CYCLETALK The Newsletter of CTC Scotland Number 27: Jun/Jul 2003 Editor of this issue: Mike Harrison download version

Lothian celebrates the 125th in Gifford

We were hoping for 125 riders. By the previous day 150 had booked to join us. The question we had been asking all week was ‘Would the weather put people off?’ On the day the weather was kind (at least to begin with!) and although there were some very dark clouds passed over in the morning there was little wind and no rain. Six started the ball rolling with at 0800 with the 200k ride, followed by about 30 each for the 125k and 100k rides at 0930 and 1000. The final ride to leave Musselburgh was the 50k one with over 40 participants. The family ride of 25k – a circular tour which involved the use of a car to get to the start – was the least popular and only 4 turned up for this one. In fact most of the families arrived in the 50k ride with children doing most of the work on the back of tandems while the parent just sat at the front and steered!

At about 2 o’clock riders started to arrive, and by 3 o’clock all had arrived in Gifford. Together with those who had made their own way there, there were over150 people in the Town House enjoying the teas which had been made by members of the local Community Association. By this time the sun was shining, but also the wind had picked up, and faced with a stiff breeze on the port bow on the way home riders stoked up with scones and gateau before setting off for the second part. Although there was always the option of the direct route home rather than completing the intended distance, most did follow their planned route.

As a DA we achieved our aim of celebration of CTC, communal activity (if only we could get 150 people out for rides each Sunday!), renewal of old friendships, increasing awareness of the diversity of the membership (old-young, fast-slow, racers-commuters-tourers, onroad-offroad), and the event seems to have caught the imagination of the cyclists.

Key parts of the success from the organisers’ point of view were: weather, the food, the planned routes.

Winged Wheel on Tweeddale Arms Hotel in Gifford

Scottish Outdoor Access Code

Diane Adams has been reviewing the Code, and summarises for us here. Please examine it yourself and feed comments to Diane for the composite CTC Scotland response (and also write directly to SNH if you wish).

The above act was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 23rd January thus establishing a statutory right of access to land and inland water in Scotland. The right requires us to behave responsibly, and also places a reciprocal duty on land managers to use and manage their land in a way which is responsible and does not unnecessarily interfere with these rights.

There are certain restrictions:

Some land is excluded. This includes:

1. MOD land;
2. Curtilage of non-residential structures, eg farmyards and windfarms;
3. Enough land around residential property to ensure reasonable privacy;
4. Land on which crops are growing (but not field margins);

Some behaviour is excluded. This includes:

1. Using motorised vehicles or vessels;
2. Taking away anything for commercial reasons;
3. Hunting, shooting and fishing; and
4. Being with a dog or other animal which is not under proper control.

Local Authorities have been given significant powers:

1. To restrict or vary access rights by use of Byelaws;
2. To take action against landowners who are trying to prevent people from exercising their access rights. And
3. Have a duty to make a Core Path Network Plan, protect routes along which people may reasonably wish to take access and to provide facilities (eg signs, gates etc) which may enable that access;

Local Access Forums will be set up in order to help the Local Authority fulfil these functions.

The Act also placed a duty on SNH to produce a code which will give guidance on what is ‘responsible behaviour’ in relation to the new access rights. The draft document has now been published and has been widely circulated for consultation.

It should be noted that no new offence has been created – ie failure to comply with the code is not in itself criminalizing. However there already exists a fair amount of legislation governing your behaviour in the countryside. This is highlighted in annexes to both the code and the Act

Overall, I welcome the code, it certainly does its best to uphold the spirit of the act. However it is rather lengthy, and it is taking a while to identify the contentious issues.

CTC Scotland will be submitting a response to the draft code, but appeal for as many of you as possible to submit your own responses, highlighting those things in it which you think are good (and why), and those things you think are bad (and why). In doing so you may like to pay particular attention to the following issues:

1. The advice given to people with dogs. No-one seems to be happy with this section as it is currently written;
2. The advice given regarding managing access along paths/tracks/etc as they enter non-access land (eg farmyards);
3. The issue of wild camping – many folk are worried that this will lead to unsightly roadside camping and may like to restrict areas where wild camping could be allowed;
4. The advice given in how to deal with unreasonable obstructions (including signs) or behaviour from land managers you may encounter while taking access.

There is also a parallel consultation on the scope, structure and composition of the National Access Forum.

