Let's get organised...

Event: National Bike Week starts
Date: <z>Sat</z> <z>Jun</z> 12, 1999
Description: More information on the links page and at
http://www.national-bike-week.org.uk/

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http://www.egroups.com/cal?md=accept&eid=91275

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Don't forget...

Event: National Car Free Day
Date: <z>Tue</z> <z>Jun</z> 08, 1999
Description: Tell your friends and colleagues.

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http://www.egroups.com/cal?md=accept&eid=91270

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As an American in your midst, I have to say that I question the
assumptions behind this message!   Who says that the British are
'normal'?    Perhaps you British might like to edit it to read,  "Top o'
the morning to you"? instead of 'Hi all'.

Craig Steeland

-----Original Message-----
From: Graeme Lyall <graemelyall@...>
To: cyclomania@egroups.com <cyclomania@egroups.com>
Date: 13 May 1999 22:50
Subject: [cyclomania] Re: Cycling in Queens Park & Handbridge


>Did you know you can edit the" Hi all, here's an event you might be
>interested in" into something normal people (British!) might say?
>
>
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-
>!!  FREE  !!  DOWNLOAD  NOW  !!
>Animated Interactive Cartoon Character for Windows.
>http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/242
>
>
>eGroup home: http://www.eGroups.com/group/cyclomania
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>
>


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A great day was had by all!
Many thanks to everyone who came along and bought the T-shirts. As well as
getting our message over stylishly (?!) and covering our costs, the small
surplus from each shirt is enough to sponsor the next edition of
'Cyclomania'.
Further T-shirts are available to order in different sizes and colours if
required.

thanks again,

Graeme


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> to put a cycle lane down the left hand side of the A41 verge between Hoole
>Hall roundabout and Guilden Sutton lane to keep cyclists off the ring road?

Better still - make the A41 from Vicars Cross to Hoole Road 30 mph single
carriageway. Send the A41 traffic along the parallel M53 instead. Give the spare
carriageway to cyclists, pedestrians, and maybe buses. Maybe then people in
Hoole will be able to get across into the countryside without dicing with death.

> What about a league table of the silliest (or most dangerous) schemes that
>our illustrious planners have devised?

From the 60's or 70's: Boughton - a virtual motorway which cuts off everybody
north of it from the river and grosvenor park. This is another candidate for,
calming, reclaiming carriageways and certainly for more crossings e.g. top of
dee lane. When we ride along it car-free (apart from floats) on Saturday think -
this is how it could be all the time!!


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Hi all, here's an event that you may be interested in.

Event: Cycling in Queens Park & Handbridge
Date: Wed May 26, 1999
Time: 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Description: A local meeting for cyclists and would-be cyclists 'south of the
river' to generate ideas on how to make it safer and easier to cycle in the
area. Meet at Queens Park High School (Committee Room)

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http://www.egroups.com/cal?md=accept&eid=88330

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Having been inensed that chester chamber of commerce opposes any more
cycling inc hester and has said so to the county's transport strategy
submission process, I am now in polite correspondence with officials
there.... copy letter follows...

Barry Johnston Ltd

to...PF Reeson
Chairman
Transport Committee
Chamber of Commerce, Chester and EP
Hilliards Court
Business Park
Wrexham Road
Chester

Please reply to: 15 King Street
  Chester, CH1 2AH, UK
  tel: 01244 342656
  email: barry@...
  13/5/99

Dear Mr Reeson,

Thank you for your letter of 12 May about transport. I note that we agree
on the dangers which are faced by cyclists and about the dismal provision
which they face locally.

In response to your interesting comments about cyclists being
“anti-social”, I see from government statistics that over a hundred times
more people a year are killed by impact from motor vehicles than by
cyclists, and that even more are calculated have their deaths hastened by
air pollution from vehicles. These major social problems are not addressed
in the Chamber’s transport strategy submission to Cheshire although petty
complaints against “anti-social” cyclists are made at length.

