Note of Southwark Cyclists monthly meeting held on Wednesday 13 July. Blackfriars Settlement. 7pm. Present: Hugh Bolton, Carole Crankshaw (London Borough of Southwark), Phil Gudgin, Colin Hartridge-Price, Rebecca Lack, Paul Lowe, Adam Maddison, Karen Marks, Barry Mason (Coordinator), Eleanor Purser, Doug Plummer, Kit Reynolds, Andrew Rogers, Tenyen, Councillor Richard Thomas, Julian Thorne (Southwark Police). Apologies: Alastair Hanton. Discussed: 1. After Introductions, the note of the 8 June meeting was agreed. 2. Southwark Council’s draft Cycling Plan. BM welcomed Councillor Richard Thomas, Executive member for Environment and Transport. BM said that the draft Cycling Plan was an important document not only for Southwark but also for other local authorities, and that it’s worth noting that RT is a regular cyclist. Southwark Cyclists were grateful that RT had come to talk direct about the draft. RT then spoke about the draft. Earlier Southwark Cyclists comments had been taken on board where possible. The draft was one of a series of policies produced by the Council as part of the Local Implementation Plan which was required by the Mayor of London. There will also be a Transport Policy and Road Safety and Walking policies too. The Cycling and Walking policies are not required, but Southwark Council wanted to produce them anyway. RT detailed the contents of the draft that included of course reference to Southwark’s aim for a 20mph limit on its roads, a review of all junctions with a view to providing many more advanced stop lines, a review of most one-way steps to see where cycle-contraflows could be installed, much more cycle-training for children in years 6 and 7, an aim to make the Council generally much more cycle- friendly, and much more. RT much appreciated the work of Southwark Cyclists and was of course keen to hear comment on the latest draft. It was now on the Council website and comments were requested by the end of July. It was hoped that the final version would be produced in September. There was then detailed discussion on the draft. The move towards more school- training was welcomed, there was disappointment that the Council had little influence over the Transport for London trunk roads that ran through the borough, there was a hope that the Council would move away from the pervasive car-culture than ran right through it, there was recognition that the Council was increasingly using its planning powers to limit car-parking and that cycle-parking had increased considerably round the borough recently. EP said that she was collating the formal Southwark Cyclists response but that the draft had already usefully taken in many of our earlier comments. The meeting then thanked RT for attending. RT then left for a Community Council meeting. 3. Bike Week 2005. BM asked for general thoughts about how Bike Week went. We did 14 events during the week itself, and Midsummer Madness a few days later. All agreed that the leaflet had been excellent. Several thousand had been distributed at shops, at traffic lights, on parked bikes and elsewhere. Attendance at rides was well up on 2004 and BM estimated that 70% of those on rides were new to us. The stall outside Evans at Southwark Needle had worked very well and been highly visible. About 5 0r 6 of us had helped there each evening. The pre-BW cycle training by CTUK and the classes by On Your Bike were both useful ways into the week, they both could have used more publicity. It was agreed that we use The Globe again for next year’s BW Breakfast. The Globe would like to host us again but are waiting for the arrival of their new Director before committing. Around 180 people had attended this year, despite the only heavy rain of the week on the only roofless venue in London. Bike Week 2006 is from 17-25 June. A week later to take in the summer solstice on 21 June. All agreed that we put on a varied programme for the week that had brought in new people and helped raise the profile of cycling generally and Southwark Cyclists. BM thanked all involved for all the help that had gone into a very successful and packed week. 4. Planning/Campaigns. EP updated the group on various London Cycle Network + routes and the associated studies. The Planning/Campaigns subgroup was meeting once a month and the main work this month was comment on the draft Cycle Plan. 5. Projects. BM briefly mentioned the continued success of Cycle Saturation at St John’s School. Burgess Park Bike Track was now open every day and more site work is being done. The Mint Street project was due to start at the end of July. 6. Greenwich Cyclists ceilidh. KM from Greenwich cyclists spoke to the meeting. The fourth Greenwich Cyclists annual ceilidh was planned for Saturday 17 December at West Greenwich Arts Centre, Greenwich High Road. All three ceilidhs so far had been very successful social events for the group. All had made financial surpluses (£222 in 2002, £56 in 2003, £404 in 2004). Although the main reason for organising the ceilidh was as a social function for the group and other cyclists, it was also a key fund-raiser for the Greenwich group. However, the group could not this year afford to pay deposits necessary for the venue and the food. Could Southwark cyclists help? BM explained that this approach had been agreed by the Management Committee of Greenwich Cyclists. BM said that Southwark Cyclists would handle all the financial arrangements for the ceilidh and that the organisational work would be done by KM, BM and Karen Servadei and Danuta Orlowska of Greenwich Cyclists. Southwark Cyclists would pay all bills and bank all ticket receipts. We would then transfer 90% of the surplus to Southwark Cyclists. BM guaranteed such a surplus. HB, as Treasurer of Southwark Cyclists, said he was aware of the detailed ceilidh arrangements and was happy with the funding proposal as outlined. The meeting unanimously agreed the arrangement for 2005. 7. Newsletter. SR said the new August/September newsletter would be out shortly and asked for late submissions. RL agreed to organise a leafleting session and would announce details. 8. Finances and T shirt sales. HB reported very healthy finances. Deller T shirt sales were so far disappointing with only about 50 sold so far. Good at Magic were about to market them harder. 9. Rides. BM mentioned the rides programme and asked that others try leading rides too. It was the Dunwich Dynamo ride on 23 July and BM was grateful to CH-P, SR and CW for help with the arrangements. This was going to be the biggest DD yet and coach-back bookings were going well. As usual, any surplus on that would be split 50/50 with the London School of Cycling. 10. London Cycling Campaign AGM etc. The AGM is on Wednesday 2 November. LCC needs nominations for anyone standing for their Management Committee by 15 August, as well as any general motions from Borough Groups that day. The LCC 2005 award categories are for: ? Best cycling facility ? Best community initiative ? Best Kids initiative ? Best cycling media initiative Nominations for those wards close on 7 October 2005. BM said we’d discuss all this at our August meeting. 11. There was no other business. The August meeting is on Wednesday 10 August. 12. The meeting closed at 8.55pm. BAM 9 August 2005 SCM13/7 1