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CYCLETALK
The Newsletter of CTC ScotlandNumber 18: December 2001 Editor of this issue:
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This will take place on Saturday 5 January 2002 at 1100 at Perth Youth Hostel, Glasgow Road, Perth. The first meeting of the new Committee will be at 1300.
All CTC members are invited to attend the AGM, and also to be observers at the committee meeting if they are not a representative of a DA or affiliated club.
On Sunday 6 January, there will be a meeting of Right to Ride Representatives.
Overnight accommodation at the Youth Hostel on the Saturday night is available as we have 'rented' the hostel. There is no charge for CTC Scotland Committee members or Right to Ride reps. There will be nominal charge for others who would like to stay and perhaps cycle on the Saturday or Sunday. Bring your own food. Tea, coffee, etc provided. Bar nearby for evening food.
Please book with Ron Harrow - 01575 574 082 or cycling@supanet.com
| KM Rally 3-6 May 2002 - details from John Taylor |
Our Scottish Councillor..Pat Harrow was returned unopposed as Councillor for Scotland for a three-year term. The Editor's conclusion is either a) Pat has made such a good job in her first year that we want her again b) Pat made such a bad job that we think she needs another session to learn how to do the job c) Pat needs punishing further d) people in Scotland aren't really bothered about CTC so didn't bother to propose anyone else Before you all get upset - my vote goes for (a), Pat probably thinks that there's some truth in (b), (c) is meant to be a joke, and I just hope that (d) is not true. Pat had written a piece for the issue of Cycle Talk which should have accompanied the last issue of CycleTouring, but we had so little material, that it was not published. In her article she was encouraging people to attend the District AGMs - too late for that now, but if you don't know about your District Association, look on the home page of this site and find your local contacts. |
NEW for 2002 New for 2002Public Rides in DundeeDiane Adams is organising two sets of rides next year based from Dundee. 1. Short, easy paced rides with lots of breaks and masses of encouragement. These would appeal to inexperienced adults or family groups which may include older children on their own bikes, or younger children on trailer bikes or kiddie seats, and of course any one wanting an easy day out with some fun company. These rides will start at 10.30am. 2. Longer rides, including some (slightly) more demanding terrain to appeal to the more experienced rider, or others with a higher level of fitness. These rides will start at 9.30am. Short rides: 13 Jan, 14 Apr, 14 Jul, 13tOct Long rides: 17 Feb, 19 May, 18 Aug, 17 Nov Diane says: "The dates are set in stone (or at least they are written in my diary with indelible ink) but I am very keen for suggestions for routes/child friendly stops etc." Please contact her for further information and to register an interest:
01382 884540; |
Replacement for Forfar RallyIn Grampian, the DA will be hosting a 'Grampian Rally' arriving on Friday 2nd August and leaving on Tuesday 6th August. There will also be scope for those wishing to stay longer to extend their stay on the site and continue to tour the area. The rally will be centred at Maryculter near the Old Mill Inn which is 7 miles west of Aberdeen. There will be facilities for tenting and caravans with/without hook up. Numbers will be restricted to about 100 due to the constraints put on us by the limitation of numbers allowed into the Community Hall that we shall be using in the evenings. Application forms will be available as from end January from:- Cindy Blackmore, 57 Leslie Road, Aberdeen, AB24 4HU ; phone 01224 484891; The DA is hoping to have all applications in by end April but late applications will be considered. |
National Cycle Route SignageJohn TaylorI am aware of considerable criticism of the amount of signage on Route 7 through Dumfries and Galloway, from friends, acquaintances and in the press. What seems to be particularly objectionable is the numbers of repeater signs on the 'links', i.e. between junctions, at approx every mile As a practiced cyclist who can organise his own journeys and, indeed, sees that as part of the pleasure of an excursion, I have some sympathy with that criticism. I put this problem to my cycling officer. He replied that the repeaters were in fact less frequent than recommended, that the routes were designed to guide an unaccompanied 12-year-old, and that they were useful to remind drivers that they were on a cycle route. As a campaigner, I have to take into consideration the requirements of the broad range of 'cyclists', including 'cycle users' and those still thinking about it. Therefore, the points made by the Cycling Officer appear valid. This is really just one of the dilemmas we face in our attempt to represent the requirements of ALL cyclists, the major one being the mix of on-and off-road facilities. But I won't go into that here. What do you think? |