As for your complaint of cyclists not following the rules, I understand
that not following the rules by speeding, a major killer, is still very
common indeed among vehicle drivers, and that hyped-up claims of illegal
speed potential are a major means of selling cars. As for the damage and
obstruction caused by vehicles driving on and parking illegally on
pavements, while two rights don’t make a wrong, I am surprised that the
Chamber complains so pointedly about cyclists taking refuge on pavements,
given the lethality of some of the roads which they border and the fact
that far more people are killed by cars driving on pavements than
cyclists.

Indeed, looking at the whole picture (reduced space requirements, less
pollution, the health benefits and the fact they they rarely kill
bystanders) it can be convincingly argued that cyclists are, on average,
far more social than drivers. So please modify your submission to Cheshire
and withdraw your “anti-social” claim, or, at least, apply it far more
strongly to drivers, if you will not. As a Chamber Member, I would
appreciate the opportunity to present a case, constructively, for cycling
needing more promotion, with a view to changing our official policy on
cycling to be less open to ridicule and more proactive. The Chamber’s
current position of denigrating cyclists in general and opposing any
increase in cycling in Chester is untenable, unsustainable and
discriminatory.

In the past decade, I’ve worked successful as an environmental management
consultant in UK and the Gulf, helping to develop realistic environmental
strategies for some of the world’s largest petrochemical corporations in
areas such as environmental management systems, energy efficiency and
transport. Achieving meaningful environmental change in both the private
and the government sectors of business is the mission of Barry Johnston
Ltd. The Chamber’s current submission to Cheshire concerning transport
opposes our mission and this is why I am asking you to reconsider your
stance.

If you think that I could play any useful part in the Chamber’s Transport
Committee, either as a guest speaker or as a potential member, do please
get in touch, because I would be delighted to  contribute.


Yours sincerely,

Barry Johnston, Managing Director.

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What about the steel post which is located slap bang in the middle of the
sealand road outbound cycle path saying cyclists?

alternatives:

impale the traffic engineer who put in there on the top of the post
relocate the post into the middle of the road
remove it (don't be so silly)




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I've got some views, but I've got that feeling you may not want to hear some
of mine especially on CDTS!!!! However I believe we've basically got the
same aims. I continue to read the comments with interest and take note of
them.

Cllr Dave Bennett (Chair of Cycling Working Party if I get re-elected)

PS. The Cycle Working Party have got a place in the Lord Mayor's Show on
Saturday. I hope it attracts all sorts of cyclists, my aim being to show
that anyone, and everyone, can ride a bike from time to time. If you'd like
to join us please email me.

PPS. My knowledge of Email is a bit rudimentary. If my reply has not gone
out to everyone, perhaps someone can hit the appropriate buttons.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: h9803312@... [SMTP:h9803312@...]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 1999 4:23 PM
> To: cyclomania@eGroups.com
> Subject: [cyclomania] Is there anyone out there?
>
> It seems to me that there are two or three people doing all the talking.
> Has anyone else got any views or know some people with views that they
> could invite to join to break the monotony!
>   _____
>
>
> click hereClick Here!  <http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/216>
>
> eGroup home: <http://www.eGroups.com/group/cyclomania>
> www.eGroups.com <http://www.eGroups.com> - Simplifying group
> communications
>

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Fortunately I do cycle rain or shine dodging wing mirrors every day right
through Chester.  I am coming to terms with the new advanced waiting areas
for cyclists by the Handbridge, which have turned into a Le Mans free for
all for motorists trying to beat cyclists over the bridge.  That's if I can
get to the waiting area when cars are not there!!!

Have you been there with similar experiences?

Liz

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I'm out here but cannot find time to reply to anything.

Liz Stott
IT Support


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Report from the town hall steps, 9.00 - 9.45 pm on election night....

As the count was starting, candidates, election agents and guests came up
the town hall step in twos, fours and sixes, clutching their sweaty
admission tickets. They looked tired but excited - distinctly different
from the races revellers nearby, who more laid back, several physically
so.

I gave out 50 of the press releases at the rate of about one a minute (the
ones which show that Chester opposes CDTS, using the County's own
statistics) and took note of their reactions, party by party...

