CYCLETALK The Newsletter of CTC Scotland Number 26: Apr/May 2003 Editor of this issue: Mike Harrison download version

125th Anniversary Events in Scotland

Just in case you haven’t heard from your local group, or if you fancy a day away cycling with friends in another area, here is a summary of Scottish Events for the weekend of May 3-5. More details from the contacts or local web-sites.

CTC Scotland’s AGM

January 2003 in Dundee

The AGM in January was attended by representatives from Tayside, Grampian, Highland, Falkirk, Glasgow, Lothians and Fife DAs and from the affiliated organisations of the Galloway Cycle Group and SPOKES. Most of the office-bearers were re-elected (the meeting must have considered either that they are doing a good job or that they need more practice!), but we do have a new Treasurer – Nick Haworth from Falkirk DA. Financially, we have got through the year, partly by seriously trimming the expenses, but also in making sure that expenses incurred in such activities as Right-to-Ride campaigning were correctly attributed to that budget. Effectively we have no budget for administration, general expenses or development. Anything we plan to do that involves money needs either to have an associated income stream (whether from charges for the activity or sponsorship) or to be covered by something which is within one of HQ’s budgets. One personnel change is that Isobel Fletcher was elected as Vice-Chair, and John Taylor was thanked for his long service as an office-bearer. Fortunately he is not leaving the Committee so we still have the benefit of his knowledge and work for cycling in Scotland. With the current rumpus over Access his work-load could be getting heavier rather than lighter.

Representation

Members of the Committee represent cyclists’ interests on various bodies. If you have an issue with any of these organisations feel free to involve these reps.

Right-to-Ride Co-ordinator; Access Forum; Off-road – RtR; Paths for All;	John Taylor	01556 670395	johnwtaylor-at-care4free.net
On-road issues – RtR; SYHA	Peter Hawkins	0131 443 6712	peterhawk-at-care4free.net
SCDP; Cross-Party Group on Cycling; Scottish Cycling Forum	Brian Curtis	0131 669 5918	brian_curtis-at-compuserve.com
Scottish Cycling Forum	Pat Harrow (Councillor)	01575 574082	theharrows-at-lineone.net
Scottish Sports Association	Ron Harrow	01575 574082	theharrows-at-lineone.net
TRANSform Scotland; RailFuture; Scottish Cycling Forum; Scottish Sports Association	Mike Harrison	0131 554 7773	Secretary-at-CTCScotland.org.uk

What is CTCS doing?

Here are just a few of the meetings attended and consultations reports submitted by members of the Committee in the last year. Some of these represent one-off activities (a one-day conference) others represent many hours of work over a protracted period:

• A dossier on cycling-relevant sections of NPPG 17 (and PAN 57)
• Submission on the ban of mobile phones
• Airports Submission
• Physical Activity Task Force
• Progressing the Objectives of the NCS
• Home Zones and Roadworks Disruption.
• Local Access Forums
• Waterways Trust – meeting about trainers and support for SIP Canal project
• Scottish Cycle Forum – standard meetings
• ‘Scottish Cycling’ – meetings to promote the scheme
• Forth Estuary Forum AGM and Conference
• visitscotland – area tourism meetings
• Greener Public Transport – seminar in Edinburgh
• Cycling Liaison Group – one meeting
• Cycle Campaign Network Conferences (Dorchester & Liverpool)
• RailFuture – correspondence about bikes on trains
• Transform Scotland (AGM, Conference & Board Meetings)
• sportscotland (much documentation received! meeting on review of sport21)
• SSA (AGM, publicity & marketing meeting, volunteer training, SCVO – ‘workwithus’)

See the World with CTC Scotland

You perhaps already use your bike for school or work, maybe for the occasional week-end ride into the country but have you ever thought of using your trusty two-wheeled steed for a cycling holiday?

CTC Tours offer holidays all over the UK, in Europe and Worldwide. All the holidays are fully bonded and led by experienced CTC members who are keen to give you a really good holiday.

If you have not been on a cycling holiday before why not consider one of these tours? There are tours in Scotland, England and for those wanting to use their passports, a great choice in France, Italy and Spain. If you really want to travel then how about Australia, Nepal, Sri Lanka or Venezuela?

Two of CTC Scotland members are tour leaders: Pat and Ron Harrow, who have just returned from leading a tour in Sri Lanka, are leading a delightful fixed centre holiday based on Edzell (Angus) in August and Brian Curtis is taking a camping tour to Iceland in July and a repeat of his South Africa tour in March 2004. For more information on any of the CTC tours see the Tours section of the December 2002 Cycle magazine or look at the web site www.ctc.org.uk and click on the TOURS button.

