MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SOUTHWARK CYCLISTS ON 12 JULY 2006
19.00 at Blackfriars Settlement, 1-5 Rushworth Street, London SE1 0RB


Attendees: Barry Mason (Co-ordinator), Eeva Berglund, Hugh Bolton (Treasurer), Colin 
Hartridge-Price (Secretary), John Hearns, Rebecca Lack, Kit Reynolds (Webmaster), 

Apologies received: James Barber, Gwen Bondi, Alex Crawford (Bike Show Resonance 
104.4FM), Alastair Hanton, Paul McQuillen, Eleanor Purser (Planning and Campaigns 
Leader), Sue Richards (Newsletter Editor), Roger Stocker (Southwark Council Cycling 
Officer), Ten, Ann Warren, Cheryl Williams.

1. Minutes of the meeting on 8 June 2006 and Matters Arising

The minutes of the above meeting were approved. 

Cycle Maintenance Classes (item 1 in the previous minutes) – the workshop at On Your Bike 
was half finished and it was hoped that, on completion, a date could be agreed for the next 
session of classes.  Action Barry Mason
 
LCC (item 1) – on 4 July members had unanimously approved the application for charity 
status.  When this is in place, it will automatically apply to member groups, such as 
Southwark Cyclists, and we will be able to apply for grants that are intended only for 
charities. 

London Architecture Biennale and Bike Week (item 1) – 440 people had come on the 16 
rides that Southwark Cyclists had organised, and a number had commented that riding in a 
group had increased their confidence in riding on busy streets.  All the routes had been 
prepared by Eleanor and Barry.  About 70 people had come on the Midsummer Madness 
ride, and another 70 on the Hidden Gems ride.  Southwark Cyclists had received a lot of 
publicity in connection with the Bienniale and Bike Week.  Comments had also been 
received regarding the excellence of the Southwark Cyclists website.  Barry is considering 
doing a monthly architecture ride, in conjunction with Blueprint.  Action Barry Mason 

Bike Shed Design Exhibition (item 1) – this had cost £50,000 (mainly in wages) and Barry 
had raised 50% of this.  200 people had attended the three excellent seminars on cycle 
security.  It is now recognised that September is too soon for the next exhibition and this will 
now probably be held in March 2007, just before the London Bridge Bike Park opens on 28 
March 2007.

TfL Cycle London Promotion Partnership Grants (item 4) – the £5,000 grant for Healthy 
Southwark Rides to provide a series of easy every Saturday local rides for those who want 
to get more exercise will be used to provide rides from September to December.  On 14 July, 
Barry will be meeting with representatives of Tesco in Surrey Quays in connection with the 
£5,000 grant for Shopping Centre Cycling to saturate motorists at Surrey Quays with offers 
of off-the-shelf cycle training at a heavily discounted price.  It was hoped to hold a Bike 
Magic Day right outside the Tesco main entrance on 24 August.  Action Barry Mason

Additional Resource (item 9) – at the last meeting, Eleanor had agreed to produce a 
business case for appointing a paid part-time person to help coordinate the projects 
undertaken by Southwark Cyclists.  An update would be given in due course.  Action 
Eleanor Purser 

2. Bike Heaven for the Rotherhithe Peninsula?

Southwark Council had engaged Urbed and The Landscape Partnership to develop a vision 
for the Rotherhithe Peninsular.  Barry would be attending a meeting on 16 July regarding 
this.  Action Barry Mason

3. Southwark Cycling Forum

Barry had contacted likely interested parties to suggest a Southwark Cycling Forum that 
would exchange information, diary dates and best practice.  The Forum might meet every 
two months and Barry had suggested that each member, including Southwark Cyclists, 
could donate a voluntary £500 a year.  A response was awaited from Southwark Council.

4. Legality of Cycling along the Central London Thames Path

Barry had e-mailed Southwark Council, Lambeth Council, Southwark CTC, Sustrans, LCC, 
Greenwich Council and Lewisham Council asking for this to be investigated and clarified, 
with the route then being signed accordingly.  Barry felt this route was an established trail, 
used openly and without hindrance for very many years, and that a permanent right of use 
could therefore be claimed.  A response from those contacted was awaited.

