Sally Eva

:) I think the phraseology leaves something to be desired. It gives an impression that everything they do is in Enfield. Southwark won't be funding stuff in Enfield. I'll ask Cycle Confident if they do a Southwark bike maintenance course. We used to do one in Canberwell but it was knocked on the head by Covid. I'll ask if it's restarted. Lewisham Cyclists have restarted their bike workshops (I think and will check) The link is here: https://lewishamcyclists.co.uk/helping-you-ride/maintenance-classes/ These people are in the East End and start at ?40 https://www.bikeworks.org.uk/Pages/Category/book-a-maintance-course This one might be the one in Enfield. https://www.lcc.org.uk/events/fix-your-ride-2?esid=17495. It does seem a long way away. This is Burgess Park though: Community Cycleworks looks still open https://www.communitycycleworks.co.uk/bike-fix/

Full FREE Cycle Skills Training is back. You can get tailored training at a level suited to your needs, or book a lesson for the family (with up to three participants)! Choose from Basic (off-road environment), Urban (quiet local roads) or Advanced (complex junctions and busy roads). Provider in Southwark is Cycle Confident. Book at https://www.cycleconfident.com/sponsors/southwark/ If you think some advanced training would help, book up. If you know someone just starting cycling, suggest they do the basic training. If they need a bike, consider the ?20/month loan scheme provided for Southwark by Peddle My Wheels

Sounds like this doesn't it https://www.idtheftcenter.org/brushing-scam-can-it-really-hurt-you/ The site includes advice on what can go wrong and how to protect yourself

Don't give it to a courier who turns up apparently knowing all about it. if your bank account is linked to your google account, check it and remove the details from google. do you know anyone who would really, really have wanted one but possibly couldn't afford it themselves?

Further on Cycle Confident: They?are now starting to take bookings for individual cycle training (though they are not allowed to train complete beginners due to social distancing being impossible). Their website is here:?https://www.cycleconfident.com/?to make a booking. They have quite a backlog of interest but will try to get to everyone as fast as they can

Some clarification from Cycle Confident. They are taking bookings for adult courses (see their website). They are offering Family skills training and some School training from September but sadly nothing in the summer holidays. Their website is here: https://www.cycleconfident.com/courses/fix-ride/. TfL has given boroughs ?60,000 to spend on cycle training but that probably won't go far. Southwark's courses are open to all those who live, work or study in the borough. Take a look and book ahead, I should

https://lewishamcyclists.co.uk/mend-and-ride-bike-workshop/ Lewisham Cyclists have restarted their fix and ride workshops (see above). Or rather they are in the process of re-starting them. To know more, text or email Jane David on [email protected]. She's in charge. Also Cycle Confident are coming back to life https://cycleconfident.com/sponsors/southwark/. Seems to be adults only from the beginning of September. Both of those are free.

That is certainly right. Remember, the DWP tests are rubbish. Appeal. The council assessors I do not know but if they are Now Medical who do homelessness assessments then they have been criticised by judges over and over again. Appeal. first mate Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > One wonders how fair the issue of meeting criteria > is? Certainly those companies contracted to assess > for PIP on behalf of DWP are seriously dodgy and > deliberately skew or even lie at assessment in > order to fail people. It is known that having gone > through the horrendous process of PIP assessment > and then being failed, a proportion of applicants > will be too ?beaten? and scared to appeal. The > hope is that the council is not going the same > route. > > Sally Eva Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Blue badges are cancelled automatically if a > > person loses entitlement to Personal > Independence > > Payment. The test for PIP is the ability to > walk > > 20m safely, reliably, repeatedly and in a > > reasonable time. A reasonable time in this > context > > means not taking more than twice as long as a > > non-disabled person. > > > > If your wife has lost PIP but should be > entitled > > to it under these rules, she should appeal or > (if > > she is out of time to appeal) should re-apply > and > > appeal any refusal. These decisions are > overturned > > more often than not and 70% are overturned with > > assistance such as that provided by the CAB. > > > > Southwark will give a blue badge even if PIP is > > refused, if she fulfills certain criteria. If > you > > feel that she fulfills the criteria but has > been > > wrongly refused, then you can appeal > Southwark's > > decision. You will need to provide evidence but > > your wife's GP should be able to provide this.

