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Planning gain
Greg Englefield rounds up recent cycling developments locally

Dave Moorhouse, the Greenwich Cycling Officer, has sent us encouraging answers to various questions we put regarding cycle routes. We are also in regular touch with Sustrans developing the river route.

* Creek Road
Dave Moorhouse has managed to organise some surface improvements to Creek Road. He also reported that a bus lane is being considered for Creek Road going towards London on the Deptford side of the creek. This would help the many cyclists commuting into London. The Council is considering moving traffic lanes close to the junction between Creek Road and Norman Road. This may allow extra road space to be made available for a cycle lane over Deptford Creek Bridge. We are particularly concerned about the safety of cyclists along Creek Road as this is an important cycle commuter route. We hope to develop a more detailed proposal for the whole road to put to the Council shortly.

* Woolwich Arsenal
Isobel Stoddart of Sustrans had a meeting this month with the London Development Agency who are developing the site. An interim route should be opened next month along the river, with the full route opened next Spring (by the Queen). We therefore hope that cyclists will be able to ride from the Woolwich Waterfront to Thamesmead along the river from early November. This is great news as this route has been delayed by well over a year. Greenwich Cyclists are hoping to organise a launch ride.

* Greenwich Peninsula
The cycle lanes around the new UCI cinema being built on Greenwich peninsula will be reinstalled. We have also asked that dropped kerbs and a safe cycle route be installed across the roads leading to Homebase and Sainsburys so that cyclists can safely travel from the new footbridge over the A102M Blackwall Tunnel road to the cinema and then on to the new Millennium Village and the riverside cycle route. We hope that this linking work can be done as the cinema is completed.

* Pear Tree Lane
The Council is going ahead with the Pear Tree Lane cycle route linking Greenwich Yacht Club with the new Sainsburys on Greenwich Peninsula and Woolwich Road. This is a scheme that was supported by Greenwich Cyclists at a Council committee hearing earlier this year.

We have suggested a controlled pedestrian/cycle crossing over the Bugsby's Way dual carriage-way, which is otherwise difficult to cross. We understand that the Council will be looking at installing a safer crossing. We look forward to reporting further details.

* Woolwich Road
Dave has arranged for cycle lanes on Woolwich Road to be extended around the junction with Charlton.

Sustrans are working to develop a temporary route linking Woolwich Dockyard to Woolwich Waterfront to get round the undeveloped site on the river dividing the two. We hope that an off road or pavement route can be created so that cyclists can avoid Woolwich Road. That would then just leave the link between the Flood Barrier and Warspite Road to solve in order for a complete off-road route linking the whole borough riverfront. We hope that this can be sorted out before next spring's Mayor's Ride.

Many thanks to Dave Moorhouse for his hard work and we look forward to working on further developments. Also to Isobel who is supporting Greenwich Cyclists.

Next meeting
Our meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every month at 7.30pm at the Christchurch Forum, 177 Trafalgar Road, SE10. So, join us at our next meeting on 6th December!

New Projects
We’ve agreed to help with the following:
Disability Week in December, Greenwich Women’s Festival in March 2001, the Mayor’s Charity Ride in April and the Anti-Racist Festival in July. We’re also formally offered the Council help to close Greenwich Town Centre one-way system on European Car-Free Day next year – Saturday 22 September. A lot of us helped with the very successful The Cut closure this year. These are all excellent projects – do help with them.

The Full Spin – bike events
Our regular rides on the last Sunday of every month are now well established. Each ride commences at 10am at Cutty Sark Gardens, and distances vary, allowing flexibility for the wide range of riders we hope will join us. The next ride is Sunday 26th November...

Saturday 4 November
10am CSG: lovely 65 miles to Whitstable – bring your swim stuff! Train back or stay overnight in B&B and return via Sheppey (loads of stations on return leg) Join us half way at Rochester if you prefer. More details from Barry Mason.

Saturday 11 November
10am CSG: the new Woolwich Arsenal stretch and on to Gravesend to see the threatened Ship and Lobster pub. 300 years old, first/last on the Thames.

Friday 24 November
Central London Critical Mass, 6pm, outside National Theatre

Sunday 29 November
10am CSG. Monthly 40 or so mile ride.

If you want to suggest a ride, we’ll consider leading it, or if you know of any other existing rides we’ll be pleased to swell the numbers.

Cycle Shorts

* Greenwich Council’s Community Safety Officer has revealed that 109 bikes were stolen in Greenwich in the first 8 months of the year, up from 92 in the whole of last year. 29 of them were pinched from central Greenwich. Anecdotal evidence suggests that cheeky thieves are carefully sawing through one leg of the borough’s heavy Sheffield stands – they will then move just enough to slide the lock off…!

* As Pedal Power goes to press, the Council is consulting on Air Quality Management Areas. They propose two options, either a fairly minimal scheme covering the main roads over Blackheath, the Woolwich Road through to Creek Bridge and Greenwich High Road or the whole of the borough. Plus they are asking for suggestions for their action plan – low emission zones, green transport plans, traffic management measures etc. For more information, colin.perryman@greenwich.gov.uk will put you on the AQMA mailing list or background information from: www.foe.org.uk/campaigns/atmosphere_and_transport/pubs/laqm.htm

* Pull the other one! Nice though it is to see cycling make the national headlines, the timing of Monday’s(29/10/0) Department of Transport’s major policy announcement did seem a shade inappropriate. As Britain ground to a halt on under the combined weight of flooded roads, shambolic train services and the imminent threat of further fuel protests, the big news was? In future, all bicycles must, be sold with bells on! There’s a punch line in there somewhere.

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 at The Forum, 177 Trafalgar Road in Greenwich, SE10 9EQ. You can write to us there or try:

Co-ordinator Barry Mason 020 7232 0444
masonb@supanet.com
Planning co-ordinator Greg Englefield 020 8858 7982
englefield@home-london.demon.co.uk
Events organisers Duncan Brown duncan@outtakes.co.uk
Graham Johnson graham.johnson@dreamcast.com
Membership secretary Liz Delap liz.delap@dial.pipex.com
Treasurer Eeva Berglund eeva@ukonline.co.uk
Minutes secretary Teresa Griffith
Newsletter team Jeffrey Salway 020 8853 0431
jeffrey.salway@tfeurope.com
Nick Williams 020 8853 3947

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