ON behalf of the minority of car-owners, Haringey Council—more clearly than ever—are now winning the war against those in the Borough arguing for measures to advance the interests of cyclists and “active travel”.
The Council Cabinet responsibilities for (a) Highways and (b) Strategic Transport are divided between two Councillors. However, between them, they are succeeding in throwing back the siren voices of human-powered travel. Not by loud words, but by quiet deeds.
BIKE LANE DELETED
Perhaps the best single example of a battle won, is the deletion last year of an established cycle path leading to a major transport hub. It was in Hale Road N17, close to the Tottenham Hale bus-, rail- and Underground interchange.
It could be viewed as provocative, but Highways officers are likely to be quietly satisfied that this smack-down to cyclists is big and unmistakeable. After performing her own thorough research, the Cabinet Member for Highways issued a statement (below) defending the deletion on the grounds of cyclists’ safety, that “has to take priority”
Dixie fire: 10,000 buildings threatened as largest US wildfire tears through northern California | Climate crisis in the American west | The Guardian
Blaze spans 679 square miles and is just 21% contained, with smoke spreading across central California and western Nevada
People living in the scenic forestlands of northern California were facing a weekend of fear as huge wildfires threatened to reduce thousands of homes to ashes.
The Dixie fire, which has been raging for three weeks and incinerated much of the gold rush-era town of Greenville this week was threatening more than 10,000 buildings in the northern Sierra Nevada. It had engulfed an area larger than the size of New York City.
It was the largest current wild-land blaze in the nation and the third-largest in recorded California history, according to the state department of fire and forestry protection.
HCC cancels Active Travel schemes and we want to know why – cycle winchester
August 6, 2021 robCampaigns, Covid19ActiveTravel, Updates
As we feared, Hampshire County Council has chosen to remove existing, tranche 1, active travel schemes, and cancel the bulk of planned tranche 2 schemes. Cycle Winchester is asking HCC why. The evidence base for this decision seems flawed.
To summarise the key points of the decision:
• Hyde Street is reopened to through motor traffic and the lane closure in North Walls is removed.• The closure of Great Minster Street is retained, to promote economic activity in this important hospitality area.• The planned scheme to provide a two-way cycle lane on North Walls has been cancelled.• The planned scheme to provide a segregated cycleway on Upper High Street has been cancelled.• A short stretch of segregated cycleway on High Street will go ahead, but now detached from the Upper High Street we feel it will be much less useful.• Cycling contraflow on Parchment Street and St Peter Street will go ahead.• There is a vague promise of a ‘longer-term package of improvements’.
Just when you thought you had seen every possible variation on the bicycle/tricycle there could be..- Ed Festival Cycling / Twitter
Ed Festival Cycling @edfoc
Just when you thought you had seen every possible variation on the bicycle/tricycle there could be, the Z-Triton amphibious e-tricycle camper comes along… https://z-triton.com So, who is going to be the first to buy on and ride it along the Union Canal?
Judges overthrow “flawed” low traffic scheme ruling, Taxi orgs to pay costs
Mark Sutton4 August, 2021
Transport for London will now be due payment of all legal costs on the case brought by the Licensed Taxi Driver’s Association and the United Trade Action Group. The cab body was unhappy that road space was handed to cyclists, yet now finds itself seemingly unable to appeal further, liable for all legal costs and lumped with an initial bill of £50,000, due within a fortnight.
“They were not universally popular, but we think it would be extraordinary and not right for a court to condemn them as extreme or ill-considered, especially during the pandemic.”
The Bishopsgate scheme in particular maintained taxi access to transport hub Liverpool Street, but gave buses and cyclists rights to use dedicated new spaces on weekdays, to which the taxi org drew ire. The Standard reports that around 6,000 cyclists use the stretch daily and around 700 per hour at peak times. The scheme’s intention was to encourage greater levels of active travel as Covid spread in order to limit contact on enclosed transport forms.
Spurred by pandemic, Barcelona backs greener, car-free future | Reuters
Joan FausAugust 4, 2021 BARCELONA, Aug 4 (Reuters)
Originally described as provisional by city authorities, the changes are still in place a year later despite opposition from some business groups.
More is to come under a plan to convert 21 streets, totalling 33 km (20 miles), into pedestrian green spaces.
The project illustrates how the pandemic has influenced urban planning across the world, accelerating changes such as more bike lanes and fewer cars amid growing concern about climate change.
Since March 2020, Barcelona has reclaimed around eight hectares of the cityscape from motor vehicles, transforming it into sidewalks, playgrounds, bike lanes or restaurant terraces, with authorities arguing that people need more space to avoid COVID-19.
Along with Paris, which has also been creating more bike lanes, Barcelona has aggressively exploited the pandemic to embrace an urban overhaul.
UK government considering e-bike trial scheme | Cyclingnews
The UK government wants to increase e-bike usage in England. The government is considering funding a scheme that would allow people to test ride e-bikes at events and popular holiday locations throughout the country.
The rationale is that once people experience an e-bike for themselves, they are more likely to buy one.
The Guardian newspaper recently reported that a business case was created about the plan for the Department of Transport, and the government will partner with a third party to purchase the bikes and run the events during the summer and autumn at yet to be determined locations.
Government reinforces active travel agenda – transportxtra
A further £338m released to support active travel and changes to the Highway Code put pedestrians at the top of road user hierarchy
The revisions to road user hierarchy were announced by transport secretary Grant Shapps alongside a commitment to increase the cycling and walking budget announced at the Spending Review to £338m.
The infrastructure upgrades, changes to The Highway Code and new requirements to ensure that active travel schemes’ effects are properly assessed are among the raft of measures included as part of what the government is calling a Summer of Cycling and Walking.
Climate crisis: Scientists spot warning signs of Gulf Stream collapse | Climate change | The Guardian
A shutdown would have devastating global impacts and must not be allowed to happen, researchers say
Damian Carrington
Climate scientists have detected warning signs of the collapse of the Gulf Stream, one of the planet’s main potential tipping points.
The research found “an almost complete loss of stability over the last century” of the currents that researchers call the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). The currents are already at their slowest point in at least 1,600 years, but the new analysis shows they may be nearing a shutdown.
Wildfires burn out of control in Greece and Turkey as thousands flee | Wildfires | The Guardian
Protracted heatwave continues as flames threaten populated areas, electricity installations and historic sites
Thousands of people have fled wildfires that are burning out of control in Greece and Turkey, including a large blaze just north of Athens that left one person dead, as a protracted heatwave turned forests into tinderboxes and flames threatened populated areas, electricity installations and historical sites.
Turkey’s wildfires, described as the worst in decades, have swept through swathes of the southern coast for the past 10 days, killing eight people.