WANTED Person with chip on shoulderCan your kids cycle to school safely? Are you fed up with inadequate cycle facilities that fizzle out just when you need them most? Is there a local cycling issue that makes you mad? Feel you can't do anything about it? Well, yes you can! - join right-to-ride, and get some muscle behind you. Reward: expenses, training, and…….better cycle facilities. Contact: John Taylor: johnwtaylor@care4free.net |
John Taylor and (to a lesser extent) myself have been working very hard over the last year to make sure that the views of cyclists have not been ignored through the consultation process to the above draft legislation. We have been working closely with LINK (set up in order to co-ordinate the effort of groups interested in access for recreational purposes), Scottish Sports Association and Scottish Countryside Access Network. All of these umbrella organisations have committed vast resources to ensure that a concerted, ONGOING, effort has been made to try to get the legislation to more closely reflect the proposals from the now defunct access forum. Through meetings with these groups we have been able to get a clearer idea of how the proposed legislation would or would not promote freedom of access in the Scottish countryside, and be able to have a clearer understanding of how this legislation would affect our opportunity to cycle off road in Scotland. This work culminated at the end of June with John submitting a response to the Scottish Executive on behalf of CTC Scotland.
Almost 4000 responses were received, 97% of which highlighted concerns re. the proposals for access. About 60% of these were from users and user groups. This shows that there is obviously a great deal of concern regarding the proposals as they stand. These responses are currently being considered by the Scottish Executive, prior to the bill being forwarded to the committee stage in the Scottish Parliament. It is now very important that the bill retains its high profile, and that our (outdoor recreation groups) views continue to be heard. To this end an e-petition was set up. This was not a petition in the rallying-support-lets-show-them-what-we're-made-of genre. Petition in this case is a deliberate use of the petitions committee in the Scottish Parliament to keep access high on the political agenda and to represent our views through this alternative route. Over 14,500 signatures were received, and the petition was handed over at a ceremony in Edinburgh's Parliament Square on October 24th after being relayed from Dunfermline to Edinburgh by walkers, climbers, kayakers, runners, disabled walkers and finally up the Royal Mile in a procession of horse riders and cyclists.
Basically this is the campaigning arm of the CTC. We are accredited volunteer representatives who campaign on many different issues, for example better conditions for cyclists, better public transport infrastructure, safer routes to schools etc. We try to influence public policy both at local and national level by responding to various aspects of the planning system. We are organised by area and with the support of staff at HQ. There are opportunities to attend training sessions, and to meet other representatives. Expenses are paid.
I have found being involved in campaigning a very rewarding experience - it is great when you achieve a change, or help to shape better access to a new development or school. But, we're overstretched right now and need more of you to get involved. The end result is well worth it - and you can't simply leave it to everybody else.
Now's a good time to join because there are two training /social events lined up for early next year.
For a chat contact: John Taylor on 01556 670395.
or Diane Adams on 01382 884540
The SCDP has been very busy developing a course for Adult Cycle Training. Much of the work was completed in early summer ready to deliver cycle training in West Lothian at the behest of West Lothian Council. It was thrilling to see adults on the complete beginners course wheeling their bikes to the centre, unable to ride, and then riding away having learnt to balance and ride on the roads. Those who attended the basic course needed road instruction and also some basic help with bike maintenance. They all had the experience of removing the rear wheel and repairing a puncture. It was especially good to see course members exchanging phone numbers at the end of the course so that they could make arrangements for leisure riding.
Almost two hundred cyclists attended the fourth annual week long Forfar Rally, appreciating the quiet roads and varied scenery that the county of Angus in eastern Scotland has to offer. Daily rides, evening social events and good weather were enjoyed by all. These, combined with a celebration on the Sunday afternoon of the 123rd birthday of the CTC, made the rally a wonderful festival of cycling.