This is one of quite a few online courses: https://www.reed.co.uk/courses/bike-maintenance-cpd-certified/96809. In person ones are a bit iffy because of Covid. We normally run one ourselves in Camberwell but it stopped in April and as far as I know hasn't restarted. Lewisham Cyclists run fix-your-own bike sessions and I'll let you know if they are still going (I've been trying to find out) This one: https://londonbikehub.com/maintenance-training/ is in Greenford and you can tell they are not sure whether they will actually be running their beginner courses in August. These people https://lbk.org.uk/collections/online-classes look very hopeful until you realise that all the courses listed are long passed and none seem to be coming up. I'll keep looking

Yes, you are right of course. Someone over pension age must claim Attendance Allowance which doesn't have a mobility component. The care component is very similar to Disability Living Allowance. Looking at the BB criteria here https://www.southwark.gov.uk/parking/disabled-parking/blue-badge the criteria are 8 pts of the mobility component of PIP (which is easier than the 20m which I quoted) or the higher rate of Disability Living Allowance mobility (which would only apply to children ATM) If southwark use an outside medical agency to assess applicants, they are still responsible for the decision which can be appealed. kiera Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I agree with your good advice, Sally Eva, except > for one point. We are talking about an elderly > lady. If her PIP has been stopped, yes, she can > appeal, but she would not be a eligible to reclaim > PIP. For a fresh claim, a person has to be below > state pension age.

Blue badges are cancelled automatically if a person loses entitlement to Personal Independence Payment. The test for PIP is the ability to walk 20m safely, reliably, repeatedly and in a reasonable time. A reasonable time in this context means not taking more than twice as long as a non-disabled person. If your wife has lost PIP but should be entitled to it under these rules, she should appeal or (if she is out of time to appeal) should re-apply and appeal any refusal. These decisions are overturned more often than not and 70% are overturned with assistance such as that provided by the CAB. Southwark will give a blue badge even if PIP is refused, if she fulfills certain criteria. If you feel that she fulfills the criteria but has been wrongly refused, then you can appeal Southwark's decision. You will need to provide evidence but your wife's GP should be able to provide this.

I am benefiting from it far away in Eynella Road. The reduction in Court Lane "short-cuts" by through traffic has reduced the continuous stream of cars and vans on that road to zero and increased the cycling/pedestrian traffic to 50 from 5 or less. Eynella traffic was negligible so the junction with Lordship Lane was safe and good-tempered. Metallic Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Apart from about twenty homes, no one at all is > benefitting from the closure. The bottom of Court > Lane and the base of Calton Avenue after Woodwarde > Road are the only places to lose traffic. But > instead everyone else is coping with rat runners, > cyclists going too fast because they think it is > their space now, displaced traffic and random > out-of villagers who say how nice it is and who > cares about well off people in SE21. I would love > it if all these fans of the new system would say > where they live when they are making all their > anti-Dulwich, pro-cycling and closure comments. > All those people photographed saying how great the > new system is are those who can walk without a > problem, but I know so many old people who are not > going to be able to move out and about locally > without their car and then having vast > diversions. > Just wait until the next phase is introduced - > see if it makes a POSITIVE difference to > residents. I'm hoping it does, but fear it will > not.

Crystal Palace has got the 25m training pool open for fitness swimming but not the racing pool. Watch this space, they say https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/london/crystal-palace/crystal-palace-national-sports-centre/news/re-opening-of-leisure-facilities-at-crystal-palace-national-sports-centre

https://cycle-skillsonline.tfl.gov.uk/ This is a link to an online cycle skills course run by TfL. There are four short modules and then 24hrs free access to the hire bikes. Looks good

