SPOKESWORKER http://www.spokes.org.uk/ 18.5.1999
Spokes, The Lothian Cycle Campaign, St Martins Church, 232 Dalry Road, Edinburgh EH11 2JG. 0131.313.2114



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 DIARYSpokes Sunday Rides Meet 10am, Usher Hall, Lothian Rd.

Dates: Jul 4, Aug 1 [Linlithgow picnic at Dave/Susan du Feu. Free tea/coffee, bring own food], Sep 5, Oct 3.

For further details or to help: Mark 0131.229.7190.

Spokes Cycling Weekends - for programme phone Harry 0131.229.6274 or see http://freespace.virgin.net/bike.bus/

Go-Bike! (Strathclyde Cycle Campaign) has a big rides programme - usually 1st Sunday each month, and some w'ends. Richard 0141.563.7871 or drmarsh@bigfoot.com.

May 26 Slow Speeds day conference Linlithgow. £25 or £40. Details Transform Scotland 0131.467.7714. 0171.582.3872

June 4 Green Transport Plans conference, Preston. / £95+vat

June 5 Spokes Leaflet no.73 Distribution Meeting, 10-12.30am at McDowells, 93 Newington Rd. Usual volunteers will be notified, or phone Dave du Feu 01506.670165. As always, help needed with delivering piles of 40 or so envelopes to members etc

June 5-13 Green Transport Week, and

June 8 National Carfree Day Details: Environmental Transport Assn, 0181.946.0912 or www.eta.co.uk

June 10 Euro-Elections

Jun 12-20 National Bike Week 01483.417217 www.nbw.co.uk

June 12 start of Jubilee 2000 Edinburgh-Cologne ride to call for 3rd World debt cancellation. 313.3647 Andrew.

June 13 Airdrie/Bathgate fun ride on Sustrans railway-path sculpture trail, and chance to see work of Central Scotland Countryside Trust. 0131.623.7600 Sustrans.

June 16 SPOKES BIKE BREAKFAST - free breakfast for you & your bike, City Chambers 8-10. Edinburgh Council's new Transport Chair Mark Lazarowicz hopes to attend. Can you help, or do you have ideas for stalls?? Tel. Rosemary 553.5819. *June 19 Lepra ST.ANDREWS ride 01968.682369.

Jun 20 Edinburgh CYCLEFEST organised by Sustrans & Spokes. Victoria Park, Newhaven 12-4. New Spokes map, live music (renewable energy PA!), best-dressed bike, bike doctor, cycle skills, stalls, etc. Helpers needed + ideas for stalls. Contact Mark James 623.7600 or 334.2653. Easy rides to Cyclefest....

10.45 from Davidson's Mains Safeway car park

11.15 Middle Meadow Walk 11.30 Scottish Office, Leith

June 30 Sustrans Safe Routes to School UK conference, York. 0117.915.0117. Cathy Scott attending for Spokes.

July 4 Sustrans Ride the Net pilot event and Glasgow Cyclefest both centred in Kelvingrove Park. Also Indepen-dence from the Car day. Andy Dunn - contact below.

July 13 Transport Priorities for Scottish Parliament conference. New Transport Minister (provisional). 01224.263134

*Aug 15 WWF ride - Aberdeen. 01887.820449.

*Sep 26 Active for SAMH Glasgow ride 467.7905.

2000, June 19-25 Ride the Net 2000 Sustrans Millennium 3000-mile network opens ... "stunning participatory events"

Spokes contacts: Cathy Scott 667.6740; Mark Symonds 229.7190

Scotland: Andy Dunn 01505.614302 amdunn@compuserve.com

For a Ride the Net email/fax occasional bulletin - contact Andy.

*Provisional event or details - contact the organiser.

WANTED [NB: small ads included free in spokesworker]

26"x1.75" wheel rim for rear of elderly Hercules trade bike. 2nd hand &/or non-chrome fine. Reply only by email, to Hodder.Family@tesco.net

'SAFE CYCLE COMMUTING' CLASS

Sun 20 June, 10-4, £40. Run by Edinburgh Bicycle. Advance booking essential. Tel. 228.1368 or www.edinburgh-bicycle.co.uk

ELECTION RESULTS & CONTACTS

Spokes leaflet no.73 will include a full commentary on what we are hoping/looking for in terms of cycling and sustainable transport policy in general from the new Scottish Parliament. Remember too that new councils were elected on 6th May.

There are some hopeful signs in who has been appointed to the transport posts both in the Scottish government and in Edinburgh Council [but less change in the Lothians councils].

It would be helpful if some members would write now about matters that concern them, so that MSPs and councillors start receiving letters on such matters from as early as possible! Even better, go and visit your MSP/councillor at their surgery.

You can find the name and address to contact your councillor, MSP, etc, by phoning the Citizens Advice Bureau. They can even look up which ward or constituency you live in, from your address. Your nearest CAB is in the phone book, or try the Central Edinburgh CAB at 0131.557.1500. If you are on the Internet, many of these details are already on the Spokes web site.

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT [www.scottish.parliament.uk]

The address for letters is: Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP

The government has created a Minister for Transport and the Environment, rather than just Transport - a hopeful sign! And the new minister is Sarah Boyack, MSP for Edinburgh Central, and a leading member of SERA Scotland, the Labour Party Environment Campaign. However, you are often best to write to your own MSP/MP, not direct to the Minister. If you write direct to the Minister, they are unlikely to see your letter, and you will most likely get a civil servant reply. Instead, write to your own MSP, and ask them to raise your concerns/suggestions with the Minister. [Of course if you live in Edinburgh Central, your MSP is the Minister in this case].

If you aren't too sure what to write about, have a look at the last couple of Spokes leaflets/Spokesworkers.

COUNCILS [GENERAL]

With councils, you might like to write direct to the Transport Convener on some matters. However, it is often a good idea to write to your own councillor and ask them to raise your concerns/suggestions with the Transport Convener - you will then be influencing two people, plus the fact that your own councillor should have the greatest interest in satisfying their own voter!

EDINBURGH CITY COUNCIL

City Chambers, High St, Edinburgh EH1 1YJ

The new Transport Convener, following David Begg's move to the government Commission for Integrated Transport [see next leaflet] is Cllr Mark Lazarowicz. Like Sarah Boyack, Mark also is a leading member of SERA Scotland! He was also a great friend to Spokes quite a few years ago when he was a councillor on the then Edinburgh District Council.

EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL Haddington EH41 3HA

New Environment Convener (this includes transport) is Cllr David Costello.

MIDLOTHIAN COUNCIL Buccleuch St, Dalkeith EH22 1DJ

New Strategic Services Convener (this includes transport) is Cllr David Hamilton.

WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL Almondvale, Livingston EH54 6QG

New Strategic Services Convener (this includes transport) is Cllr Carol Bartholomew. The Council has also appointed Cllr Lawrence Fitzpatrick to be responsible for 'all green issues'. He is a new councillor [we don't know him], and is said in the press to be 'a committed environmentalist'.