Lewisham
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Lewisham Newsletter for Lewisham Cyclists www.lewishamcyclists.co.uk
Rider
Winter 2014
Lewisham Cyclists Secures Funding for Community Bike Workshop We are really pleased to announce that we have finally secured some funding to set up a community bike workshop.
We plan to start running our first workshop sessions in the New Year at the Ringway Centre in Grove It’s been one of our Park. If anyone would like to be ambitions for a while, involved in the project, from helping as we believe getting us set up the workshop, to bikes on the road is volunteering in the sessions crucial if we are to get themselves, do get in touch, even if more people riding. We you can only offer a small amount of know many people who time. Every little helps, as they say. buy a bike, ride it for a bit, then something breaks. If you have Upcoming Rides and Events the money, you can Christmas is nearly upon us and we take it to your local bike shop. If you have have rather less rides than usual in December. the skills you can fix it yourself. But if you th 13 December: 30 mile ride out to Kent and back. A few hills, harder ride, One of our Dr Bike sessions: have neither or you live in a 14th December Local Parks Ride, 15 always busy. part of the borough where miles easy and flat, coffee stops a there are no bike shops, the priority! bike will most likely be left to rust and your cycling days are done. No monthly meeting in December, but So, community cycle workshops fill that gap and give people otherwise we meet at 6.30pm every who have no other means of fixing their bikes, the opportunity to access the specialist tools, get help from qualified mechanics third Wednesday in Lewisham Civic Centre, Catford and then pop round the and fix their own bikes, while learning new skills themselves. corner when business is done for a It’s not only useful, it’s empowering. A bike is a beautifully drink and chat in the Catford simple and accessible bit of machinery on which most people can learn how to fix most problems, themselves. And once you Constitutional Club. have a working bike, the city is out there for you to explore, We also meet up every other Tuesday and, we believe, own. Once you know how to get around on a for a social chat in a different Lewisham bike, you have the opportunity to know and understand our pub each time. Some of us have a short great city, go where you want, when you want, at almost no cost. We’ll help you do that as well, with our rides programme, afterworker ride beforehand: check our website for further details as well as help from our qualified cycle instructor, who can do anything from teach you to ride a bike for the first time or Twitter @lewicyclists begin riding on quiet roads, right up to helping you ride to work on the busier roads and junctions, if that’s what you need to Email: [email protected] Telephone: 07826559603 do. Just ask, our contact details are below.
Deptford Broadway Our borough has its fair share of difficult and dangerous junctions. So when we heard that TfL had released a proposal for consultation on one of them, Deptford Broadway, we were were pleased and hopeful.
Ride of the Month
We have had a great number of really good rides this autumn, ranging from short pootles in the city, (including a short ride to the Olympic velodrome to see the amazing Sidney Schuman set the world hour record for over 80 year olds) to hard, hilly rides in the Surrey Hills. TfL have come a long way One of my favourites, because it in the last few years, and really epitomized autumn, was a while the latest junction misty, mysterious and atmospheric designs they have produced ride in the Hertfordshire countryside for places such as Oval and last week, which took us past the Old St are not perfect, they home of George Bernard Shaw. You are beginning to take space can read about it on our website in away from motor traffic and share it more safely and fairly Ride Reports. between all road users. So imagine our surprise when we went to TfL’s consultation hub, opened up the link to get a plan which looked like the kind of design TfL would have produced years ago, when they hadn’t begun to learn what cyclists need to move safely through a big junction. Cycle lanes will lead them straight into left hook positions everywhere. There is still far too much space for motor traffic. Yes, a few light crossings for pedestrians, which we support, but not enough. We will put our full response up on our website for you to read in full. But we urge you to look at the plans and say what you think. But, in contrast, another great ride Check it out for yourself on was a jaunt to Tower Hill with a group https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/a2-‐deptford-‐ of women who had completed one of broadway-‐deptford-‐bridge-‐junction the council’s cycle training courses on which I was one of the instructors. A lovely day, the city at its best and a great group of riders. At the We held our AGM in October. Those who came along got the beginning of the course, they would never have believed, they could, or chance to listen to Christian Wolmar, who is seeking the felt able to, ride through the city, have Labour candidacy for the 2016 London mayoral election speak about his plans for transport in London, and also Nick coffee, relax by the river in the sun and ride back in half a morning. Harvey, Lewisham’s Cycling Programme Manager, who
Lewisham Cyclists AGM
presented the plans for the Lewisham section of Quietway 2. The consultation for this is now over. We were broadly supportive, but disappointed that a signalized crossing for Trundley’s Rd had been refused. We intend to pursue this further. But on a positive note, there were lots of good things in the plans and it will be an improvement. The meeting also elected the committee for the following year: Coordinator: Jane Davis Secretary: Tim Collingridge Treasurer: John Phillips However, there’s lots of other important jobs to do, so if you want to get involved, get in touch.