The Libdems, on the whole were quite interested but tended to look
ever-so-busy. Neverthelss, one chappy with a yellow rosette called me to
the side, and said, with significance in his tone of voice: "there's going
to be a huge bust-up in the Libdems over this tomorrow. I don't know where
it will lead but since the government is talking about local referenda, I
think this might be a way forward." (groannnn)

The Tories I spoke to also seemed the most courteous. Some seemed
genuinely interested in debate, but most, appearing older than the other
parties' people looked more tired and said "not for reading tonight". One
gentleman asked "me who are you?" I felt very small and nobodyish under
his important rosette. How does he feel, I mused later.

The Labour lot varied in their responses. Denial that facts or statistics
mattered seemed to be more than an occasional thread, especially from Old
Labour. Some were courteous, but far from all. One said "don't want to
read THAT" as he reflexed his threatened hand away from my poisonous
recycled paper leaflet. Onother prattled patronisngly to me (you know
dear) that all statistics lied (as if by implication I was the liar of
them all?) Another, a notable man of local standing and a neo-labour
ex-mayor, initially accepted the leaflet with a weary flick of a
mouth-smile. But when he heard "CDTS", he snapped: "no thanks" and screwed
it up. This saddened me, as an ex-labour member (15 years, resigned 3
months ago over Tony's Trigger-Happiness), I had nevertheless dutifully
taken time off work this morning (the nursery costs alone at £25 per half
day) to number-take for them at St Ann Street. Why, colleague? I ask
myself...

Uniquely, two labourites even asked "what is CDTS?" I don't think they
were TRYING to make me laugh. But I hope "what was CDTS" will be
everyone's response next year.

The Independent from Blacon Hall thanked me enthusiastically for being Nic
Siddle (eh wot?) and said he agreed with me about CDTS.

I did not manage to meet Dotty Dora (the hatepayer party), thank goodness.

With mudguards - Baz.



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Did anyone read the interesting  'Points of View' letter from a local
cyclist commenting on the 'intended route' for cyclists getting into and out
of town from the Overleigh roundabout on the completion of the Wrexham Road
cycle lane?
Well apparently, it is down to the old Handbridge then up Lower Bridge
Street (please correct me if this is wrong!) As he quite rightly pointed out
it would have been difficult to select a more hilly route in Chester if you
tried. He believes that it is therefore unlikely to be the 'preferred route
for cyclists on the ground'! Now I'm sure some planner in County Hall on
reading this letter suddenly realised that what this guy was saying was in
fact only too true but that it hadn't been that obvious when drawing plans
or looking at them on a map. So here we have a well meaning but alas
uninformed initiative likely to go ahead without sufficient 'streetwise'
input at the planning stage!
I suggest that the Backford Hall use something like this forum to consult
regular cyclists on design and planning before it is implemented! It would
be cheap, quick and improve provision for cyclists.
Any  comments?


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Did anybody watch C4's Dispatches programme last night? A walsall family
gave up their two cars for a week and generally were shown having an awful
time getting around. These programmes seem to depend for dramatic effect on
the unrealistic idea that people totally give up their cars and then
inevitably end up saying how awful it is without one so let's not do
anything. Here's somebody else's view:

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Smales <deor@...>
To: urbancyclist-uk@... <urbancyclist-uk@...>
Date: 23 April 1999 06:53
Subject: Re:C4 Dispatches 9:30 Thu


