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The Lothian Cycle Campaign

SPOKESWORKER 20 05 03

Spokes, The Lothian Cycle Campaign, St Martins Church, 232 Dalry Road, Edinburgh EH11 2JG 0131.313.2114 http://www.spokes.org.uk/


Spokesworker is an occasional ("roughly monthly") news sheet, with stop-press news of forthcoming events, and of road, traffic and planning matters. It is not automatically sent to all members. A copy is enclosed if we are writing to you anyway, and copies are handed out at working group meetings. You can make sure to get a copy by sending us 10 or so stamped addressed envelopes. Spokesworker also appears on our Internet web site - if you wish to be notified of such updates by email, contact spokes@spokes.org.uk.


 

FOR YOUR DIARY

See Diary in new leaflet Spokes 85. Also...

May 27 Waverley Station future. Talk by Station Manager Juliet Donnachie to Institute of Logistics - open to all. Go to reception opposite platform 1 at 1730 for 1800. If you wish to attend, please reply in advance to j.yellowlees@blueyonder.co.uk.

May 30 Radio Scotland motorist v. cyclist quiz 11.30am.

May 31 Environmental Deception and the Battle against Pollution - talk by US public health expert Devra Davis at FOE Scotland AGM. Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street. 554 9977.

Jun 5 Bike Station Benefit Comedy & music evening, Bongo Club, New St. Tickets on door or 558.1682. Two bands plus comedian, cyclist and Bike Station patron Phil Kay.

Jun 7 Bike Station stall at Meadows Festival

Jun 11 Spokes stall at Links Fair, St. Thomas Aquins School. For details or to help, phone Jackie 664.0526.

TWO BIG SPOKES DATES TO REMEMBER [see spokes 85]...

June 18 BIKE BREAKFAST ... to help, phone Jackie 664.0526

June 22 MEADOWS BIKEFEST ... to help at Spokes stall, phone Rosemary 524.6150.

Sep 18 Cycling in Rural Areas conference [includes utility cycling - an important issue in Scotland, see Spokes 85 pp1 & 7]. Hugh.McClintock@nottingham.ac.uk 0115 951 4875.

TRAM CONSULTATION

Further to the stop-press item in Spokes 85, the consultation on Edinburgh tram routes 1 and 2 runs from 21 May until 27 June. This consultation is mainly about route alignment, but is a chance to comment on any aspect you wish. We urge you to comment. Please use Qn. 1 on the consultation form/website to highlight any or all of the following 3 points which concern you...

For other preliminary spokes comments on considerations for the Edinburgh system, see the article in Spokes 83 [on Spokes website if you don't still have a copy of that leaflet].

You can get the two free consultation brochures (one each for routes 1 and 2) from freephone 0800 328 3934. Each brochure has a freepost reply section. You can also read the information and reply online at www.tramtime.com. [Website notes: When I tried the website some bits didn't work using Netscape, but Internet Explorer worked ok. Also online, if the page is too big for the screen, put your mouse pointer over the up or down triangle near the top left of the screen - there is no need to click the mouse, though perhaps this varies on different systems].

There are also exhibitions and public meetings - details on the two above brochures, the web site, or from the freephone.

If you are interested in the general question of bike/tram and bike/rail integration you might like to join the email list on this topic - to do so, email ictrans-request@shu.ac.uk. This is run by one of the people involved in the successful campaign to get bike-carriage agreed on the next phase of the Manchester tram system.

PLEASE REMEMBER TO COMMENT ON THE CONSULTATION - DO IT NOW!!

THANKS CALLUM

Spokes would like to thank Callum MacDonald whose company, Crimson Cog has kindly offered to host the Spokes web site free of charge, a 100% discount on the normal £100 per year fee.

HELP NEEDED!!!

Was talking to a cyclist, yesterday, lives in Dunbar, works at Torness and he told me there's a strong cycling group at Torness, more than 20 members many of whom cycle to work regularly. We also discussed the dreadful bit of A1 which cycluists can't easily avoid between Torness and Billsdean, and he said British Energy is very keen to show 'green' credentials and might be interested in helping to fund a link for cyclists at this point. This missing link would if completed enable a route from Dunbar to Cockburnspath and on to Berwick.

