[If emailing anyone mentioned in this circular, replace AT by @ in their email address] This is a circular to emailable Spokes members in (or near) West Lothian. Sorry about the length - there's a lot happening!! Please read carefully and follow up any items that interest or concern you... *** 1 . THIS SATURDAY - Sat 14 Aug - KIRKNEWTON SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT DAY 12.00-16.00 Includes Dr Bike, cycle training, cycle assault course, many more events. Livingston Spokes member and Sustrans ranger David Liddell is running a Sustrans/Spokes stall. Please call by at the stall and say hello - a good chance to discuss any burning West Lothian questions. David is also the person who has volunteered to keep a check on West Lothian planning applications - and he also has all the gen on item 2 below. davidATdliddell.co.uk. 01506 415008. *** 2. WINCHBURGH/BROXBURN DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS Three major developments which will massively change the area are in the pipeline at various stages. It is vital that we influence their design to create more cycle-friendly conditions. As there is a lot of detail, these are included at the end of this circular (2a-2c). *** 3. LIVINGSTON - GLASS ON PATHS - IT'S WORTH REPORTING Spokes member Ross Hendry [rosshendryAThotmail.co.uk] has sent me the following... Anyone who cycles on the Path Network in Livingston will be aware of the problem of Broken Glass, usually in the same locations, underpasses, secluded seated areas. I make regular complaints to the Council - and it has been cleared in a few days. If possible note the unique number on the nearest lampost. It should be 2 letters and 2 numbers in a square. The email address is: customer.serviceATwestlothian.gov.uk. Also, I tend to mark them on this GOOGLE map and sent it to the Council [copy and paste this link into your browser to see Ross's marked-up google map]. http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=113470891013807098093.00047df187f190504c766&ll=55.88864,-3.506087&spn=0.004693,0.009624&t=h&z=17&iwloc=000483a752953124e61b7 On a daily commute to work on part of NCN 75 East of the Civic Center there is regularly broken glass, mostly around a secluded seated that some of the more antisocial element use as a drinking den. The seats are in a poor state of repair covered in graffitti, in secluded areas over hung and surrounded by trees I suspect that any normal person would not sit there and a more permanent solution I have suggested that the seats should be removed. *** 4. LINLITHGOW - VARIOUS 4a. CANAL TOWPATH - BRILLIANT NEWS!! There is now a strong likelihood that the towpath from the Canal Basin to the Preston Road schools will be surfaced this financial year. This results in part from pressure by the Cycle Action Group [especially Richard Toleman], enthusiasm from British Waterways and the ongoing Spokes campaign for higher cycle funding by the government. After 3 years of pressure the government has given a big extra chunk of funding to Sustrans for 2010/11; and thanks to the local pressure and BW enthusiasm this is one of the projects likely to benefit. BW still has to find match-funding but they have told Richard they are quite optimistic. Please HELP - if YOU think this is a great idea, or if you have suggestions for any aspects (e.g. where accesses are needed) please email Richard, and he will pass on all comments to BW. Positive comments and local support will encourage them to make a big effort to ensure this happens, so even a short email just saying how much you would value this is really helpful. Email toleman@dsl.pipex.com. 4b. LINLITHGOW - TRAILERS Linlithgow Climate Challenge LinlithGO group has purchased two bike trailers (a big box one and a bike hod for shopping etc) and these are on hire, either by the day or week, or possibly other if needed. Contact Dorte, email helloATlinlithgo.info. Hire charge - £2 for up to 48 hours; £5 for a week. £30 deposit + ID. 4c. KINGSFIELD MOUNTAIN BIKE HIRE/ LOCAL TOURS 'Scotland's Heartlands' tourist group for Linlithgow/Falkirk has launched an innovative bike hire and local tours scheme, available to locals and to visitors, based at Kingsfield golf/leisure centre. Visitors on short breaks get £75 vouchers which can be used for bike tours, canal trips etc - if you know any potential visitors to the area, let them know of this opportunity!! Kingsfield is still running its special offer of half-price putting on the 18 Hole Ochils FAMILY PUTTING Green for everyone who arrives by bike. Cost £1.25 per person instead of the usual £2.50. More info on all these schemes at http://www.scottishmountainbikeframework.org/#kingsfield or contact Ronnie Bamberry email ronnieATkingsfieldevents.com 07909 635270. 4d. LINLITHGOW BRIDGE PROJECT & FUN DAY 3 OCTOBER 12-3 Linlithgow Climate Challenge and Cycle Action Group are this autumn running the second phase to encourage change from car to bike/walk/bus/rail - this will be at the west end of the town, Linlithgow Bridge area. As well as a map/info leaflet delivered to every house, there will be a Bike Fun Day on Sat 3 october in the Primary School grounds. Please put the date in your diary. Help is needed with stalls, assisting with child cycling events, providing home baking - or organise some other bike-related stall or activity of your own. To volunteer or for more info - contact Dorte dng1ATymail.com. http://linlithgo.info *** 5. SPOKES SUMMER COMPETITION - CLOSING 28 SEPTEMBER It would be great to get some entries from West Lothian, possibly relevant to local bike routes. Our website has now been updated with competition results from previous years - from the serious to the funny, and some downright quirky. For links to that and to this year's comp, go to... http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2010/08/spokes-summer-competition-2010/ The results help in our campaigning and promotion of cycling, so we're really keen to get a good lot of entries again this year. And one of the prizes is a family ticket for Jupiter Artland, which is just about in West Lothian! Our big annual competition this year asks you to think up a brilliant idea for an artwork for any of the offroad paths in Edinburgh or the Lothians. There will be the usual great range of prizes, with first prizewinner having first choice, and so on till all 9 excellent prizes are allocated. You don't have to be an artist to enter - entries in words are fine - we're looking for great ideas, not necessarily great artistic talent!