Minutes of Camden Cycling Campaign Business Meeting on 14th January 2008
Present: Anne Boston, James Brander, Stefano Casalotti (chair), Jean Dollimore, Meade McCloughan (minutes), Dominic Tinley and Helen Vecht.
Apologies: Jane Boardman, John Chamberlain and Richard Fletcher.
Minutes of the December meeting
• St Pancras: Jean has now met with Chris Nicola (LB Camden) to discuss locations for cycle stands.
• King’s Cross Development Forum: John attended the last forum meeting.
LCN+ Links 26 and 31 draft CRISP reports
• Following last month’s meeting, a position on Swiss Cottage gyratory had been arrived at, on the basis of which Meade had been able to finalize our responses to the two draft CRISP reports.
• Jean and Dominic then attended the meeting to discuss the reports, at which the consultants agreed to amend the reports in line with nearly all our recommendations.
• Jean and Dominic have submitted corrections to the datasheets; there is one outstanding issue for Meade to deal with (the Greville Road/Greville Place junction).
Dalby Street
• The public inquiry into the stopping-up order is due to start tomorrow.
• John has already submitted an outline of our objections.
• Jean to attend on behalf of CCC; James will also be there, on behalf of Hadley Street residents.
• Our main objections relate to the accompanying traffic management issues, e.g. (i) motorists driving into Dalby St, realizing it’s a dead end and then having to back out; (ii) unloading bay on Prince of Wales Road creating dangerous chicane.
• We are also concerned about the inadequate cycle parking and poor cycle access to the new building and loss of parking and safe access to the Sports Centre.
Bike Bus
• Stefano reported that nine parents are now signed up for training at the end of the month.
• We aim to having something started by the spring.
Maintenance Classes
• Stefano has drafted a proposal to send to Richard Riddle, LB Camden.
• The plan is for three sets of two four hour workshops, Mar/Apr, Apr/May and Oct/Nov (subject to Velorution’s agreement).
• Attendees will be charged £50; aiming for ten participants per set this will bring in £500.
• LB Camden will pay £350 for each set of workshops, making a total income of £850 for each set.
• Richard Riddle (LB Camden) has reassured us that CCC can be paid, but only afterwards.
• Velorution will charge ten times £35 per hour for each set, plus VAT, coming to a total of £822.50.
• It was noted that Camden is getting this training very cheaply, especially given the unpaid volunteer time coming from CCC necessary to organize and administer the classes, and that we should aim to get LB Camden to cover more of the real costs if we continue with this arrangement in future years.
• Two areas where LB Camden could help with the classes: (i) publicize the classes (e.g. through its training programme); (ii) subsidize individuals on low incomes.
• It was agreed that Stefano should go ahead and send his proposal to Richard Riddle.
• On a related note, Meade added that he was in touch with Josie Warshaw, organizer of the Kilburn “Cycletastic” project; there was some uncertainty about the future of this as a result of the sale of the Kilburn State.
Bike Week, 14th – 22nd June 2008
• Cllr Braithwaite is planning to hold the “All around Camden, Peripherique” ride on Sunday 22nd June, with LB Camden endorsement. He would like the ride to have multiple starting points, whereas our preference is probably for a mass ride, everyone starting together, but we can wait to see what the plans are.
• Following Stefano’s suggestion, Cllr Braithwaite is also looking to organize a traffic-free event, similar to the Hovis Freewheel, for 2009.
• Stefano then outlined his ideas for a family Bike Week event. This would involve a “bike bus” to take adults and children to and from Hampstead Heath, with say three departures (14:00, 14:30 & 15:00) and three return trips (16:00, 16:30 & 17:00). We would need 2-3 CCC riders for each “bus”, each consisting of no more than 8 cyclists. Could we get police accompaniment?
• It was agreed to avoid bus routes and gradients; Grafton Road would be a good route.
• Where would we start from? Cantelowes Gardens, serving Elm Village, Maiden Lane & Agar Grove.
• Publicity will be key – posters marking the route and indicating pick-up points.
• The whole thing will cost us, and so getting funding would be ideal. Stefano mentioned the possibility of sponsorship from Café Mozart (on Swains Lane) or the Parliament Hill café.
Green Fair, 1st June 2008
• Stefano has been approached by a road safety outfit who want to do a “road accident reconstruction” at the Green Fair. This would involve a mock-up of a collision between a motorist and a motorcyclist, with Fire Brigade officers and paramedics in attendance.
• It was agreed that this would be a striking display, but its appropriateness for the Green Fair and relevance to our role in promoting cycling were questioned.
• It was agreed that we should encourage LB Camden to put this on, for example at car free events.
• Stefano will present the proposal to the Green Fair, as he has already committed himself to do, but will convey the fact that CCC is not in favour.
Speakers
• Mayoral candidates? LCC will probably hold a hustings, and we are very unlikely to get anyone other than the Green candidate. It was agreed to ask the the Green candidate (Sian Berry) to come to our March meeting. Action: Jean.
• Alternative speakers for March: Larry Hayman, First Capital Connect, trains and train stations; Adam Thorpe, who has said that he would like to come and speak again. Action: Jean.
• Anne to sound out Robin Murray, “zero waste”environmentalist, ideally for the AGM (in May).
Any other business
• Meade advised committee members that he would be updating the ‘committee information’ details.
Minutes of Camden Cycling Campaign Members Meeting on 14th January 2008
Present: as above, plus George Colouris, Alex McKinnell and Frances Mortimer.
Hampstead Heath
• Jean outlined the results of the Cycling Review undertaken by Intelligent Space ATKINS on behalf of the City of London; see http://www.camdencyclists.org.uk/camden/campaigns/hampsteadheath0506
• The methodology adopted by the consultants seems fairly sound, except for the rather glaring fact that it doesn’t take into account any of the strategic considerations we have been arguing for, in particular routes to schools. Relatedly, there is no analysis of cyclists’ origin/destination.
• The consultants have recommended minor improvements to the existing routes. This is a bit double-edged: on the one hand, many of the difficulties they identify with the proposed routes could be dealt with by similar minor improvements; on the other hand, the fact that the existing routes could do with improvements could be used as a reason to do away with them.
• Of the seven proposed routes, only two pass on the criteria adopted. The proposed Lime Avenue route is rejected for the poor reason that it would encourage cyclists to continue cycling eastwards on an authorized path, a claim which makes unwarranted and, in the context of the criteria adopted, irrelevant assumptions about cyclist behaviour.
• The question for us is how hard do we press for all the rejected routes?
• Sustrans has recommended pushing for just a few of them, but it is most keen on the Kenwood route, which is the most problematic.
• It was agreed that we should argue for all of them, but prioritize in order of strategic importance, e.g. 2 first, then 3 etc.
• Our reply is due by 1st February; Jean to compose and send off.
• Cllr de Souza is intending to come to the February CCC meeting to discuss a lobbying strategy.
• James to write to selected individual members around Hampstead Heath inviting them to comment on the review findings to the City of London.
• We will also want to tell all our members what it happening – see next item.
Communication with members
• It was agreed to set up a new announcements e-mail list, using the e-mail addresses held by LCC.
• This would be used to send no more than one e-mail a month to our members, thereby communicating much more widely than is possible through the existing discussion newsgroup.
• Frances and Dominic suggested ways in which this could be done, in particular not using Yahoo.
• The first such message will need to be carefully composed so as to reassure members.
• Jean, George, Frances and Dominic to get started on this.
• It may be possible in due course to migrate the discussion newsgroup and even the website to the same server as supports the new announcements e-mail list.
• We should also try to ensure that the address and location of Primrose Hill Community Association are better conveyed to members.
