Jan. 14. 10.30, "Planning for Sustainable Development" - i.e. the role of planning in relation to sustainable development. Sarah Boyack, Planning lecturer and of SERA Scotland. 420 Morningside Road.
Jan. 15-16 Public Health Alliance conference "From local to global" (includes transport workshop). In Sheffield, 2 days. Individuals cost £40 or as a SPOKESs rep (we are affiliated to them as a local community group). 0l2l.643.4343x130. Top speakers.
Jan. ?0: PUBLIC MEETING ON GRANTON ROAD PROPOSALS (see SPOKES Leaflet 67, and 28 Oct. spokesworker. Venue/time not yet finalised. Meeting being organised by Pilton Partnership, with council giving road details (these had not been finalised at the time of the previous meeting, and we hope our And your efforts - if you have written - may at least ensure the idea of cutting the Ferry Road bridge has been scuppered). For time and place of meeting, wait till mid-January, by which we will hopefully know, then phone Sandy 551.2663; or phone Council, Area Services North, 529.3598 in working hours.
Jan. 30: Road Traffic Reduction (UK national targets) Bill gets its second reading in Parliament Last year's Traffic Reduction Act (see SPOKES Leaflet 66) only asked local councils to set (local) targets - or to explain why not. The new Bill seeks a UK-wide traffic reduction target, to reduce traffic 10% in 2010 as compared to 1990. Without the national target, the existing act is far weaker, as it does not require a reduction in traffic. WRITE AND ASK YOUR MP TO PROMISE TO ATTEND AND VOTE FOR THE BILL ON 30 JANUARY. Even if you know they support the proposal, please ask them to promise to attend and vote.
Further details: FOE (London) 0171.490.1555, or, locally, Kay Allan, 0141.571.1215. Please copy all MP replies to: Traffic Reduction Act, FOE, 26 Underwood St, London Nl 7JQ. (Send' us a copy too if it's particularly interesting!)
March 16th: 7.00 Quaker Meeting House. SPOKES PUBLIC MEETING. MAYER HILLMAN of the Policy Studies Institute - full of radical and challenging ideas on the future of transport, and what we should be doing. Mark 334.2653.
March 20: SPOKES CEILIDH. Details: Mark James 0131.334.2653
Late April/early May: UK CYCLE CAMPAIGN NETWORK 6-monthly meeting; IN EDINBURGH, HOSTED BY SPOKES (possibly weekends of 25 Apr or 9 May). 50-100 visitors from all over UK expected; p possibly extra session for Scottish campaign bodies. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP.
Can you offer
a. ACCOMMODATION (floor or bed) for one or more visitors (probably 2 nights, including breakfast). (This is to be free, to assist SPOKES). If yes, please write to us or leave a message on SPOKES answerphone. We needs LOTS of offers (obviously you can cancel your offer if the final date decided is unsuitable). We are grateful to the 15 or so members who got the ball (wheel?) rolling by offering accommodation when we made the first appeal at the recent SPOKES public meeting.
b. Any other offers you think might help - e.g. help lead ride(s) to demonstrate local bike facilities, or just to see local sites/countryside; help organise entertainment.
c. If you have a lot of time and effort to offer. Join the small organising group - if you can do this, phone Sandy 0131.551.2663.
Apr 28/29 (provisional) Perth conference on transport and Scotland (including perspective of the new parliament), organised by Scottish branch, Chartered Institute of Transport. Details (nearer the time) S. Lockley 01357.521774 (CIT Scotland, chair man n). Conference lasts 2 days and will include fee - spokes likely to pay for one delegate, so let us know if you might be interested and have the time, (preference to regular helpers, members of spokes planning group, etc.). Hopefully the results of the government transport consul-tation will be out by this time, giving some real focus to the discussions.
June 6-14 National Bike Week, including June 10 Bike to Work Day. 01483.419556 (CTC) June 13-21 Green Transport Week, incl. Juan 16 National car-free day. 01932.828882 (ETA, Environmental Transport Association) June 1-30 Don't Choke Britain month 0171.834.2222 Date unknown: Walk to School day/week(?) Pedestrians Assn 0171.490.0750
CRITICAL MASS EDINBURGH RIDES: Note changed arrangements - now Sat midday on the last Saturday of each month. Fancy dress particularly welcomed, fun image hoped for.