Wobbly Wheelers

The Grampian District Association prides itself of a section to which all DA members aspire: the Wobbly Wheelers, website www.ww.w.wwww.con. Membership is open to persons of a certain age, but otherwise there are no restrictions. Even the “certain age” criterion can be and is waived in certain circumstances, which occur quite regularly. The WW’s meet at irregular intervals, usually in each other’s garages, except when it is cold outside. Then they repair to the kitchen.

An interest in bicycles is quite useful, since members often spend their time looking at each other’s bikes. They may even suggest “improvements” and “repairs” to same. On fine occasions, this involves the wielding of heavy hammers. When the weather is clement, the WW’s may be seen cycling in the Grampian hills, setting out new routes for the other members, discussing the state of the nation and generally putting the world to rights. The WW’s earned the club many dollars when they set out routes for the Collins Cycling Maps of North-East Scotland. Their names are immortalised in said book.

If they remember the dates, there will no doubt be a number of very special rides during the celebrations of the 125th anniversary of the CTC, but the WW’s don’t wish to look too far ahead

The WW’s are always recruiting new members. If you want to join, look for the senior adults in the District Association. They will tell you when and where the next meeting will be, whilst lifting their left legs and scratching behind their right ears.

WHERE ARE WE NOW WITH THE ACCESS LEGISLATION?

John Taylor

Well, it has been passed, and at time of writing, we are awaiting the royal assent which will turn it into an Act. That does not mean, however, we immediately have the rights to be on land and water for recreation and passage. We will have to wait until early next year for that. Principally, the supporting Scottish Outdoor Access Code which will guide all stakeholders on their behaviour, will take that long to go through all its phases, including a long public consultation. There is a call, though, for all stakeholders to act in the spirit of the new culture.

What is expected to happen immediately is that ministers will give the go ahead for certain processes to start. Those of prime importance to us are the establishment of at least one Local Access Forum (LAF) in each Council area, and for each Council to start working on its Core Path Network Plans (CPP).

LAFs will be on two levels. The strategic level will be on a statutory basis, of 12-15 members, invited by the Council, representing - by equal numbers - users, owners and statutory bodies. These will attract training, expenses and allowances (e.g. for day meetings). At local level most Councils will have less formal “partnerships”, open to more interested bodies and people.

Councils will vary in getting themselves up to speed, but some have already started. There is no requirement for them to invite a CTC member to represent cycling, so what we really need is that they have the name of one to the fore. Let them know you’re there! That depends, of course, on enough members coming forward to volunteer for service.

Currently, CTC’s Right to Ride network does not have anything like enough members to fill all the potential positions, so the need is URGENT for more members to come forward for both the strategic and local forums (we need about 100 altogether). A word of warning, though – you cannot represent CTC without joining Right to Ride (there is no extra sub). Understandably, CTC needs to know who its reps are and coordinate their support.

So, if you feel able to respond to the call, in the first place contact John Taylor 01556 670395 who will send you a bit more introductory information, and then register with Right to Ride through Cherry Allan, CTC HQ. Let me end by saying that I have been on an informal forum for several years and have found it to be an interesting and worthwhile experience.

NEW CYCLING MAPS

Roger Humphry writes:

“The Highland Cycle Campaign have produced a cycle map for Inverness. We were lucky to receive some funding from the Inverness branch of Marks and Spencers, the Highland Health Board and the Highland Cycle Forum. It is full colour, with index and will be on sale in various local outlets and hopefully through the Sustrans online shop. As well as being useful to cyclists we hope it will heighten awareness amongst cyclists and potential cyclists and also policy makers in the council. If you would like to buy a copy (£1.50) please contact Roger Humphry 01463 222 617”

The SPOKES map of East Lothian is now in an advanced stage of preparation. This will complete the Lothians set. The Edinburgh one is now in its 4th (or 5th?) edition, the Midlothian one its 2nd, and the West Lothian one is still on Version 1.

All possible effort is made to ensure that facts in this newsletter are accurate. Please tell the editor of any inaccuracies – it’s too late to correct what’s in print, but most information is repeated on the web and can be corrected there.

Opinions are those of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the policies of CTC and CTC Scotland.

Copy for next issue to CycleTalk Editor by 25th April

CycleTalk 26 compiled and edited by Mike Harrison

[CycleTalk index] [CTC Scotland]