--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a circular to all emailable Spokes members. [If you recently sent us a change of email address, your change may not yet be in our database, so this message may go to your old address or possibly to both]. We hope you'll have the time to read this circular carefully and take action on those points that concern or interest you. If using email addresses shown below, replace AT by @. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A. EDINBURGH COUNCIL CYCLING POLICY With the new Labour/SNP council now settling in following this year's council elections, councillorswant to reassure themselves that cycling policy is on the right track. It is very encouraging that there is no sign of backtracking on the bold budget decisions or the cycling targets adopted by the previous council; rather the new councillors dealing with transport appear keen to ensure that policy is moving forwards as effectively as possible. Very importantly, they are also looking at staffing for cycling - is it adequate to ensure that the increased budget is used well? Spokes has recently been asked for input - our thoughts can be found here... http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2012/08/edinburgh-council-cycle-policy/ In summary... - The Council's Active Travel Action Plan [ATAP] remains a good basis for action - A major weakness of ATAP is that it fails to cover the city centre, Princes Street etc - this is absolutely vital - The Council should now be trialling segregated onroad facilities - the planned major revamp of Leith Walk is a big opportunity - One aspect of ATAP which has fallen behind is improved facilities on arterial routes - A1, A7, A8,A70, etc - Adequate staffing for implementing council cycling policies is vital. Finally, Spokes member and Green councillor Chas Booth has put forward a motion to the Council calling for a 'Sir Chris Hoy' network with an increased level of segregation, with Leith Walk to be considered as a first step. Whilst supporting this motion we would like it seen alongside the other priorities above, notably the city centre (We did not see the motion before it was published). A link to Cllr Booth's motion is included in our above website article. WHAT YOU CAN DO ... With the elections now just a memory, it is really important that councillors continue to hear from constituents, so that cycling remains a priority in their thoughts and actions, especially now when they are looking again at cycling policy. Also, many councillors are new and so will not have received earlier emails from constituents. Find your councillors at www.writetothem.com [you have either 3 or 4 councillors]. A short email covering just 2 or 3 points you consider most important is best. If possible link your points to something in your local area or your experience. Cllr Booth's motion will be considered by the council this Thursday 23 August, so emails to councillors before then are particularly valuable, emphasising the points in the motion (or not in it) that you consider most important. B. SPOKES SUMMER COMPETITION - CLOSES 9 SEPTEMBER Remember to enter our annual competition - there are excellent prizes, including first class rail tickets for 2, bike-related prizes, visitor attractions; food, etc, etc. We don't have that many entries yet, so your chances of a prize are good!! And we hope to use the entries to further promote cycling in Edinburgh and Lothian, so we'd like loads more good ideas. The full rules and prizelist are here... http://www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2012/06/spokes-2012-competition/ C. SPOKES STALLS at ... Sat 1 Sept, Livingston Cycling Day, 10-4 http://visitwestlothian.co.uk/things-to-do-in-west-lothian-scotland/events/cycle-open-day-livingston/ Sat 8 Sept, Edinburgh Skyride www.spokes.org.uk/wordpress/2012/07/edinburgh-skyride-8-september/ Please come along and say hello at our stalls. Volunteers to help would also be great - if you can help, please contact judy.cantleyATbtopenworld.com. At Skyride, thousands of people are expected - we may take the opportunity to wander round at picnic/rest spots to hand out remaining copies of the summer Spokes Bulletin - again, volunteers would be much appreciated. D. NEW SPOKES MAP 'WEST LOTHIAN AND LIVINGSTON' Our 2012 West Lothian map has just been published - fully revised and now including on the reverse a detailed map of the massive Livingston cycle network. Probably our best map ever - they just keep getting better! www.spokes.org.uk/spokes-maps Buy a copy at one of our stalls above, or by mail order, or from most local bike and book shops. E. 'PEDAL ON POSTBOX' - 16 September [More info at http://pedalonparliament.org/pedal-on-postbox] Pedal on Parliament is pressing for a 'golden legacy' for Scotland after the Olympics, with a postcard write-in campaign to local councillors in towns across Scotland, calling for a network of well designed separated cycle tracks. In Edinburgh a mass postcard posting at the Sir Chris Hoy Golden Postbox is planned on Sunday 16th September, possibly also with a ride up Leith Walk, which is an immediate candidate for segregated facilities. Glasgow will have a simultaneous posting outside the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. If you live in another town/city, choose the road which you think would be the top candidate for segregated provision, and contact PoP to get it added to the list. Keep an eye on the PoP website for more details, including how to get hold of a special POP postcard for the campaign. You can of course join in with your own postcard at any time - whether posted in golden olympian postboxes or not! F. SCOTTISH BUDGET 2013/14 We are entering the government budget season again, with the draft budget to be published sometime before 20 September. Based on last year's Scottish Spending Review, we expect the draft budget to show no improvement on the miserable sums allocated to cycling this year - and if anything a slight further decrease on last year (though the Spending Review also suggests a partial recovery the following year, i.e. in the run-up to the next Scottish Parliament elections!) However, the big Scottish environmental bodies, like Transform, WWF and Stop Climate Chaos are to mount their biggest ever effort to make the government think again on active travel funding, and Spokes will of course be adding to the cause, as will Pedal on Parliament and others. WHAT YOU CAN DO ... a. It's not too early to write to your MSPs [remember you have one constituency MSP and 7 or so Regional List MSPs]. Find them at www.writetothem.com. Tell them why this matters to you and ask them to ensure that the draft budget provides adequate cycling investment. It is patently absurd for the government to set a target that 10% of all trips in 2020 will be by bike, yet consistently invest well under 1% of their transport budget in cycling. b. [BY 24 AUGUST] If you fancy writing something formal, and getting your name on the Parliament website, make your own personal submission to the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee's 'Call for Evidence.' You will need to answer one or more of 8 specific questions on the general theme of whether the government's spending priorities are in line with its "overarching Purpose of increasing sustainable economic growth." There is no need to answer all 8 questions - just choose one or more on which you have something important to say. The call for evidence, and details of how to respond, are here... http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/52574.aspx If you do respond, please send a copy to Spokes. G. TRANSFORM SCOTLAND SUMMER NEWSLETTER There's lots of useful reading in this. Find it at... http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/transform-scotland-newsletter-august-2012.aspx H. CTC SCOTLAND/ CHRIS OLIVER Dr Chris Oliver, new chair of CTC Scotland [and a Spokes member] has been making waves in the media recently, particularly on the back of the Olympics, and sent us some of the relevant links... http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/magazine/149405-cyclists-call-for-fitting-legacy-to-sir-chris-hoys-olympian-success/ http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/magazine/149403-opinion-what-would-be-a-fitting-legacy-of-chris-hoys-olympic-success/ http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/magazine/113723-opinion-cycle-helmet-laws-should-be-backed-by-evidence/ http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/herald-view/saddle-up-for-the-golden-age-of-the-bicycle.18225461 http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/wiggins-effect-is-boost-to-cycling-in-scotland.18232092 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ks40m I. TWENTY'S PLENTY - LOCAL ORGANISERS WANTED Volunteer local organisers are needed by the www.20splentyforus.org.uk campaign. Organisers are already in place for some local towns, including Dunbar and Cockenzie; but none in any part of Edinburgh as yet. The campaign provides professionally branded campaign services and materials [even up to the loan of speed guns]. More info from Anna Semlyen, 20’s Plenty for Us Campaign Manager, T: 07572 120439 e: Anna.s@20splentyforus.org.uk Dave du Feu Spokes 19.8.12