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CYCLETALK
The Newsletter of CTC ScotlandNumber 19: February 2002 Editor of this issue:
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| Right-to-Ride Meeting | Financial Crisis |
| Access Update | Our Councillor says... |
| Home Zones | Dumfries & Galloway |
| Reducing Roadworks Disruption | Rallies |
CTC Scotland organised a meeting of RtR reps from all over Scotland on Sunday 6 Jan. We rented Perth Youth Hostel for the weekend, the Saturday being devoted to the CTC(S) AGM (morning) and a Committee Meeting (afternoon). The evening was a chance for RtR reps, ie those who were able to stay overnight, to meet each other and members of CTC(S) 'networking' as it's now known - which took place in the local pub!
On the Sunday there were two presentations. Peter Hawkins showed slides of 'Quality Cycling Facilities', mainly of innovative schemes in and around Edinburgh, both on-road and off-road. The slides provoked lively discussion which went on for 2 hours instead of the allotted 50 mins.
This was followed by a presentation on Cycle Tourism in Scotland by Mark Hagger, with again lots of contributions from the floor and ideas on how facilities could be improved. After lunch there was an opportunity for more open discussion on Planning and related issues.
Sixteen RtR reps attended the meeting, and it proved a good chance to share experiences. Several of those who've signed up for RtR work on their own in their own area and feel the need to occasionally meet others doing the same.
There is another, rather different training day planned for 23 Feb. in Stirling, this time organised by CTC HQ. RtR is a very flexible scheme and members can join it even if they only want to campaign on a single issue. So if you're out there and feel angry about what is, or is not, being done for cyclists in your area, sign up for RtR (contact Julia Samson at HQ, or John Taylor on 01556 670395), and come along to the Training Day - it's free if you are a RtR rep. but £5 if you are not.
The long awaited re-draft of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill - which sets out to give a right of access to the countryside for recreational purposes - has now been published and introduced to parliament. The 'informal' consultation process has now come to an end and the bill now enters the parliamentary process.
Ongoing pressure from outdoor recreation groups (including CTC Scotland) has resulted in significant improvements. Most of our demands have been satisfied to some extent and the Bill is now far more balanced in giving consideration to rights, duties and responsibilities of all stakeholders including recreationalists, landowners and Local Authorities.
Access rights are to be enjoyed responsibly. Landowners now have a duty to manage their land in a way that does not adversely interfere with access rights. Local Authorities now have a duty to ensure routes are free from obstruction, have been given powers to take action to provide for access, and must constitute local access forums. The clause relating to possible criminalisation of those seeking to enjoy their access rights has been removed.
However it is felt that the powers of Local Authorities to suspend access either in specific cases by orders or generally by bye laws are too draconian with insufficient safeguards. In addition powers for the right of access to be varied both by the Scottish parliament and by SNH, via the access code, may not be open to public scrutiny.
There remain significant land areas which will be exempt from access rights, including land ownedby the queen in her private capacity and 'curtilage' around farmyards and buildings. This is of major concern. There is now a very definitive presumption in favour of access - that is to say that access rights will be upheld unless there is very good reason for them not to be - but it is hard to envisage that individuals exercising their right can do so confidently when there are so many circumstances in which that right can be restricted.
Cycle-specific concerns include the possibility of using stiles to enable access and the omission of 'locked gates' from the list of obstructions to access (neither are very cycle friendly). In addition we feel that eight weeks is far too long for the re-instatement of ploughed up paths.
Access to the countryside will have lasting benefit: pleasant traffic free cycling opportunities near to where people live can only have a positive and encouraging effect on those who are lack the confidence or are disinclined to cycle on our ever busier roads.
CTC Scotland has responded to the Scottish Executive's consultation document on Home Zones. The latter are “residential areas that seek to meet the needs ofall
road users equally, and where all including pedestrians and cyclists share the road space'. Streets in the Zones are usually redesigned to remove barriers to local people using the space, instead of it being dominated by traffic.
The street is then open for a variety of purposes including children's play, having a 'blether' with the neighbours, walking, cycling etc, and vehicles become slow-moving 'guests'. Streets can also be made to look better, with planting, trees, seats and other furniture. Clearly, Home Zones aim to improve the quality of life as well as being safer. Vehicle speeds can be reduced to around 10mph, and certainly not more than 20. As cyclists, we welcome them whole-heartedly. The concept is already well-known in many European countries, but Scotland has only trial Zones at the moment.
