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The Lothian Cycle Campaign

SPOKESWORKER 29th October 2001

See also diary page. Other cycling events may be found on the Internet at http://www.scottishcycling.co.uk/events.

See Diary in Spokes 80, plus...

Nov 17/18 Sustrans Working Weekend Glenoglehead/Loch Venacher. Details: 01207.281259, sustrans@derwentside.org.uk

Nov 22 SPOKES PUBLIC MEETING - See Spokes 80, page 1

Dec 3 Green Travel Plans Scottish Transport Studies Group, day seminar, Glasgow. A320 for anyone attending as a Spokes rep [we will pay for 1 or 2 members to attend - get in touch if so], others A340. Details: 0790.973.5224 mail@stsg.org Brian Weddell

2002, June 15-23 Bike Week Bike2Work/green transport will be a major feature all week; not just a bike to work day as in the past. Details: 01243.543888 nick@harvey.co.uk. The Spokes Bike Breakfast(s), Edinburgh Bikefest etc, are likely to be held in this week. Details: Jackie Howlett 0131.664.0526.

Meeting series's by other organisations...

Bike Maintenance Courses various length/cost courses at Edinburgh Bike Co-Op. www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk 228.1368.

Railway Ramblers Winter walks exploring disused rail lines. Raymond Hutcheson 01324.625816. Rail/bus access to walks.

Public Health Sciences Seminars, Edinburgh University, 5pm, Sydney Smith Lecture Theatre, Medical Buildings, Teviot Pl. [for details or to get on mailing list, email Gordon.Jones@ed.ac.uk].

Dec 6 Global epidemic of cardiovascular disease

Jan 24 Community Initiatives to reduce Health Inequalities

Mar 7 Improving Scotland's health and health care

Centre for Human Ecology 12 Roseneath Place. 6.30-8pm followed by soup/bread. Entry fee + food charge. 624.1972.

Nov 6 You can never do merely one thing

Nov 13 Nothing exceeds like success

Capital Rail Action Group public mtgs, City Chambers, 7pm http://freespace.virgin.net/crag.edinburgh 07720.446310.

Nov 13 Rail Infrastructure in Scotland - Railtrack speaker

Dec 5 Edinburgh Transport Strategy - Cllr Andrew Burns

Light Rail Transit Association public meetings, Riddles Court, 322 Lawnmarket. 7.30pm. Note: with increasing probability of an Edinburgh tram system it is important to be familiar with those elsewhere, so that issues such as cycle carriage and on-road bike/tram dangers get full attention in Edinburgh [Spokes 80].

Nov 30 New light-rail systems in England

Jan 25 Dutch public transport

UNSUSTAINABLE AIR TRAVEL The recent downturn in air travel has led to calls for government assistance. But air travel is already hugely subsidised in hidden ways by the taxpayer. There is not even VAT on buying planes, air fuel or air tickets, let alone any contribution to air travel's major and rapidly increasing contribution to climate change. Already some years ago the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution [18^th report - Transport and the Environment] stated "an unquestioning attitude toward future growth in air travel, and an acceptance that the demand for additional facilities must be met, are incompatible with the aims of sustainable development".

The Green Party has published an excellent fully-referenced analysis of the position - 'Aviation's Economic Downside' - see their website www.greenparty.org.uk, or phone 020 7561 0282.

Please lobby your MP/MSP/MEP with the environmental case, and ask what they are doing about it. Please also raise the point that whereas planes are VAT-free, bikes are not!!! Any change to bike VAT would require a European decision, so please raise this with your MEP. The CTC is already running a campaign on this, so individual letters should be particularly useful. The Lothians MEP is David Martin MEP, PO Box 27030, Edinburgh EH10 7YP, or email david_martinmep@geo2.poptel.org.uk.

HELP & HELPERS NEEDED

CASTLECLIFF BIKE WORKSHOP

The workshop has obtained a Sustainable Action Fund grant from the Scottish Executive. This will allow employment of a part-time project worker, and build on the large amount of work already done by volunteers. The project has an open session on Friday 23 November, 11.30-13.30, during which Environment Minister Ross Finnie will visit - Your chance to buttonhole him! All are welcome. [Note: see quotes from Ross Finnie in Spokes 80 - back page article - Election Aftermath].

We may have to look for new premises in the near future, as Castlecliff is due to be converted into a hostel. Any ideas about central locations which would be suitable for workshop space and storage, please contact Ian Maxwell 0131.669.6542.

We still welcome assistance at our Tuesday evening and Saturday afternoon sessions. Donations of parts and bikes can be left outside the workshop at any time - 25 Johnstone Terrace - enter through the middle of the building, downstairs then right.

CYCLE TRAINERS

You should receive a flyer in your mailing about what to do if you or someone you know wants cycle training. But maybe you would like to become a trainer - for schools or for adults??

You would first receive full training and then be employed on an hourly basis. School training is normally Weds or Fri afternoon and adult lessons normally evening/weekend. If interested contact Cathy Scott 0131.662.4461 cathyscott@scottishcycling.co.uk.

SPOKES STALLS 2002

We hope to give more attention to Spokes stalls in 2002, aiming to make them more interesting, provide more effective publicity for Spokes, and promoting our objectives. Ideas under consideration include: selling a wider range of maps (Sustrans mail order probably provides the most appropriate sales service except for maps with high local interest); selling a wider range of publicity materials; competitions and other things-to-do at stalls. If interested in helping develop these ideas/materials and helping to organise/staff the stalls, please get in touch.

TANDEMISTS WANTED

A local cyclist, Suzi, is totally blind but would like to have help get out on occasional local rides, and ideally next summer to join a Spokes youth-hostel cycling weekend. She is quite fit and happy to cycle up to 50 miles as the 'stoker' on a tandem. Anyone interested in helping, contact Harry Henniker 229.6274 or email bike.bus@virgin.net.

ROADPEACE VOLUNTEERS

RoadPeace is a UK organisation, to which we are affiliated. It assists road crash victims, highlights the effects of road crashes, and campaigns to reduce crash factors - such as speeding. They hope to expand their presence in Scotland. For those of a religious bent, one initiative is annual (November) church services highlighting road deaths and injuries - it is hoped one or more such services can be held in Edinburgh area this year. If interested in finding out more about RoadPeace, and possibly helping locally, contact Ian Maxwell 669.6542 or imaxwell@gn.apc.org.

BIKES FOR AFRICA

Overleaf is a factsheet on Project Re-Cycle. More on their interesting web site www.re-cycle.org. A particular need in Edinburgh area is someone to set up a collection point. Conceivably this could be in conjunction with the bike workshop - and it has been suggested that a government ODA grant might be available to help with such an initiative. Obviously however a lot of research would be needed; and it might be difficult for the workshop to do much initially whilst they may have to move premises soon.

If you can help Project Re-Cycle, their contact details are overleaf. For more on Edinburgh Castlecliff workshop see above.

VELO-CITY 2001 - THANKS AND APOLOGIES

This is to thank past volunteers rather than request new ones! See pages 1 and 7 of Spokes 80 for full thank-you and report. We must apologise to a few people who volunteered to help but whose names got lost in the mass of preparations and so unfortunately were not contacted.

SMALL ADS [free in Spokesworker]

Wanted: child trailer. Neil Smith 01786.474929 nsmith@clara.co.uk