And part of Paul's reply... At the recent SPOKES/CTC meeting in Haddington, this issue was mentioned and I have been to see if it is possible to put a cycle track on the A1 verge between the end of the road to Skateraw and the junction of the minor road through Bilsdean (a distance of about 2.5km). I think it would be worth pursuing with the Scottish Executive. My suggestion would be that cyclists heading north would use the minor road from the roundabout at the north end of the Cockburnspath Bypass, through Bilsdean to the A1, along a track to the Skateraw road and then along this road to pick up the track into Dunbar. How does this sound? Do you have a contact for British Energy, presumably at Torness? Also, do you have any more indications of demand for such a route as I'm not sure if the Scottish Executive would act if it appeared that there was only a handful of people interested.

If you have ideas on this email Peterhawk@care4free.net or phone 443.6712. It would also be useful to contact Councillors/ MSPs and copy your letter to Paul Ince, East Lothian Council.

 

small ADS [bike-related ads are free in Spokesworker]

Wanted - 2nd-hand tandem for school run. James.Jarvis@ed.ac.uk 07736 724 113.

Wanted - 7-speed Sachs/SRAM hub, preferably with lever shifter rather than twistgrip. mj_wardlaw@hotmail.com.

Stop Press - NEW MINISTER

We have a new Minister - and responsible only for Transport - hopefully giving him time to take all transport modes seriously, unlike recent ministers [though we would have preferred his brief to cover planning as well]. He is LibDem Nicol Stephen MSP. Note that if you write direct he won't see your letter whereas if you ask your own MSP to contact him then Nicol Stephen will personally see and sign the reply to your MSP.

MORE CONSULTATIONS

AIR TRANSPORT CONSULTATION

This very important consultation now ends on 30 June [www.airconsult.gov.uk 0845. 100.5554]. We urge you to take part.

The consultation document omits the rising impact on climate-change of uninhibited air travel, and the £7bn p.a. subsidy due to tax-exempt fuel, tickets and new aircraft. Transform Scotland calls it "A mammoth flag-waving exercise for the air industry."

Please respond if you haven't yet! We suggest choosing the 'UK-wide constrained' option - but since the questions don't allow you a proper reply on environmental aspects, consider also sending an email or letter. For more ideas see: Spokesworker02.12.02 [Spokes web site]; www.airwatch.org.uk; and www.greenparty.org.uk [Aviation's Economic Downside].

Note: new research for CPRE (Council for the Protection of Rural England) suggests that increasing airline tourism is bad for the economy - quite apart from its environmental impacts - since total UK tourist spend abroad is £18.7bn compared to just £7.6bn spent by tourists coming to Britain. [01524.849055].

SCOTTISH OUTDOOR ACCESS CODE

Under the recent Land Reform (Scotland) Act, passed by the Scottish Parliament, people will be allowed non-motorised access over most land and water in Scotland, probably from a date in 2004, as long as they behave responsibly. A code is being drawn up on what is and is not responsible behaviour. To take part in the consultation see www.snh.org.uk or phone 01738.444177. Consultation on the code ends on June 30th.

TRANSPORT ASSESSMENT IN SCOTLAND

Developers seeking planning permission for traffic-generating developments are now expected to complete a 'transport assessment' rather than the old 'traffic impact analysis'. The old TIA focussed mainly on catering for the car, road safety, etc. The TA, however, should give primary emphasis to walk, cycle and public transport, and to how to encourage use of these modes. A draft guide to Transport Assessment for developers and councils is out for consultation until 31.12.2003 [to give time for it to be used in practice, to help identify how it could be improved]. It is an interesting read, and you have the opportunity to comment. For a copy of the document phone 0131.244.7554 or go to www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/transport/gtta-00.asp.

HOME ZONES GUIDANCE

Draft guidance to councils and others on how to create home zones has been issued as a consultation document. Comments are requested by 1.12.2004 to give time for the document to be used in practice, to test its ideas. The document is available from 0131.244.0871 or www.scotland.gov.uk/publications. For more info on home zones see www.homezones.org.