>Yo Cyclists!
>
>Alex Farran wrote:
>


>I've just seen it.
>
>I'm not going to criticise the two featured families for their attitudes
but
>I think the programme makers could have asked a few questions.
>
>1. Why was the mother who was a teacher at a school eight miles from her
>home using two buses in place of her car (journey time about an hour and a
>half)? Didn't it occur to her that she could have cycled that in about 50
>minutes? She wouldn't have needed to go to her Wednesday night aerobics
>class if she had.
>
>2. Dad and the two boys cycle two miles (on the footway - the prog. didn't
>mention the illegality of this) to rugby practice and then moaned about
>having to cycle the two miles back, up hill, when they were tired, muddy
and
>wet. What's the big deal about cycling for fifteen minutes in the rain when
>you've just spent an hour or so running about on a muddy rugger pitch in
the
>same rain?
>
>3.After coming back from the rugby (about 8.00pm), Dad goes out to play
>five-a-side footy. "Needs" two buses for this, first bus doesn't show up so
>after 30 minutes he takes a mini-cab. First question - why didn't he go on
>his bike? Second question - why didn't he use a mini-cab in the first
place?
>Why do people not recognise taxis as public transport? If you look at a
>photograph of central London at the turn of the century you'll see
>commercial vehicles (tradesmen's carts and so on) but you won't see private
>carriages. The upper and middle classes used Hansom cabs and Hackney
>carriages and, if we are to see less use of private motor cars, we should
>expect to see more use of "public" motor cars.
>
>4. At the week-end, the family of four take two and a half hours to travel
>from Walsall to Kidderminster by bus and train. They say it would have
taken
>forty minutes by car. Well, why not use a car for such a journey? If the
>rules of the programme allowed mini-cabs, they should have allowed hiring a
>car for the day - another practice which was adopted by the middle classes
>when all transport was horse-drawn and which we should expect to see more
of
>if private car ownership is discouraged.
>
>Finally, Walsall seems a bit behind hand with provision of bus lanes
>compared to the metropolis.
>
>Robert
>Tottenham
>
>
>
>


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If anyone has visited any good cycling websites then please add them to the
'Links' section of this site by clicking the 'links' button.

thanks

Graeme

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-----Original Message-----
From: D&J <hetchins@...>
To: Urban Cyclist <urbancyclist-uk@...>
Date: 20 April 1999 21:58
Subject: Is it just me?


>Is it just me or is the world getting nuttier by the minute?
>
>Dick Taylor
>hetchins@...
>------------------------------------------------------------
>
>'Green' minister used stretch limo
>
>By Clare Garner
>A Labour environment minister has driven into trouble by arriving at a
>transport conference in a stretch limo to make a speech about the damage
>caused by "the way we travel".
>
>Alan Meale was taken two miles from Peterborough train station on Friday in
>a Ford Lincoln, which does 17 miles to the gallon in the city.
>
>Then he told a meeting of representatives of the Greater Peterborough
>Commerce, Training and Enterprise Council: "The way we travel is damaging
>our towns, harming our countryside and already changing the climate of the
>planet."
>
>A Friends of the Earth spokesman said: "I think his choice of car is
sending
>out the wrong message.
>
>"It is a bit inconsistent with the Government's policies on transport."
>
>But a spokesman for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the
>Regions defended Mr Meale's transport choices, saying: "The minister was
>able to make the majority of his journey by train."
>
>
>
>


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Hello All,
A worrying revealation c/o a reader:

The wise and influential 'powers that be' in local business actually oppose more
cycling on Chester's roads. That's official. I have their submission to Cheshire
concerning their forthcoming transport strategy in front of me as I write. They
say: "the Chamber cannot support the encouragement of more pedal cycling", that
to do so could be regarded as "irresponsible" and that the "majority of cyclists
behave in a way which is undisciplined".

More on this as I can find it

Steve

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Copied from website http://www.lancs.ac.uk/socs/LUCAN/Issues.htm#8

Here's the good news from the British Medical Association:

"A 35 year-old taking up cycle commuting is likely to extend his/her life by as much as two years."

"The benefits to health of cycling outweigh the dangers by 20 to 1."

"Cyclists are 30% less likely to suffer heart attacks than non-cyclists."

"If 10% more people cycled regularly there would be 4% fewer heart disease cases. This would save the NHS £200 million each year."

"For a great majority of the population, cycling is the only realistic means of maintaining physical fitness from childhood through to old age."