In addition to the longer rides (of 40 and 60 miles), each day a shorter, easier paced lead "green" ride was provided. These rides were aimed at the novice or returner adult; accompanied children on their own bikes; family groups including younger children on (e.g.) trailer bikes; and anyone else wanting an easier day. Although planned with kids' interests in mind, the rides appealed widely with up to 28 people opting for the fun, gentle pace and social atmosphere that the rides offered: there was plenty of time to enjoy the impromptu stop to pick raspberries, or to explore a hidden churchyard.
The participants: kids on tandems with kiddie cranks, or on trailer bikes; some on solo machines; adults who had not done much cycling before or who wanted a break and even Sooty the dog (in a front basket) all made the rides a colourful spectacle that attracted much attention. They made a positive statement about the accessibility of cycling. You can enjoy cycling, even with young children; you don't need a whole pile of specialist clothing or equipment or to be superfit: anyone can enjoy a bike ride. The rides were accompanied by the excited babble of the children enjoying themselves as they anticipated the next stop: Vissochi's ice-cream parlour in Kirriemuir; a Barbeque lunch at a local country park; a chance to splash around in a ford while the adults enjoyed a picnic; or to play on the tree swings at a popular beauty spot.
Everyone who attended the rally would like to say a big thankyou to the organisers, Ron and Pat Harrow, and to all those members of Tayside DA and Angus CC who helped to make this such a successful and enjoyable event.
The biggest cycling development event to hit the UK, since the recent turn round in attitude to the bike, has come and gone. It is considered to have been a success. That is the 'official' view. The absence of any formal report back with lots of statistics is probably just as well as each delegate, 500 from 42 countries, or special interest group will have taken away a completely different impression and value from the week.
It was a very rich mix. With six separate workshops, and poster presentations, going on at the same time it was almost a matter of sticking a pin in the programme. Sessions ranged from sophisticated 'benchmarking' procedures, including wired up bikes which recorded surface quality, in advanced cycling countries to beacons of hope in third world counties with cycle campaigners confronting congestion, pollution and politics. Each person spoken to outside the sessions had a new and interesting perspective on cycling.
Besides the slick double act of Erl Wilkie and Oli Hatch, V-C2001 & Series directors, and Ian Maxwell's school kids from the Outreach programme, the concerns of the impressive Margot Wallström EC Commissioner for the Environment was particularly memorable from the platform.
CTC HQ were present in numbers and CTC Scotland manned a stand and collected signatures for the Access petition. Spokes and GoBike! had various involvement, including 25th and 10th anniversary cakes at social does, and individual cycle activists played their part but apart from sampling the glorious Scottish weather all week the conference was very much an international and professionals affair.
We must now hope and ensure that the commitment shown by Edinburgh and Glasgow Councils to bring in the show and the flurry of pro-cycling activity in advance of it will be carried on and developed in the longer term.
See www.velo-city2001.org
There's no doubt that kids love bikes! They love 'playing bikes', they love taking part in cycle sport if they get the chance and when Safe Routes to School surveys ask children how they would like to get to school, most of them reply 'By bike!'
A survey that sportscotland undertook in 1999 found that, outside of school PE lessons, cycling was the number 2 activity for boys (with football as no. 1) and the number 1 activity for girls. Yet there are very few opportunities for children to receive any coaching to develop their skills and to continue to cycle. Despite a big push to encourage Safe Routes to School projects, just 10% of 10-12 year-olds complete on-road cycle training. The number of school cycling clubs in Scotland can be counted on one hand, compared with hundreds of clubs for other activities.
As a Cycling Development Officer working with the Scottish Cycling Development Project (SCDP) one of my remits is to develop grassroots cycling opportunities for children.