Lewisham Newsletter for Lewisham Cyclists www.lewishamcyclists.co.uk
Rider
Winter 2014
Lewisham Cyclists Secures Funding for Community Bike Workshop We are really pleased to announce that we have finally secured some funding to set up a community bike workshop.
We plan to start running our first workshop sessions in the New Year at the Ringway Centre in Grove It’s been one of our Park. If anyone would like to be ambitions for a while, involved in the project, from helping as we believe getting us set up the workshop, to bikes on the road is volunteering in the sessions crucial if we are to get themselves, do get in touch, even if more people riding. We you can only offer a small amount of know many people who time. Every little helps, as they say. buy a bike, ride it for a bit, then something breaks. If you have Upcoming Rides and Events the money, you can Christmas is nearly upon us and we take it to your local bike shop. If you have have rather less rides than usual in December. the skills you can fix it yourself. But if you th 13 December: 30 mile ride out to Kent and back. A few hills, harder ride, One of our Dr Bike sessions: have neither or you live in a 14th December Local Parks Ride, 15 always busy. part of the borough where miles easy and flat, coffee stops a there are no bike shops, the priority! bike will most likely be left to rust and your cycling days are done. No monthly meeting in December, but So, community cycle workshops fill that gap and give people otherwise we meet at 6.30pm every who have no other means of fixing their bikes, the opportunity to access the specialist tools, get help from qualified mechanics third Wednesday in Lewisham Civic Centre, Catford and then pop round the and fix their own bikes, while learning new skills themselves. corner when business is done for a It’s not only useful, it’s empowering. A bike is a beautifully drink and chat in the Catford simple and accessible bit of machinery on which most people can learn how to fix most problems, themselves. And once you Constitutional Club. have a working bike, the city is out there for you to explore, We also meet up every other Tuesday and, we believe, own. Once you know how to get around on a for a social chat in a different Lewisham bike, you have the opportunity to know and understand our pub each time. Some of us have a short great city, go where you want, when you want, at almost no cost. We’ll help you do that as well, with our rides programme, afterworker ride beforehand: check our website for further details as well as help from our qualified cycle instructor, who can do anything from teach you to ride a bike for the first time or Twitter @lewicyclists begin riding on quiet roads, right up to helping you ride to work on the busier roads and junctions, if that’s what you need to Email: [email protected] Telephone: 07826559603 do. Just ask, our contact details are below.
Deptford Broadway Our borough has its fair share of difficult and dangerous junctions. So when we heard that TfL had released a proposal for consultation on one of them, Deptford Broadway, we were were pleased and hopeful.
Ride of the Month
We have had a great number of really good rides this autumn, ranging from short pootles in the city, (including a short ride to the Olympic velodrome to see the amazing Sidney Schuman set the world hour record for over 80 year olds) to hard, hilly rides in the Surrey Hills. TfL have come a long way One of my favourites, because it in the last few years, and really epitomized autumn, was a while the latest junction misty, mysterious and atmospheric designs they have produced ride in the Hertfordshire countryside for places such as Oval and last week, which took us past the Old St are not perfect, they home of George Bernard Shaw. You are beginning to take space can read about it on our website in away from motor traffic and share it more safely and fairly Ride Reports. between all road users. So imagine our surprise when we went to TfL’s consultation hub, opened up the link to get a plan which looked like the kind of design TfL would have produced years ago, when they hadn’t begun to learn what cyclists need to move safely through a big junction. Cycle lanes will lead them straight into left hook positions everywhere. There is still far too much space for motor traffic. Yes, a few light crossings for pedestrians, which we support, but not enough. We will put our full response up on our website for you to read in full. But we urge you to look at the plans and say what you think. But, in contrast, another great ride Check it out for yourself on was a jaunt to Tower Hill with a group https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/a2-‐deptford-‐ of women who had completed one of broadway-‐deptford-‐bridge-‐junction the council’s cycle training courses on which I was one of the instructors. A lovely day, the city at its best and a great group of riders. At the We held our AGM in October. Those who came along got the beginning of the course, they would never have believed, they could, or chance to listen to Christian Wolmar, who is seeking the felt able to, ride through the city, have Labour candidacy for the 2016 London mayoral election speak about his plans for transport in London, and also Nick coffee, relax by the river in the sun and ride back in half a morning. Harvey, Lewisham’s Cycling Programme Manager, who
Lewisham Cyclists AGM
presented the plans for the Lewisham section of Quietway 2. The consultation for this is now over. We were broadly supportive, but disappointed that a signalized crossing for Trundley’s Rd had been refused. We intend to pursue this further. But on a positive note, there were lots of good things in the plans and it will be an improvement. The meeting also elected the committee for the following year: Coordinator: Jane Davis Secretary: Tim Collingridge Treasurer: John Phillips However, there’s lots of other important jobs to do, so if you want to get involved, get in touch.
