July 2024 Newsletter
In this month’s newsletter we have:
- A matching government and mayor – LCC
- CCC meeting – 15 July
- Share The Joy Festival – 13 July
- Talacre Community Health Event – 13 July
- Westminster’s Transport Strategy – have your say!
- Time to build on Britain’s Roadbelt – Create Streets
- From London, with love… Letter Template
- Primrose Hill Bike Bus – CNJ Article
- C50 (Holloway Road to Finsbury Park section) Consultation
- Dartmouth Park Area Healthy Neighbourhood Phase 2
- Police investigating ‘bike-thefts caught on camera’ – CNJ
- Next Kentish Town Bike Workshop August
from the local group of
London Cycling Campaign in Camden
A matching Government and Mayor – LCC view The ‘war on drivers’ rhetoric that had been stoked by the previous government that itself declared a war on measures to create nice places for living, walking and cycling, seems likely to be over. The UK Election 2024 has returned a Labour government that could work in tandem with London’s Labour mayor.
Vast numbers of UK votes went to parties supporting the creation of safe and healthy streets and action on the multi-crises of climate breakdown, public health, pollution and inactivity.
Though MPs who directly opposed active travel were replaced by MPs who say they support it, there is no ‘magic money tree’ for active travel, nor any guarantee that Keir Starmer will understand the benefit of promoting it, despite the over-riding issue of the climate and ecological emergencies.
So LCC, along with the other UK sustainable mobility organisations, have work to do if the new government is to fully comprehend the urgency and common-sense behind prioritising bus, rail and bike, and providing the appropriate levels of transport funding for UK cities, and assistance for London’s Mayor.
Read the LCC article in full here
CCC meeting – 15 July Meetings take place on the third Monday of each month at 7:30 pm, usually online. Check back nearer the time for details of the agenda. Monday 15 July at 19.30
Agenda to include the latest round of consultations on:
• Camden High Street pedestrianisation • Camden Street south area • Green mobility hub phase 3 • Goods Way • Great Queen Street streateries • Doric Way streatery • Dartmouth Park second stage
See further meeting details on our website
Share The Joy Festival – 13 July Lime, Loud Mobility and LCC are jointly launching the very first Share the Joy Festival, a celebration of cycling joy in London at Loud Mobility HQ, 5-7 Buck Street, Camden London, NW1 8NJ – for a free and fun-filled day.
This event is all about spreading positivity and connecting folks across the cycling community in a fun and uplifting atmosphere. There will be music, food trucks, interactive activities, and more!
Arrive solo, or with others and participate in a local ride starting from the festival throughout the day.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to Share The Joy with your community.
Sign up for the free event on Eventbrite
CCC at Talacre Community Health Event – 13 July Drop by and speak to us at our stall at the Talacre Community Health Event.
We are providing advice on cycling in Camden as well as information about our regular group rides and Cycle Buddies scheme. There will be lots of other health-related activities to enjoy.
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Talacre Gardens, Talacre Road, NW5 3PH
More info on the Talacre event here
Westminster’s Transport Strategy – have your say! Have you commented yet on Westminster’s Transport Strategy on Commonplace? It’s been extended and ends on 21 July.
We welcome the plan for an overarching ‘sustainable transport strategy’, which Westminster hasn’t had before. We also agree with its six priorities: road safety, access & inclusion, health & exercise, air quality, climate change and a sustainable economy.
Right now, many of Westminster’s roads are dangerous, polluted, bad for the climate and exclude many kinds of people from safe active travel.
Ways to respond
You can enter a quick comment here, where it’s easy to make overarching comments about transport in Westminster.
Or to comment on a specific area, drop a pin in the map.
Note that for each comment, you will need to verify it by email before it’s published, which is a bit of a hassle. But please persevere! Do also ‘like’ other people’s comments that you agree with.
Respond to the Westminster Transport Strategy
Moving Towards Growth: Time to build on Britain’s Roadbelt – Create Streets (Policy Paper) Moving Towards Growth: why it’s time to build on Britain’s Roadbelt – David Milner
As Richard Florida has argued, it is quality of place that attracts innovators and helps to drive modern economies. To catch up with the modern demand for the trade of ideas, we should not first think about transport but think about place. Our hyper-specialised society has left us accustomed to working in silos. This can result in accurate solutions to narrow metrics, but not always in the best outcome for society as a whole.