One area that we have identified is to have more coaches working at the grassroots level within schools, youth clubs and leisure programmes. Hence the concept of a Level 1 Cycle Activity Leader qualification developed. For Christmas 2000 Shimano Europe decided that, instead of sending Christmas cards they would have a competition to find the idea that had the most potential to get more children cycling. The money that would have been spent on cards and postage, about £9000, would form the prize and help to get the idea off the ground.
SCDP was delighted to win the first Shimano Cycling Concept Award. The money has been used this year to develop the Level 1 course and to run pilot courses in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth. Coaching resources in the form of laminated activity cards covering basic control skills are also being developed and can be used by Level 1 coaches to run a school or youth club cycling programme. Level 1 coaches can also act as Assistant coaches to Level 2 Club Coaches.
This autumn 12 more SCDP/SCU coach tutors will be trained who will then be able to run Level 1 courses throughout Scotland. Other areas to be developed in the coming year are the development of a structure for school cycling clubs and a 'Youth Cycling' newsletter for schools, teachers and Safe Routes to Schools projects.
For more information contact Cathy Scott
Another side to my job is to develop cycle training for both youngsters and adults. In September this year SCDP launched cycling lessons for both adults and secondary-age pupils on a one-to-one or one-to-two basis.
Lessons are tailored to the skills of the trainee and range from learning to 'go a bike' for the first time to cycling through busy city centre traffic.
The scheme was adapted from a similar scheme that has been running in York for a number of years. The City of York Road Safety Unit has trained all of our advanced instructors, although we are now starting to run our own training courses 'in-house'. We are also now using Level 1 Cycle Activity Leaders to teach basic control skills to adults.
So if anyone out there has friends or relatives who say, "I'd like to cycle but I'm scared of the traffic" or "I never learnt to ride a bike" you now know where they can get help. Lessons cost £20 for the first lesson of an hour and a half. After that lessons cost £20/hour.
We need more instructors in both Edinburgh, West Lothian and Central West Scotland for adult training. This is either on-road training for those adults who can already cycle or teaching adults to ride a bike for the first time. About 50% of trainees have never ridden a bike before. We try as far as possible to match female trainees with female instructors and as 90% of our trainees are women we would particularly like to recruit more female instructors. .
Cycle training is a great way of promoting cycling. It's also very rewarding to teach someone to ride a bike for the first time. Full training is provided, we pay instructors an hourly rate and lessons are arranged at times to suit both trainees and instructors.
For further information on anything on this page, contact Cathy Scott, Scottish Cycling Development Project, 0131-662-4461, cathyscott@scottishcycling.co.uk
or for training in the West phone Andy Dunn on 01505 614302
The Ageing Well 50+ project is working towards improving and maintaining the health of those aged 50+ living within the south central area of Edinburgh, primarily through focusing upon issues of exercise and keeping active. It has funding from Lothian Health and is coordinated by Edinburgh Leisure.
Scottish Cycling Development Project is working with the Ageing Well project
to include cycling as one of the healthy activities.
The project is now recruiting volunteers as 'Senior Health Mentors' who will
be involved in encouraging others to adopt healthy lifestyles. With cycling
this can take many forms from helping someone choose a bike, going for a cycle
ride with them, showing someone where the off-road cycle paths are or even teaching
someone to ride a bike for the first time. Full training will be provided by
the project and, in addition, there will be the opportunity to take a formal
coaching qualification if desired.
To become a Senior Health Mentor you must be aged 50+, be reliable and self-motivated.
You must have a keen interest in achieving an active lifestyle, or ideally be
participating within an active lifestyle and be enthusiastic about encouraging
others to do the same.
You should also be extremely encouraging to others and be prepared to meet new
friends and have lots of fun!
To find out more or to receive a free Information & Recruitment Pack, please
contact Anita McCallum:
Ageing Well Coordinator, Sports & Service Development, Edinburgh Leisure,
141 London Road, Edinburgh, EH7 6AE;
Tel: 0131-652-2178; Fax: 0131-652-1102; Email: ageingwellsc@web.southedinburgh.net
Copy for next issue to CycleTalk Editor by 9 Jan 2002
CycleTalk 18 compiled and edited by Mike Harrison
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