there were loads of private cars and lorries in Rye Lane from late morning onwards. There's a rat-run which comes into Rye Lane from Bournemouth Road, turns left and then exits right down Choumert Road. There's another thread of traffic which comes into Rye Lane from the Primark end and exits at the south end by the Morning Star. Some of it does an illegal right turn to rejoin the main traffic at the Copeland Road lights. The buses could be allowed in with a bus gate but buses probably need speed limiters to operate in such a heavy footfall environment as Rye Lane. Speed limiters (limited to 20) are said to be on their way but never seem to arrive intexasatthe moment Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Is the closure of Rye Lane comparable ? It was > already more or less closed to all vehicles except > buses . > > It disadvantages the many shoppers who rely on > buses and the retail outlets who have already > taken a hit from Covid . > > And I've not found it helpful for social > distancing as walking in the road amongst bikes > ,scooters,skate boards etc rather scary .Though I > guess this might change .

Browning Street and other parts of North Walworth are also having street closures to make it easier and healthier to walk and cycling. These would generally be reckoned deprived areas -- like Rye Lane, as you say. . this is the Commonplace page for comments https://walworthstreetspace.commonplace.is/comments. Basically they are blocking a rat-run across the Walworth Road between the A2 and A3. This is the page which explains what they are doing and why https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/commonplace-customer-assets/walworthstreetspace/Walworth%20Frequently%20Asked%20Questions.pdf rachp Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > alice Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > So it?s just a coincidence that the main > > beneficiaries are those in the wealthier part > of > > our borough? > > In ED and DV it is hard to avoid wealthy streets > isn't it? Is Melbourne Grove an outlier in ED? And > Rye Lane is not wealthy. I don't know where else > in Southwark this is happening, I'm assuming not > only in Dulwich as it's a London wide initiative.

Otto2 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Brilliant initiative - well done Southwark! thanks, we are Southwark Cyclists, part of the London Cycling Campaign. Our website is here https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/ and the LCC's is here: https://lcc.org.uk/. Apologies, I should have put all that in the first post. You can contact us at [email protected]; the organiser is [email protected] or text me on 07842 640 207.

Southwark is launching our own Bike Buddies scheme. We put new riders in touch with experienced riders in their local area so buddies can meet up and ride together: to work, to the park or to the shops. If this sounds good to you DM me and I will rush assistance to you If you know anyone else who might like to ride with an experienced cyclist to gain confidence, or if you are an experienced cyclist and would be prepared to buddy someone, sign up with our simple Form, https://bit.ly/SouthwarkBBs A flyer for the scheme is attached. Please spread the word and ask your friends to pass it on. The big need to reach out to those who want to start cycling but are unsure how to stay safe. If you know of a local group, maybe a community group, one of the new local Covid groups or anyone who would like help, please pass our information to them or send organiser Bruce Lynn ( [email protected]) a link.

This is a local guide on how to get bike parking https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/campaigns/how-to-get-secure-cycle-parking-on-your-street/ but I gather you have tried this line already. If you have any outside space (I'm guessing you don't) or spare cash (ditto) then this bike shed is very secure https://www.shedstore.co.uk/7x3-asgard-access-plus-green-metal-bike-shed-4-bikes?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIq6m0lfjR6gIVS7DtCh0qXQ47EAYYBSABEgIdufD_BwE You probably know all about getting your bike registered. The police like this one https://www.bikeregister.com/. Vandalise your own bike before someone does it for you etc. Join the London Cycling Campaign and benefit from their insurance cover https://membership.lcc.org.uk/insurance-legal-advice. Check your household insurance (f you have it) and see if it includes stolen bikes. I'm not sure I'm being very helpful. If you lived in Nunhead I'd offer you a place in my bike shed. Maybe someone nearer to you than me, might do that.