The consultation is really about the Regulations, and thus a matter for Local Authorities rather than ourselves, but we have responded by welcoming the initiative, suggesting the Regulations should make HZ introduction as easy and non-bureaucratic as possible, and, above all, encouraging the Executive to support the concept with funding from either the Public or the Integrated Transport Fund. We believe small-scale changes like these can make as much or more difference to our daily lives than elaborate and expensive transport schemes.
One piece of good news is that the Regulations hope to be in place by 1 April this year.
Another consultation from the Scottish Executive, this time on matters where we share concerns with all road users - how to get the Utilities to carry out repairs in the shortest possible time and with minimal disruption. The options include a) activating 'Section 133' of an earlier Act, which could be used to penalise utilities that over-run their allotted time, or b) introducing 'lane rental', which would charge the utilities by the day for the disruption they cause, and this has several sub-options such as charging more for busy roads, etc.
CTC Scotland has replied to the consultation, welcoming either option and pointing out the hazards to cyclists not just from the works themselves, but also from poor-quality repairs, which can force us to choose between hitting a bad hump or hole, versus swerving into the line of passing vehicles.
Further concerns to cyclists, such as the extra time we need to get through a lights-controlled road work, have been discussed frequently at meetings of the Cycling Forum. There's a lot to be said for the little man with the stop-go sign, as far as we're concerned! We suggested, in our submission, that issues like this belong in the Code of Practice.
KM 162 will be held as usual at Drumlanrig from 3 -6 May. The earlier Bank Holiday has been chosen because the last weekend in May is too close to the Jubilee Weekend, and because the site is not available on Jubilee Weekend itself.
The format of the Rally is as before. Participants can arrive on Thurs (2nd) and leave on 7th (Tues) at the latest. Meals will be available in the Castle Tearooms, which are under new management and will stay open late especially for us. The food is reputed to be pretty good! There will be two slide shows, one on India and Nepal, the other on South Africa; and the ceilidh on Saturday, church service and breakfast on Sunday morning are all being arranged.
We hope to be able to include some rides for families, something we have not previously achieved except informally. Locals tell us the weather that first weekend in May is usually fairly dry!
Click here for more details and a booking form you can print out.
Contact Peter Hawkins on 0131 443 6712 or by e-mail, peterhawk@care4free.net. Please note his new phone number - and the new address (118/1 Stenhouse Cres., Edinburgh EH11 3HU).
Look forward to seeing you there!
Activities on these three days (but you can arrive on Friday and leave on Tuesday, or even extend your stay if you wish).
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.
Application forms are available from:- Cindy Blackmore, 57 Leslie Road, Aberdeen, AB24 4HU; phone 01224 484891; email Cindy.blackmore1@btinternet.com
Burnsoul campsite, 6 miles west of Dumfries from Aug10-17th.
This is the tandem equivalent of the birthday rides and attracts up to 500 people. If any members are interested in going please contact Neil Wheadon on NeilandSarahWheadon@btinternet.com
15 September 2002
New name for website of Pedal for Scotland. Nothing new on it yet, but if you have the old address (the ".co.uk" one) bookmarked, please change it now.
The main issue facing CTC Scotland at the AGM was the financial crisis caused by CTC Council awarding us no funding for this year. Their argument is that the Regions must find their own funds. We feel this is totally unjust, because Scotland has national responsibilities and can't be regarded as just another Region. CTC Wales, by contrast, has its own paid member of staff. In Scotland the work of liaising with the Executive and with Parliament, of responding to consultations, of producing the newsletter etc, is all done by volunteers. And if we didn't do it ourselves, nothing would be done, because HQ has no staff to deal with Scottish affairs, let alone the knowledge and expertise. We are not looking for a paid member of staff (though in terms of membership numbers, we deserve one) - we're just asking for volunteers' expenses, in terms of attendance at meetings etc, to be met. HQ is really getting value for money out of us!
Fortunately we have sufficient reserves to keep going in the meantime, but this situation cannot continue indefinitely. It would be helpful if members could write to the Chair of CTC Council, Peter Latarche, at HQ (69 Meadrow, Godalming, GU7 3HS), expressing their concern at the way Scotland is being treated, and insisting that as a Nation rather than a Region we have a bigger role to fulfil. It's true that Scotland does get some funding from HQ, but this goes to the Cycle Development Project exclusively. Our point is that the activities, mentioned above, also require a degree of financial backing.