One example is transport itself, which has fallen into this ‘quantification trap’ by trying to improve what can be measured easily, such as speed and time, leaving trickier metrics such as productivity, wellbeing and value to gather dust on the side lines. Transport solutions are normally left for traffic engineers to ‘solve.’ Unfortunately, traffic engineers are often given a narrow scope (“keep the cars moving as fast as possible”) and consequently treat demand for movement as an inescapable symptom to be fixed by a transport project.
Read the full Create Streets Policy Paper here
From London, with love… LCC wrote to all prospective MPs in all London constituencies, ahead of the election to highlight the need for new MPs to do 2 things for London and the UK.
1. Recognise active travel’s importance; be bold and brave in supporting it,
London’s Mayor was re-elected for a historic third term due in part to reducing excess car use, decarbonising transport and supporting active travel.
This London-mandate for MPs to be progressive demands a Net Zero city by 2030 – being bolder on road danger reduction, clearing TfL logjams and restoring the focus of police to road crime. The Mayor and every London borough must complete the ‘Strategic Cycling Network’ by 2028, not 2041 (aided by ringfenced AT funds).
2. Fund Active Travel and make London an exemplar;
meeting Mayoral targets with proper government funding – reallocating the billions from roadbuilding to national active travel schemes which would be based on best practice schemes as they progress in London.Parliament, London and all ‘metro’ mayors need to act to change policy frameworks that impede transport innovation, ditching the ‘Plan for Drivers’ and focussing on policies that will enable people to switch to low carbon mobility options and move around in safety.
View the From London, with love article
Primrose Hill Bike Bus – CNJ Bike Bus Camden has been supported by Camden Cycling Campaign’s Steve Prowse and Harry Wolton from the Flying Dutchman who offer professional marshalling every week.
Miss Clayton said “they are total heroes, waking up to come with us early and offer gentle encouragement and help around the junctions.
“Cycling en masse give lots of visibility and the children love it…we have whistles and bells and occasionally a celebrity cat! It’s like a festival going to school and they all adore it.
“The bike bus is totally brilliant … it’s a party vibe… but you do question whether you should be able to cycle your kids to school safely [anyway]”.
View the CNJ Bike Bus article
C50 (Holloway Road to Finsbury Park section) Consultation TfL are consulting on the recently opened section of cycle route C50 (Holloway Road to Finsbury Park). The consultation is open until August 14th.
When Islington complete the section between York Way and the Holloway Road (work currently in progress) the route will link Camden to Finsbury Park.
Our colleagues at Cycle Islington are putting together a joint response and have asked for feedback from neighbouring boroughs. If you have used the route and have comments and/or suggestions for improvement, please respond on this discussion list or direct to john@camdencyclists.org.uk.
Go to the TfL consultation for the C50 route
Dartmouth Park Area Healthy Neighbourhood Phase 2 Dartmouth Park Area Healthy Neighbourhood Project has launched Phase 2 Engagement.
Based on feedback and a technical analysis of the area, Camden have developed a number of proposals to make the area greener, healthier and more welcoming for all.
View these initial proposals and fill out the survey. You can find all details and share your views through our survey at the link below.
Reply to Commonplace Dartmouth Park Phase 2 Engagement
Police investigating ‘bike-thefts caught on camera’ – CNJ Police are investigating phone footage of five young men appearing to steal bikes on Hampstead Heath. The incident was captured by passers-by on Monday 24 June..They tried to intervene after spotting a group as they walked past Parliament Hill Hill Fields staff yard by the gate to William Ellis school playground.
“They were equipped with tools so they were cutting locks from bicycles”. All attempted to cover their faces using their T-shirts when they realised they had been filmed by passers-by; the footage has since gone viral on social media – onlookers said police should be able to use the images.
A Met police spokesperson said “The event allegedly took place at 20.40 on Monday 24th June at Parliament Hill Fields, NW5. Enquiries into the circumstances continue. Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or on ‘X’ @MetCC quote CR 01/512550/24
You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity crime stoppers on 0800 555111
View the CNJ article (page 4)
Kentish Town Bike Workshop – 6 August Held at Kentish Town Health Centre, Bartholomew Road, NW5 2BX on the second Monday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30pm.
One participant’s response: “As well as making me feel welcome, they helped fix the problems with my bike and I learnt a few things as well. This is a really good initiative and it takes the stress off doing the mechanics. Plus it makes my cycling a lot safer, now the brakes are working properly. It felt like I was cycling on a brand new bike this morning :)”
It’s free of charge. Sign up for monthly KTBW notifications.
See the KTBW web page
Many thanks,
Camden Cyclists
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