Pedal Power

Newsletter of Greenwich Cyclists – Issue No.11 – June 2001

Free wheeling fun
at the Cycling
Festival

An exciting range of free bicycle rides and activities gets underway on 16 June - Greenwich Cyclists’ contribution to the National Cycling Festival which runs until 24 June.

Seven organised bike rides are designed to provide something for every cyclist. Highlights of the programme include:
* an overnight ‘summer solstice’ ride to watch the dawn break at Primrose Hill;
* coastal trips to Dungeness or Whistable;
* local rides around the Royal Docks or Lea Valley; and
* midweek events before and after work.

Julian Dobson, of Greenwich Cyclists, explains: "The aim is to encourage more people to dust down their bicycles this summer with an emphasis is on fun and fitness. The British Medical Association states that cycling only 30 minutes per day adds significantly to your life expectancy. And you’ll also have a fitness level equivalent to someone ten years younger!"

Further details overleaf.

Planning round-up
We are currently pushing the Council in relation to various projects, including the path around the Dome, a proposal for a commuter cycle route between Greenwich and central London that TfL are interested in. We are still awaiting a response from the Council regarding our plans for Car Free Day on 22 September, but the signs are that the Council will support the idea. The Pear Tree Lane cycle path on Greenwich Peninsula should be complete by the middle of June. We are however concerned about safe crossing of Bugsby's Way and have raised this issue with the Council. We are also campaigning hard for the Council and Sustrans to look at solutions to the growing problem of illegal motorbikers along the Thames route near Thamesmead.

Anyone interested in getting involved in the GC planning sub-committee please contact Greg....

Anti-racist octopus!!
On Saturday 30 June from 10 till 6 we have a stall at Plumstead Common's Anti-Racist Fair - and £500 to spend there thanks to the Trust For London.

We'll be demonstrating ‘The Octopus’ - a £6000 eight-seater circular bike that people love...anyone from 3 upwards can use it. One person steers, everyone peddles. It's a real show-stopper.

But we need to get it to Plumstead on Saturday 30 June....and there's only one fun way. Meet me in Dulwich Park at 8am and we'll ride it to Plumstead, leave your bikes all day at London Recumbents (and get a free once over if they've time) and pick them up after. It takes 2 people to ride the beast, 4 to make it relaxed fun. And what good publicity.

The anti-racist event is a great day out, so even if you can’t help with the Octopus, makes sure you come along to join the fun.

Keep in touch
Go to www.groups.yahoo.com/group/ greenwichcyclists and click on Subscribe.
Our website is now looking good too. Why not add www.greenwichcyclists.org.uk to your favourites?

Festival of Cycling events
Saturday 16: 10am CSG. Locks, docks and one smoking ferry: Slow, scenic riverside ride taking in Woolwich Ferry, Isle of Dogs, Tower Bridge, Rotherhithe, Deptford. 30 miles.
Sunday 17: 10am at CSG Love Lea Valley – an easy ride up the Lea Valley National Cycle Network route led by Sustrans. 30 miles.
Tuesday 19: 7pm CSG After Worker: 20 pleasant riverside miles.
Wednesday 20: 7.30am CSG. Commuter Breakfast: Bike to work day. Commute to breakfast with Southwark Cyclists.
Thursday 21: 2am at CSG. Summer Solstice Special. See the longest day dawn at Primrose Hill (at 4:43am!) and pick up other nuts along the way. 2.30am: London Bridge. 3:15am: Bar Italia, Frith Street, 4.30am: Primrose Hill. 4.43am: sunrise. 5.30am: breakfast
Saturday 23: 10am sharp, London Bridge station by Smiths for train to Folkestone. Dungeness Swim and the Romney Marshes. The flattest 50 miles in UK.
Sunday 24: 10am CSG, Oystercatchers: 65 flat miles to lovely Whitstable. Train back to London Bridge.

July rides
Wednesday 4: 7.30pm. Monthly meeting. Forum
Friday 6: Greenwich Festival starts, ends 15
Saturday 7/8: Dunwich Dynamo. Unsupported 120 mile overnight ride to Suffolk Coast. Coach back.
Sunday 15: 10am CSG, 11am NFT: St Swithin's Day Wet One: along the road to the South Bank, coffee at NFT then all along the Thames path to the Wildfowl Trust Wetlands Centre at Barnes. A slow, flat and easy 15 miles there. Train or road or path back.
Sunday 22: 11am CSG: ride to Thames Water open day at Crossness and the massive Victorian cathedral of sewage. Easy 12 mile round trip. We are helping Thames Water with this Crossness relaunch
Friday 27: 6pm: Critical Mass. NFT
Sunday 29: last Sunday. 10am CSG

Full rides list at www.greenwichcyclists.org.uk

Busted sprocket award
The spanking new Queen Elizabeth Hospital – Greenwich Healthcare Trusts’ flagship project – has been given the thumbs down by cyclists.

At our Annual Meeting, the £multi-million project topped the poll for having the worst cycling provision in the borough. Healthcare chiefs will be presented with the ‘busted sprocket’ – a rather unattractive trophy - to act as a reminder to ‘think cyclist’ next time they’re planning a new project. It’s not that there’s no provision for cycling. But what there is falls far short of the promises made to the public at the public enquiry into the development of the site. An example is the bike rack, which is so far away from the entrance to the hospital, that you probably wouldn’t notice it, let alone use. (And, of course, it’s not properly signposted).

Golden sprocket award
At the other end of the spectrum, the Thames Cycle Path was voted the best cycling facility in the borough. Though it’s very much a work in progress, the path was commended because of the potential for promoting cycling. The Golden Sprocket award will go to Sustrans, who have been driving the project

Cycle shorts
* Victims of our own success – part 1. We’ve been asked to help the Millennium School reestablish its somewhat faded green credentials by helping with a health etc day on 7 June.
* Victims of our own success – part 2. We’ve also been invited to the SRB6 West Greenwich health initiative board meet and GDA Forum on West Greenwich Developments on 18 June.

Annual General Meting
A packed AGM elected a number of new faces to our management committee – and other stalwarts remain. See below for details and check our website for our annual report.

CONTACT US
We welcome your contributions, suggestions and even your criticisms about either our newsletter or our organisation! We meet on the first Wednesday of every month (next meeting 2nd May) at The Forum, 177 Trafalgar Road in Greenwich, SE10 9EQ. You can write to us there or try:

Co-ordinator: Barry Mason - phone 020 7232 0444 or masonb@supanet.com
Secretary: Linda Pearce
Planning co-ordinator: Greg Englefield - phone 020 7318 2742 or
englefield@home-london.demon.co.uk
Rides organiser: Claudine Rice
Membership secretary: Liz Delap - liz.delap@dial.pipex.com
Treasurer: Barbara Henley
Fundraising Officer: Simon Richell
Newsletter team: Nick Williams - phone 020 8853 3947
Press: Julian Dobson