The outgoing Secretary, Peter Hawkins, stepped down at the AGM after a 5-year term and was replaced by Michael Harrison. There were two nominations for Chair, and Ron Harrow was re-elected. The other Office Bearers were re-elected unopposed. The Committee consists of delegates from all the DA's (except Falkirk, who haven't appointed anyone) and from the major Cycle Campaign/Leisure groups throughout Scotland.
I enjoyed visiting the AGMs of DAs in November and to meet members. It was unfortunate that three out of seven took place on the same day.
Generally DAs run a programme of indoor meets and slide shows and cycle runs during the year. A lot of effort is expended by Committee members to issue and distribute Newsletters and organise a programme of events. They would be delighted if more members took advantage of the facilities offered. Some DAs found themselves unable to fill certain posts. Being a member of a Committee is not everyone's cup of tea but if the load was spread around then members might be more inclined to become involved if they did not think that they would be in the post for life. New blood coming forward would be welcomed by all DAs and I am sure that Committee members who have filled a post for a number of years would be pleased to see a new face as their successor.
However, we are aware of various factors such as geographical distances, etc that influence whether you can take part. I encourage you to support these events where possible and if not to contact myself or a member of your local DA if there is some way you would like to become involved. Perhaps you could offer your house or suggest a local place to visit as a tea/coffee stop on a cycle ride. In this way you need not ride with the group but would have an opportunity to meet other members. The rides offered may be too fast, too slow, too far for you - if so perhaps you could offer to lead a ride. All suggestions would be welcome.
It would be great if at this year's AGMs, the venues were packed with members offering to become involved with local activities. If you have a Vision for Cycling in Scotland, it would be great if you contacted me regarding DA or CTC Scotland involvement.Pat Harrow, [0845 4589298, cycling@supanet.com]
New for 2002 New for 2002
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| 14th April : Meet Discovery Point
10.30 Family Ride to Tentsmuir for a Barbeque |
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| 17th February : Meet Discovery Point
9.30 Hills and flats of NE Fife : 38 miles hilly |
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| Contact Diane on 01382 884 540 or diane@maths.dundee.ac.uk | |
What prompted me was the publication of its Local Transport Strategy (LTS), so I will start with comments on that? What do we expect from a model LTS? A hierarchical approach, i.e. priority for non-motorists with curbing of motorists? Let's see how D&G measures up.
After an overview and other generalities, the first two specific chapters are for Pedestrians (3 pages) and Cycling (4), a good start. That's average in pages, except for Railways which get 7! That includes increasing services, new and improved stations, means for more freight, and a wish for a new Paddy line. 'All services in D&G are capable of carrying bicycles'; the Nithsdale line is one of the best in the country, but the threat of reduction by replacing stock is not appreciated.
Cycling policies include:- cycle audits on roads and dev. schemes, integration with Public transport, encouragement of employers' cycle-friendly schemes, promotion of benefits, schools transport policies, safe routes to schools etc, adult training, promotion of D&G as a cycle friendly area, priority for a local cycling strategy (after a lot of prompting!).
“Casualty reductions can be expected from the separation of cyclists and motor vehicles through the provision of on- and off-road cycling facilities.'A mixed message? Does it convey the idea that the priority is to separate? Is that the implication the motorist wants to hear? To be fair, there are a lot of on-road non-separation measures, but these are not put into the context.
There are 4 pages headed "Road Traffic Reduction Act". "...growth in vehicle km is predicted to match high growth predictions", "dispersed population....great dependency on road transport", etc. The only targets set are for 3 radial corridors in Dumfries, in terms increasing bus occupancy by 10-15%, increasing cycling by 2% over yr 2000, modest by measurable increase in walking.
Draw your own conclusions about our expectations!
In terms of implementation, there is no doubt that a big effort has been made, and is being made, to amass funding for cycling, spurred on by policy requirements and availability of now from a number of sources, e.g. the enormous £3.8m package (£22 per head) just completed. In the pipeline, most of a near £1m Public Transport Fund (PTF) for Stranraer is for cycling/walking and regulation, and big PTF etc package for Dumfries includes another river bridge, more cycle routes, a bus lane and replacement of roundabouts by traffic lights.
Lastly, a word about events. F&M cancelled the KM161 Cycle Rally and a new Stranraer cycling festival. The good news is that the downhill MB championships were held successfully at Ae forest, N of Dumfries.
You should get a printed copy of Cycle Talk with the Feb/Mar issue of "Cycle". The reason you haven't had one in the past is that someone in the deep south classified D&G as 'non-Scottish UK'! They have been put right.
Copy for next issue to CycleTalk Editor by 1 March
CycleTalk 19 compiled and edited by Mike Harrison
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