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *** 2. WINCHBURGH/BROXBURN DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS (ctd from above) Three major developments which will massively change the area are in the pipeline at various stages. If this area concerns you, please follow up as below. Go along to the consultation events and/or send in your comments in writing/email. For further information about any of these please email our members Peter Hawkins and David Liddell who have been studying them carefully. Most of the notes below are from them. Addresses: davidATdliddell.co.uk and peterhawkATphonecoop.coop. If you submit comments on any of the developments, please also copy them to Peter and David. We have also given the West Lothian Council application references below. You can normally look up planning applications online at http://planning.westlothian.gov.uk/WAM133/searchsubmit/performOption.do?action=search Unfortunately at present the council only seems to put the details on their website once there is a formal planning application, whereas most of these are at the earlier Pre Application Consultation stage (hence the PAC in the reference number). Normally at the PAC stage you submit comments to the developer, and then if you don't like the results you can comment to the Council at the planning application stage. However Peter and David have several of the documents, maps etc. Some of these can be sent as attachments, so please email them direct if you want to see these. You can also find the location of these developments in the West Lothian Council Local Plan, map 2. The relevant links to the Local Plan are given on our website at http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/downloads/members-campaigning/west-lothian/ 2a. [Consultation exhibition soon] BROXBURN CANDLEWORKS SITE - TESCO - WLC reference 5523/PAC/10 - area CW on Local Plan map. We have been notified by W Lothian Council of a Pre-Application Consultation for a Tesco on the Candleworks site at Greendykes Rd, Broxburn. The developers are obliged to arrange a public exhibition about the proposals, before submitting a planning application. This is an opportunity for the public to express their views. The exhibition will be held at the Strathbrock Centre, Broxburn, early in Sept - date and times TBC. The contact for the developers is phil@pritchettplanning.co.uk - you can email him to ask to be notified of the exhibition/ consultation. The Candleworks site is located on the west side of Greendykes Rd, immediately north of the canal, and is bounded on its south side by the canal, though not on the towpath side. It is relatively central to the town, lying on its northern edge. This site is designated in the Local Plan as a 'Mixed Use Area' for development. The Plan indicates that Mixed Use means primarily housing. One advantage of having a supermarket close to the town centre is that it becomes more accessible by walking, cycling and public transport. The disadvantage of course is the likely traffic congestion the store will generate. We could look at the plans with a view to maximising access by cycle, for example we could suggest a footbridge from the towpath directly into the site at (or near) its western edge. 2b. [Send comments now] WEST WOOD - big housing development - WLC reference 0485/P/10 - area WW on Local Plan map. ***Please submit comments to the council now - this is now beyond the PAC stage, so you can look up the basic details on the above link. However very little info is there as yet. This site is at the east end of Broxburn, between the industrial estate, the railway and the canal. Peter feels the location is bad as it is likely to be a car-dominated development with few facilities within walking distance. Although the town is in cycling distance, that is via the muddy and unlit towpath. If you'd like a full copy of Peter's objection, please email him. Whether or not you object to the principle of this development, it is vital that if it goes ahead it includes a WIDE, SURFACED AND LIT TOWPATH linking the development to Broxburn town centre - and ideally also to Winchburgh (especially if it shares a school, which seems to be one possibility). PLEASE DO WRITE to the council asking for that to be made a condition if the plans are approved. Send your comments to Wendy.McCorristonATwestlothian.gov.uk, quoting the above reference number. ALSO ask your local councillors to support you. Find them at www.writetothem.com or at http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/Council_and_government/pol_elec_democracy/821/ 2c. [Meeting & exhibition September 1st] WINCHBURGH - INFRASTRUCTURE - 5582/PAC/10 - area GS on Local Plan map [Glendevon South]. This proposal is part of the Winchburgh CDA (Core Development Area), which involves huge swathes of greenfield land, remote from any town centre, hence likely to be car-based, and unsustainable. It is on the far western fringe of Winchburgh, stretching across rural land from the B9080 as far as the Fauchledean road. The proposal is for the roads and other infrastructure, which presumably will be built (at who's expense?) in preparation for future development. A public exhibition and meeting will take place on 1st September 2010 at the Community Education Centre on Craigton Place in Winchburgh. The exhibition opens at 5pm and the public meeting begins at 7pm. The contact for the developers is Andrew Bayne, email bayneaATbtinternet.com.