5. Critical Mass Court Decision

It was noted that the finding of the Court was "that the monthly Critical Mass cycle ride in the 
Metropolitan Police area is one which is commonly or customer held there and of which 
notice is therefore not required under section 11 of the Public Order Act 1986".

6. Burgess Park Bike Track Grand Reopening

Resurfacing the track was nearly finished and the grand reopening was scheduled for 22 
July.  Southwark Cyclists would be manning a stall.

7. LCC Appeal for Comments on Cycle Lanes

The meeting was in agreement with the comments already made in a personal capacity by 
Colin Hartridge-Price.  In addition, it was felt that advisory cycle lanes tended to be ignored, 
and that there should be no cycle lanes in bus lanes, as buses then tended to keep close to 
the edge of the lane, rather than giving cyclists the room they needed.

8. Southwark Bike Security Project

This is a joint project between Southwark Council, Southwark Police and Southwark Cyclists.  
A report on the last meeting on 25 May had been given at the June meeting of Southwark 
Cyclists and there had been no subsequent meeting.  The next meeting is on Friday, 28 
July.  The cycling banner was now available for use at suitable events, including events run 
by Southwark Cyclists.

9. Planning and Campaigns Group

All matters have been covered elsewhere in these minutes.

10. Financial Report

As previously reported, there was about £3,000 in unrestricted funds (i.e. funds not 
earmarked for projects) at the end of last year, and the corresponding figure at the end of the 
current year is likely to be £2000. 

At the last meeting it was agreed that Southwark Cyclists should cease acting as the payer 
for TfL and Southwark Council of one-off cycle-related suppliers of services to those 
organisations.  This had been done in the past at the request of TfL and Southwark Council, 
as they wished to avoid having to go through a somewhat torturous process to set up an 
account for a new one-off payee.  It was thought that continuing this arrangement might lead 
to a VAT problem for Southwark Cyclists.  Nevertheless, authority was given to Barry and 
Hugh to agree specific payments on behalf of other organisations, where that seemed 
appropriate.  This might be considered further at the August meeting if our ceasing to act as 
the payer was causing a real problem for TfL and Southwark Council. 

11. LCC and Sustrans

Barry had attended an LCC Olympic Group meeting at which there were five local group co-
ordinators and three LCC staff.  Barry had made it clear that Southwark Cyclists supported 
the Sustrans vision of a cycling infrastructure to get people to the Olympic sites.  The 
meeting agreed that LCC and Sustrans would work together on this.  

12. Dunwich Dynamo

This event had been marred by a fatality thought to have been caused by a reckless driver.   
Barry was in direct contact with the family of the deceased and, once the widow had had 
time to grieve, he would discuss with her the possibility of dedicating next year's ride to the 
deceased and holding a two minutes silence.  There had been 700 starters and the coaches 
back had left promptly, as planned, at 1pm.  A profit of about £1000 had been made and this 
would be split between Southwark Cyclists and The London School of Cycling.  There had 
been long queues at the meal stop, but the catering staff had coped well considering that 
half the staff of six had not turned up due to illness.

13. Tour of Britain

The last stage will be from Greenwich to The Mall on 3 September with a bike fest in 
Horseguards Parade.

14. Mass London ride

Barry had been invited to a meeting regarding a mass ride planned for 23 September 2007 
over closed London roads, for which some 30 to 50,000 riders were expected.  There would 
be a 50 km race for about 5000 riders, plus family rides and a huge bike festival (possibly in 
Horseguards Parade).

15. Southwark Cyclists T-shirts

These were selling at Tate Modern at the rate of about 50 per month and a further supply 
would be provided.  The next batch would be green.

16. Ride Photographs

Photographs taken on rides will be put on the Southwark Cyclists website.  Kit will put a 
suitable note on the website, to the effect that it will be assumed permission has been given 
unless someone says to the contrary.  Action Kit Reynolds

17. Southwark Cyclists Website

Bike Week and the London Architecture Biennial saw record visitors to the Southwark 
Cyclists website in June, with an average of 283 visits per day and each visit viewing an 
average of 2.8 pages.  This was an increase of 41% on the 201 visits per day in June 2005.

18. Next meeting

Wednesday 9 August.  Usual time and venue.

19. Depart for The Crown, Blackfriars Road

There being no further business the meeting was closed.
 
 
 
 


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