-----Original Message-----
From: Barry Johnston <barry@...>
To: RichardandDonnaWhittington <rwhittington@...>;
TonyShorrocks <shorroa@...>;
TonyClifford <tony.clifford@...>;
SueSteeland <steeland@...>
Date: 16 April 1999 16:56
Subject: business says no to cyclists


>Dear fellow cyclists.
>
>The wise and influential powers that be in local business actually oppose
>more cycling on Chester's roads. That's official. I have their submission
>to Cheshire concerning their forthcoming transport strategy in fromt of me
>as I write. They say: “the Chamber cannot support the encouragement of
>more pedal cycling”, that to do so could be regarded as “irresponsible”
>and that the "majority of cyclists behave in a way which is
>undisciplined”.
>
>As a business mamber of the Chamber of Commerce (I need discount access to
>their database and consultacy services) I was appalled to read this.
>Perhaps this explains why the County say sustainability but do *** all.
>
>What you might like to DO (if you had all the time in the world):
>
>1/ Circulate this message as widely as possible.
>
>2/ Ask friendly local businesses such as cycle stores to call for more
>cycling.
>
>3/ Ask in your employer is a member and if cycling restrictions reflects
>their views
>
>4/ Write to the Chamber:
>Mr. Stephen Welch
>Chief Executive
>Chester And District Chamber of Commerce
>Hilliards Court, Chester Business Park
>Wrexham Road
>Chester, CH4 9QP
>
>Don't let local business screw the environment. It belongs the the future.
>Wheel on!
>
>This is a letter I have sent to the 16 Directors of the Chamber of
>Commerce.
>
>Barry Johnston Ltd, 15 King St, Chester, CH1 2AH, UK, tel: 01244 342656
> email: barry@...
> 16/4/99
>
>Dear fellow Chamber Member,
>
>Must the Chester, Ellesmere Port and North Wales Chamber of Commerce
>Oppose Cycling?
>
>In response to today’s visit by Dr John Reid, Transport Minister’s visit
>to Chamber’s AGM in Chester, the Chamber has focussed upon its opposition
>to cyclists using the local roads any more than they do at present. Its
>strategy statement says, worryingly:
>
>“the Chamber cannot support the encouragement of more pedal cycling”,
>that to do so could be regarded as “irresponsible”
>and that the majority of cyclists behave in a way which is
>“undisciplined”.
>
>In addition, the Chamber calls for the government to return to a rather
>defeatist strategy of planning, “predicting and providing” for ever
>increasing traffic growth, rather than of seeking to reduce traffic and
>its negative health and environmental impacts..
>
>As an occasional cyclist, whose company’s environmental policy promotes
>cycling (see below) in a city where air pollution is a problem in respect
>of at least three pollutants (nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and
>particulates “PM10’s”) the Chamber’s attack on zero pollution forms of
>travelling is foolish.  Not only is it a threat to public health but it
>undermines the credibility of the majority of those in the local business
>community who seek a sustainable future for ourselves and our children.
>
>Alternatives to the Chamber opposing and denouncing zero pollution travel
>could include:
>
>to accept the appalling dangers that cyclists face comes from vehicle
>drivers themselves,
>to accept that the injury rates for cyclists are far lower when vehicles
>travel slower,
>to develop a corporate culture where cyclists are respected, not
>marginalised,
>to cut city centre speeds to 20 mph, with key local business taking the
>initiative here,
>to take space from roads for bikes and tougher penalties for those who
>injure or kill cyclists,
>to seek, comprehensively, to cut the need for environmentally damaging
>travel itself,
>
>Thank you for considering this thorny issue! May I ask you to ask the
>Chamber to consider a rather more generous attitude towards cycling?
>Immediate beneficiaries of any shift in approach would include not only my
>business but also my daughter’s asthmatic airways.
>
>Yours sincerely,
>
>Barry Johnston   Managing Director
>
>(Extract from Barry Johnston Ltd’s Environmental policy on transport:
>
>Travel need reduction We will minimise the need for travel where it is
>reasonable to do so by the use of teleworking, teleconferencing and other
>means.
>
>Travel impact reduction. Where transport is required, we will promote more
>sustainable forms. This means promoting walking and cycling over public
>transport and shared car travel, with solo car travel as a low priority
>and air travel as the lowest.
>
>Level playing field. We will pay the same rate per mile for business
>travel irrespective of whether it is by walking, cycling, car travel and
>public transport, except where tickets for public transport cost less than
>this. This mileage rate will be the Inland Revenue’s approved mileage rate
>for cycling (12p / mile in 1999-2000).)
>
>


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