LABOUR PARTY MEMBERS

The Labour party is consulting its members on two topics of relevance to cycling and transport..

If you are a Labour party member, please participate to ensure sustainable and healthy transport features more prominently than in present UK and Scottish government policy!! For info, go to

www.labour.org.uk/howdoespartnershipinpowerwork

If you are a member of SERA, the Labour Environment Campaign, you should have already received detailed information - or contact SERA 020 7263 7389 www.serauk.org.uk.

NEW DOCUMENTS

M74 MOTORWAY EXTENSION

The official objection to the M74 by the JAM74 campaign forms a useful summary of the arguments against, and is available at www.transformscotland.org.uk/info/docs/JAM74_objection.pdf. Or send an SAE and donation for a copy to

Transform Scotland, 72 Newhaven Road, Edinburgh EH6 5QG.

CYCLE HELMETS

Controversy continues, with a government-sponsored literature review on the effectiveness of cycle helmets, and related topics. However, the review failed to look at those research papers which suggest that, across the whole population, injury risk and severity rise as helmet-use increases. The report can be found at...

www.roads.dft.gov.uk/roadsafety/roadresearch/bicyclehelmets/index.htm

and a critique from the Cycle Campaign Network is at...

www.cyclenetwork.org.uk/papers/broader.pdf.

Furthermore, the UK government has decided that all publications directly or indirectly connected with the government must only picture cyclists if wearing helmets. The UK Cycle Campaign Network is asking cyclists to write to Tony Blair, Alastair Darling [Transport Minister and MP for Edinburgh Central] and your local MP [get name from the CAB 0131557 1500] urging that this ruling be rescinded, and requesting a full, objective analysis of cycle helmet use, including the public health consequences. Address: House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA. For more on helmet research see Spokes 84 p7.

Please copy your letter and the reply to...

Cycle Campaign Network, 54 Allison Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5TH, email ccn@cyclenetwork.org.uk

BORDERS RAILWAYNEWS RELEASE on behalf of WAVERLEY ROUTE TRUST

The Waverley Route Trust has launched an initiative to promote the concept of a community Borders railway. The not-for-profit organisation believes the current local authority-led scheme to restore rail services to Galashiels and Tweedbank will be strengthened if local involvement in the management and maintenance of the railway are made key components of the scheme. The Trust is pointing in particular to the success of the German model of locally-managed rural railways, where new investment and flexible operating arrangements have transformed closed and run-down rail routes into thriving modern businesses.

WRT Trustee, Dr Paul Salveson, who is General Manager of the Association of Community Rail Partnerships commented:

"The management of rural railways in the UK is old-fashioned, fixed in a 1960s time-warp. While on the continent rural lines have prospered through local management, here in the UK innovation has been stifled as a result of the rigid and inflexible regime which was thrust on the railways at the time of privatisation. The new railway to the Borders provides an ideal opportunity for the development of a local not-for-profit company, with strong community involvement, which could have responsibility for both operations and infrastructure. We should learn from Germany, where locally managed and controlled railways have seen passenger numbers increase dramatically."

NOTE FOR EDITORS: With a projected capital cost of around £125 million for Waverley Railway Project, and uncertainty over conventional rail financing, WRT has been set up by interested individuals in the Borders, Edinburgh and beyond to promote new ideas on construction, ownership and management of the railway, and to open up funding opportunities beyond the scope of government organisations. WRT's trustees have backgrounds in the rail industry, transport and environmental campaigning, research and commercial business development. More info: Petra Biberbach 0131.221.9019 or email bjamieson@scotborders.gov.uk.

Note: in a subsequent Edinburgh Evening News article, Petra said one of the objectives of such a 'community railway' would be "environment-based investment, closely integrated with local bus, bike and foot transport - avoiding the danger of too much emphasis on car park-and-ride with its local traffic problems."

 
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SPOKES, St. Martin's Church, 232 Dalry Road, Edinburgh EH11 2JG

Tel: 0131 313 2114 (a/phone only) or e-mail to spokes@spokes.org.uk