EXHIBITION: Canal & Water of Leith. At Libraries as follows:
For Sale: Girl's Raleigh Calypso, 14 1/2" frame, 14" wheels, 5-speed, V good condition. £60 ono
Although SPOKES is 20 years old, the objectives we set ourselves 20 years ago have stood the test of time remarkably well. However, it has been suggested that some changes should be considered to set our pattern for the next decade - at least! In particular, the current objectives make no mention of health, and they emphasis the matter of travel rather than of access to facilities - though of course there is no need to limit travel when it is by bike, unlike motorised travel! Nor do our objectives explicitly mention the environment, though this is implicit in the first objective.
At the start of our 21st year, this is a good time to re-assess if we wish to change the objectives - quite apart from the fact that we soon need to reprint our headed notepaper! Our current objectives are shown below, followed by a suggested re-wording. In order to fit on headed paper, etc, they should ideally not be lengthened any further. If you have any comments/suggestions please send them, preferably by end December, to Dave du Feu, 2 Greenpark Cottages, Edinburgh Road, Linlithgow EH49 6AA. The final decision on whether and how to re-word the objectives will then be taken by meetings of our Planning and Resources Groups, hopefully early in the New Year.
CURRENT OBJECTIVES
1. To encourage cycling and to publicise its benefits for the community and for individuals.
2. To ensure that council and government policies actively encourage cycling and make full provision for it, as part of an overall transport strategy through which all people can enjoy cheap, safe, efficient and pleasant travel for work and leisure.
SUGGESTED REWORDING
1. To encourage cycling and to publicise its benefits for the community and for individuals. Like walking, cycling is cheap, efficient, enjoyable, healthy and intrinsically safe.
2. To ensure that councils and government actively encourage cycling and make full provision for it, as part of a sustainable strategy for travel and access, with motorised travel bearing its full environmental and social costs.
EDINBURGH L WEST LOTHIAN ENVIRONMENT STRATEGIES
Many councils are now bringing out environmental strategies, in line with the Agenda 21 agreement at the Rio Earth Summit, where local councils are asked to develop a Local Agenda strategy. 'Agenda 21' refers to a plan of action for sustainable development into the 21st Century. Locally, both Edinburgh and West Lothian councils have recently brought out documents on their environment strategy, and are seeking public comment. If you would like to comment, phone the following for a copy of the Environmental Agenda consultation paper...
Amongst the Millennium projects which have been granted Lottery money is the Water of Leith project, which aims to improve the whole river and path from Balerno to the Forth, The need to cater properly for cyclists has always been considered an important part of this project (along with many other objectives). At present the Balerno-Slateford path in particular is in a bad state in many places, which greatly reduces its value as a cycling alternative to the congested and dangerous A70. Many parts are muddy and damp; and unless things change this will continue indefinitely due to the considerable horse use, the overhanging trees (and resulting dampness and leaves), and as many lengths are in cuttings, where drainage is always difficult.
Many SPOKES members will remember the massive improvement in conditions on paths such as North Edinburgh and Warriston, and resulting increase in cycling, when the whindust paths were tarmaced some years ago. On the Water of Leith path, however, it is said that the majority of local people want a whin-dust surface retained. However, many compromises would be possible, such as tarmac in sections with bad drainage.
Agreement appears to have been reached between the various bodies involved that a trial of different surface types would be undertaken, including a new type of surface that 'might' be more horse and mud-resistant than whindust, but would look more 'natural' than tarmac. Now, however, it appears that the Water of Leith Trust is insisting whindust be used throughout, despite the fact that it appears inevitable that in various sections it would rapidly deteriorate again as has always happened in the past after such upgrading.
A lot of money is available, thanks to the lottery funding - but Edinburgh Council is also putting in a considerable sum (this was part of the Lottery deal). The Council therefore can have a big say in what happens
PLEASE WRITE TO YOUR COUNCILLOR, EXPLAINING YOUR CONCERNS AND WHAT YOU FEEL IS THE IDEAL SOLUTION.
Also copy your letter to Councillor David Begg, Chair, Transportation Committee, Council HQ, High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1YG. and the Water of Leith Conservation Trust, 24 Lanark Road.
DECISIONS ARE LIKELY SOON. COPY YOUR LETTER TO SPOKES SO WE CAN SEE WHAT OUR MEMBERS THINK.
List of Councillors
Factsheet No. 1
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