Copies of the draft code can be downloaded from: www.snh.org.uk or obtained (free) by contacting: Bridget Dales 01738 444177.

Copies of the Act can be downloaded from: http://www.scotland-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2003/20 or obtained from HMSO bookshops (price £9.25).

The closing date is 30th June 2003.

If you would like further information, or identify further issues you would like CTC to consider in our response contact:

Diane Adams 01382 884 540, Diane@maths.dundee.ac.uk

Open Day in St Andrews

Saturday 14th June

Members and friends are invited to attend CTC Scotland’s Open Day which will be hosted by Fife Council on Saturday 14 June 2003 in St Andrews, Fife. (not 21st as originally proposed)

For those who would like to arrive by bike, there will be rendez-vous points, eg meet Discovery Point, Dundee at 0930 and Ceres 1000. It’s suggested that there should be a ride from Dunfermline too. Please phone for other times nearer the day or consult CTC Scotland web page.

On arrival in St. Andrews, we will look at the cycle facilities there, have lunch and in the afternoon have short presentations from Fife Council and CTC, finishing around 1515.

You may prefer just to meet in St Andrews for lunch (at a venue still to be fixed) and the afternoon session.

Please contact Pat Harrow (0845 4589298 or cycling@supanet.com) if you are requiring lunch.

Right-to-Ride

While off-roaders and walkers have been getting agitated as the Access Legislation grinds its way through the legal processes and Councils start to get their local Access Forums set up, things have not exactly been quiet on the on-road side.

The CTC’s RtR newsgroup has had a great flurry of discussion recently on:

• Road Rage (as experienced by cyclists - or is that as generated by cyclists?)
• the M74 extension
• the Glasgow Southern Orbital Road (Scottish M25?)
• the A80 - Stepps to Haggs
• the approaches to the Kincardine and Forth bridges
• appropriate width of cycle lanes on roads
• status of advanced stop lines
• cycle lockers at work etc. etc.

The Scottish RtR reps met in Stirling in March, where Roger Geffen led the first of the CTC workshops under the title “Look Bike, Look Forward!” It would take the whole of this issue and more to report on the brainstorming and analysis we did that day - starting with policy and resources, infrastructure, awareness etc. and ending the day with a look at how the RtR network, CTC Scotland, the volunteers and the paid staff should work together - and we could do with more of both of these!

Right to Ride is something that concerns every cyclist, wherever they cycle, and local people are needed everywhere who will spot problems and campaign at a local level to maintain and develop facilities. The specific cycle campaigning organisations do a lot of work which CTC used to do, but especially outside the major conurbations there is often no such organisation, so CTC has a place there, as well as having a national remit.

As was emphasised at the CTC’s AGM recently in Stevenage, we are

CTC - the UK’s National Cyclists’ Organisation

GALLOWAY CYCLE GROUP 5th April 2003

Minnigaff, near Newton Stewart was ablaze with colour on Sunday, as more than 50 cyclists from Dumfries and Galloway, Ayrshire, Glasgow and the Lothians took to the highways and byways of Wigtownshire. The riders were taking part in a number of events, including the launch of the new “Discovery Rides” programme organised by Galloway Cycle Group. Present at the launch ceremony at Minnigaff Youth Hostel were Sandra McDowall, Chairman of Mid Galloway Area Committee who welcomed the cyclists to the area and was pleased that Mid Galloway had been chosen as the venue to launch the new rides. John Taylor of Galloway Cycle Group briefly outlined the background to the new programme, and explained that it was designed to accommodate cyclists of all abilities and with little or no experience.

Joan Mitchell, Chairman of Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board welcomed the new programme of shorter cycle rides which would be attractive to visitors who bring their bikes to the area on holiday. Finally, Alasdair Morgan MSP emphasised the importance of cycling not only for tourism but also for health and well-being. He praised the Galloway Cycle Group for their initiative in developing a series of interesting short rides which he hoped would encourage more people to “get on their bikes”. He then led by example, and took the lead on the first of the “Discovery Rides”.

Tayside DA

125th was marked by a ride on the Monday Public Holiday from Kirriemuir terminating with a tea at the home of CTCS Chair and CTCS Councillor Ron & Pat Harrow. [After this weekend I know what the ‘T’ in CTC stands for – it’s “Cyclists’ Tea Club”, never mind the Touring. Editor].

Copy for next issue to CycleTalk Editor by 1st July

CycleTalk 27 compiled and edited by Mike Harrison

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