Hackney LCC meeting
Wednesday 5 July 2006

Venue:
Marcon Court Estate Community Hall

Members present:
Richard Lewis (joint co-ordinator, chairing), Trevor Parsons (taking minutes), Brenda Puech (treasurer), Oliver Schick (committee - council liaison), Charlie Lloyd (committee - membership), Sally Haywill.

Topics discussed:
1. Matters arising
2. Local development framework
3. Streetscene liaison
4. Cycle training
5. Upcoming events
6. CLPP funding
7. Bike Week feedback
8. Any other business

1. Matters arising

Attacks around the River Lea
Martin Slavin has established contacts with Dean Leigh in Islington Cyclists Action Group and also with PC Butt of the safer neighbourhoods team.

Laburnum Street Party
Stall was well worth while. We talked to lots of people who were new to cycling.

Brox
Trevor to get receipt from Harry Whelan before Brenda gets a quote for insurance.

Lathams development site
Malcolm Smith was to speak to the developers to get them to consult us. Not done yet. Oliver reminding Malcolm.

Seminar
Richard to consider whether or not he has time to organise a seminar this autumn. He will report to next meeting whether or not it will happen.

Leisure centres consultation
We didn't send it in, unfortunately. Charlie advises us to refer to TfL draft cycle parking guidance (which is still draft after over a year).

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2. Local Development Framework

The Labour group on Hackney Council has requested input and our three top priorities. Hackney officers already want cycle-friendly housing and cycle-friendly development in general to go into the core strategies.

Question about whether to pursue 'post-car' strategy as well as cycle parking. Brenda sees a slower change than car-free policy. Camden's car-free housing policy is a good example. Sue Foster, currently head of planning, worked on that policy when at Camden. Draft CS to cabinet mid-July. LDF can cover refurbishments as well. It's anything that requires permission. Richard: council doesn't have to distinguish between new and refurb.

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3. Streetscene liaison

Good first meeting with Jean Cantrell and Andy Bourke of Hackney Streetscene. Andy, Bronwyn Allen and Olu Soyoye are doing cycle-only team work.

Pitfield Street. Ralph has given a critique on correctness or otherwise of signing in the proposed rectification. He also dislikes the use of cycle symbols mid-lane. Others think them useful for particular locations such as right-turn lanes. We could suggest reducing some of the symbols, eg positioned at side roads. Perhaps also reduce the number of bollards, put trees and benches, and reduce signs if possible.

Main non LCN+ spending this financial year will be on two-way cycling (at least) for Murray Grove, plus improvements on Hackney Downs.

We discussed scope / terms of reference of liaison meetings, and suggested a wide list of suggested invitees. Also we would like to see six-monthly or annual forums to which everyone with an interest in cycling in Hackney would be invited. Sally said that would be really useful especially if timed before funding decisions are made. She also pointed to the problem that there is no officer co-ordinating pro-cycling work across the council outside of Streetscene.

Springfield Park and Tyssen routes to school. We counselled caution with the gradient of any new ramps around existing steps in Springfield Park. Sally said that Side By Side school and Skinners girls school on Big Hill are getting going with cycling now. We should suggest to Bronwyn to talk to Miriam Lieberman at Side By Side (irrespective of the unrelated enforcement action which is pending). We don't yet have a staff contact at Skinners.

There are lots of permeability improvements happening: various modal filters (cycle-friendly gates/'closures'), Navarino Road point entry improvement, and the Farleigh Road arm of the Farleigh Road / Downs Road / Rectory Road junction is being re-opened to cycle traffic, at our suggestion.

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4. Cycle training

Streetscene have had the tender document ready for a while but the council's procurement section is sitting on it. The best training months of the year are gone already.

A five-organisation partnership is being defined. Sally would like to hear from anyone else might like to come into it. The spending will be in four chunks: school years 5 & 6; individual cyclists from age 11 upwards, including adults; modal shift (which is broad cycle promotion and training); and the establishment of bike pools. Sally has her own report about the past year of STA Bikes, and an independent evaluation report is also coming out soon.

There will unfortunately be less adult cycle training this year because of the inclusion of the 11 years upwards in that chunk, which is therefore likely to be gobbled up in no time.

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5. Upcoming events

Bikes in the Park: three days of cycle promotion/training in parks, 6th,8th,10th August in Springfield Park, Hackney Downs & Mabley Green. Demo bikes etc. To be concerned with LB Hackney Parks. Trevor mentioned that the Shoreditch Festival is running an event in Shoreditch Park on August 5th. Sally was interested in this.

Sally is planning school-based events on Car Free Day, 22nd September.

Spice Festival: Good Going will fund cycle-only projects. Streetscene/TfL were apparently concerned that a bike park might be supporting only those who are already cycling, but we persuaded them otherwise. Grassy Arts is the same day. Shall we do stall there as well? If so we'll need a lot of volunteers. There's also the Mile of Art in October, organised by the same people. We need more leaflets etc for our stall. Decided to go for Spice stall only this time, to give a full backing to the bikepark.

East London Get Cycling Day is pencilled for 10th September. Intended to attract all sorts. This is a pilot. Stay tuned.

St John at Hackney fete 22nd July. Shall we do a stall? Katy says it's a nice event. 

E8 members' social: Charlie to talk to Marian and take it forward. Probably looking at October.

Tower Hamlets Wheelers recently did a glamour ride. Brenda and others interested in promoting something similar here. Perhaps a bling ride?! 

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6. CLPP funding

Central London Cycle Promotion projects are aimed at specific groups. Deadline end of July. We could do pitstops on or near estates. Trevor to draft an application. Sally reported that she is helping lots of little projects to apply. Charlie drew attention to LCC's Special Projects Fund, which offers smaller grants up to £500.

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7. Bike Week feedback

London Fields Breakfast: very good attendance. Charlie said he did a lot of chatting to breakfasters. Some members mentioned that they felt that this long-running Hackney Cyclists event is possibly now being dominated by the Good Going brand (especially in view of the request for people to sign up to the GG pledge having received their breakfast). There was also concern that our usual emphasis on local and ethical sourcing of food has been lost, and that the transporting of equipment was not all done by human power, as it previously has. We will discuss these issues with LB Hackney Streetscene and try to make sure that Hackney Cyclists increases its visibility in future events. We very much value the collaboration with Streetscene, needless to say. 

Bike The Bounds was great - the best ever, reported Oliver. Ten people came on the ride, including a CAMRA member who showed riders a couple of good pubs. As traditionally, a lap of Eastway Cycle Circuit was included (for the last time ever, sadly). Richard arranged a wonderful picnic which he brought to the East Marsh by rickshaw.

The Olympics ride was good as well. The professionals working on the Olympics were very positive, but it turned out that most participants were quite anti the Olympics. A Clays Lane resident came up to  talk to riders about her eviction. Nick Williams of Newham has done good work raising cycling issues. Well done to Brenda for organising it. Charlie will be liaison next year. One borough should take the lead on the ride so as to avoid confusion.

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8. Any other business

Stokefest: there has been a suggestion to have a car-free street during the event, which we would support. A section of Church Street would be relatively easy to do. Green Lanes a tad more difficult!

Charlie reported that the LCC extraordinary general meeting voted to apply for LCC to become a charity.

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Next meeting
Wednesday 2 August 2006, 7.30pm, Marcon Court Estate Community Hall, E8

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