I think rubbish that goes in the bins is sorted by Veolia? People who don't have any fellow feeling for their fellow citizens whom they can see are unlikely to care about the rest of the planet cwjlawrence Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi dontbesilly, > > Unfortunately, leaving rubbish next to bins is a > non-starter because of foxes that are scavenging > for food overnight - I visit the parks early in > the morning and it's very sad to see the rubbish > spread out over a wide area where foxes have done > their work. We are lucky that our parks stay > open late into the evening which precludes them > being emptied between the last rubbish being > dumped and it getting dark. > > I disagree with your statement that it's not the > "public's fault" - it is 100% an individual's > choice of whether they litter or not. If the bins > are full then take your rubbish home please. > > Where I do absolutely agree with you is that the > recycling facilities in each of the parks locally > are pretty much non-existent and therefore > peoples' waste that could be recycled is being > sent to landfill or even worse just spread around > our parks. > > Therefore, I would advocate: > > 1. All parks to have sufficient recycling bins > 2. Clear signage throughout the park ordering > people to sort their rubbish and recycle. If the > bins are full then it should be clear that people > need to take it home with them. > > The inner eco-warrior in me does question why it > is necessary to produce any rubbish from a picnic, > our throwaway society is so depressing - but I'm > not going to go there! > > I will write to the council today to advocate for > proper recycling facilities in each of the > Southwark parks. If you agree with my > suggestions, perhaps you could do the same and we > could actually make a change. Either that or my > mornings will continue to be spent picking up > other peoples' rubbish, which is a pretty > depressing prospect!

There are still free cycle lessons for key workers (you know who you are) Contact Cycle Confident here: https://www.cycleconfident.com/

Removing parking is very difficult as a glance around this forum will show you. If by the corner you mean on the approach to the Townley Road lights, then yes, there is room for protection there. However people have to get there and along the straight run of EDG a third of the road is parking. I don't understand your remark about removing humps. The square cushions cause drivers to drive down the middle of the road at speed. Sinusoidal humps all the way across the road are more effective than cameras at reducing speed. EDG has got raised tables to help pedestrians cross and slow traffic. Cushions are dangerous to cyclists because on-coming traffic in the middle of the road is dangerous. Sinusoidal humps are fine in themselves and slow traffic. Raised tables force cyclists into the middle of the road (see previous point) and cyclists need bypasses ie lowered curbs to allow them to avoid the pinch point. Bypasses will not work if the road is continuously parked (as EDG generally is) because cars park right up to the bypasses blocking them up. If the bypasses are protected with double yellow lines, residents complain about the reduction in parking spaces. The dangerousness of EDG for cycling is a real problem. I don't know the solution. Traffic thins after the Red Post Hill junction and it makes sense that a lot of this traffic is cutting through Dulwich.

It would be very difficult to fit a bike lane into EDG without removing parking. The traffic is too copious and too fast for an unprotected bike lane. In theory EDG has been traffic-calmed for bikes but in practice cyclists do not use it because it is unsafe. When I need to go to JAGS (for the sports centre) I always take the bus. There are very few ways to get from Nunhead to Dulwich using backstreets (because of all the school playing fields) and the direct route along EDG is too dangerous.

first mate Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Indeed. Just query the wisdom of spending on > hangars that are clearly not secure. I keep saying > folders are a great option! I found my folding bike much nicer than I expected and, as you say, it is amazingly useful to be able to take it on trains etc. Oddly, I find it hard to park and leave. And also hard to carry. I can't carry it far or easily. I'm not sure I could climb station steps with it. When I have tried to fold and leave it somewhere I have found it wedged into a corner from which it's hard to extricate it. So taking it into a theatre would probably be difficult and unpopular but leaving it outside problematic. I've also got a non-folding bike and I tend to use that when I haven't got a rail-assisted journey, which might be a subliminal preference or might be just habit. This seems reasonably even-handed: https://bicycle2work.com/are-folding-bikes-worth-it-pros-cons/

Bike Parking can get quite obsessive. This is a webinar on bike parking mentioning most of the things we have discussed on this thread https://mailchi.mp/44957671bfdc/the-green-transport-recovery-series-3rd-july-cycle-parking-a-network-planning-approach-book-now?e=39cadde78f It's free and this is the general approach: Quality cycle parking is key to enabling more people to cycle. A bike is an important asset, a key mode of transport, and cyclists need to know that their bikes are safe and secure. The objective of cycle network planning is to make sure that every cycle trip starts and ends with a safe place to park. Insufficient cycle parking, lack of convenience, lack of space to store a cycle at home and cycle theft and vandalism are cited as key barriers for potential cyclists.