Speaker for June Stefano had contacted Konrad Manning at Chamberlaine’s on Kentish Town Road who is willing to give a talk on competitive cycling on London and the UK.
Bike Bus: Stefano will pursue this during the next school term.
Bike Fest: Discussion was deferred due to Stefano’s absence and will be conducted by email.
Prince of Wales Road Zebra Crossing: A discussion of the merits of zebra crossings vs central refuge islands took place. The general consensus was that the former were preferred, as islands have the effect of narrowing the available carriageway and squeezing cyclists between motor vehicles and the kerb. Members are encouraged to report places where islands have this effect.
Tour de France feeder ride: This will depart from in front of the Hampstead Theatre in Swiss Cottage on July 7th from 1030 onwards. Sufficient committee members and other leaders will be needed so that groups can leave at staggered intervals if there is a good turn-out.
Forthcoming CCC Meetings
AGM 14th May: Volunteers to serve on the committee will be sought by email and at the meeting. Need to decide on whether to provide refreshments and/or whether there are suitable local pubs (James volunteered to investigate this). Stefano will do the annual report; James will table the treasurer’s report. As a formality, an external chair (non-committee member) will run the election/re-election part of the meeting (note added after meeting – Vivien Gambling has volunteered to do this).
June Meeting: Konrad Manning will speak.
WCRSAG
• Jean reported on the Camley St to Agar Grove link; there had been some local opposition from residents of the Agar Grove estate due to concerns about security. Camden’s Engineering department are unwilling to go to consultation until Housing have persuaded local residents to support it (it will require use of Housing Department land). Councillor Paul Braithwaite is very involved and helping with this side of things. John Chamberlain offered to contact Hugh Lake of the Camden Square Conservation Area Advisor Council to see what they feel about the way forward (they have been very supportive in the past).
• Concerning Fitzjohns Avenue, a member of the local residents’ association (Farokh Khorooshi) had suggested diagonal parking (Jean had a sketch plan), which would allow space for cycle lanes. The feeling at the meeting was that this might be a good solution and was worth pursuing. Previously CCC had been concerned about the safety aspects of diagonal parking, but these concerns were felt to be minor compared to the possible advantages.
AOB
Heath Consultation: Jean and Stefano will produce a leaflet (folded A4) outlining our proposals and arguments for additional cycle routes on the Heath for distribution at appropriate events.
May Fair: It was agreed to have a stall at this fair in Covent Garden on May 12th
Minutes of Camden Cycling Campaign Main Meeting on 2nd April 2007
Present: as above, plus Dominic Tinley, Alex McKinnell and Dudley Miles.
Recent Cyclist Fatalities
• All the fatalities in Camden in the last 3 years have involved HGVs and there appear to be a disproportionate number of deaths of women in London as a whole, though the recent figures in the press were incorrect. TfL have the correct statistics and Charlie Lloyd at LCC will be asked to supply these.
• CCC will write to our MEP to emphasise the need to retrofit 3rd mirrors to all HGVs, not just new ones.
• In Camden, Sam Monk will make sure there is budget money for training experienced as well as novice cyclists.
• At the inquest into the fatality at Baynes Street the coroner used the fact that the road layout had been changed afterwards as evidence that the road design was partly to blame. The driver was fined £750.
London Cycle Network: There are a number of initiatives underway in Camden, and the main points were summarised by Jean and Meade as follows:
LCN Link 26 (Avenue Road to Hendon Way)
• A CRIM (Cycle Route Inspection Meeting) was held during the week of 26th March. The two major issues are how to transit the Swiss Cottage gyratory northbound and the ‘zigzag’ route to the east of the Finchley Road. Regarding the latter, there was considerable support for using the Finchley Road rather than this very circuitous and hilly alternative. Origin and destination counts are needed.
• CCC had taken David Arditti’s report on the Swiss Cottage gyratory into account for southbound movements, but:
- the route continues on Avenue Road, although access to St John’s Wood Park (as in David’s scheme) was also thought to be important.
- the CRIM believes that northbound access on Avenue Road beside the gyratory is essential
• There is to be a separate meeting with TfL to discuss the gyratory in more detail
• Meade McCloughan volunteered to do a separate report for discussion.
Link 31 (Maida Vale to Kilburn High Road): The original route was very circuitous and the new one using Springfield Lane and Abbey Road was thought to be an improvement
Link 242 (Drury Lane to Waterloo Bridge)
• Although this is not in Camden, we are involved in this as it is an extension of the main north-south Route 6. To be effective, Long Acre needs to be returned to 2-way working between Drury Lane and Bow Street, at least for cyclists, but Westminster Council has been reluctant to consider this when it has been suggested in the past.
• A very good report was submitted by Ross Corben, who also addressed the recent problems at the south end of Waterloo Bridge, where the cycle lane is now interrupted by a new pedestrian footway.
Link 235 (Tottenham Court Road to Parliament Square)
This links to Route 27 (Highgate to Tottenham Court Road) which is currently under development. Eventually Tottenham Court Road will be returned to 2-way working but in the meantime the alternative route via Cardington Street, Gordon Street, Malet Street and Montague Place is needed. Cross-Rail will also be a complication, with a lot of construction and road closures, and on the Camden side, the route through Bedford Square needs work. Cooperation with Westminster CC (Colin Wing) is very good.
AOB
David Arditti brought up the subject of the draft Highway Code revisions. Most responses from the cycling community have been ignored. Members are encouraged to write to their MPs; CTUK, CTC, CCC and LCC have already responded. Dominic offered to start an online petition.
Dudley Miles asked about the situation at the west end of Eton Avenue. Meade responded, outlining the concerns about conflict with pedestrians since the storage unit was built near the Finchley Road end of the market. One solution would be to reroute the cycle path along the south side of the market area, or to move the storage facility. It was felt that although there is apparent conflict, cyclists are careful and it is not actually dangerous.
Following the close of the meeting, members present all helped stuff envelopes with the Heath Consultation questionnaires.
