How to Normalise Cycling in East Dulwich

[ellabrunswick]

I think we need secure places for bicycles at home. If you live in a terraced house converted to flats, or share a terraced house with lots of other people who want to cycle, or live in a small flat on the fourth floor of a block ... there's nowhere safe to leave your bike overnight.

I think that lots of people who don't cycle at the moment might if they had somewhere to keep a bike. Even if they only use it for short journeys. Especially if they only use it for short journeys! That's what makes it normal - lots of people, of all ages, just popping to the shops or to visit a friend by bike.

Look at this brilliant project in Lambeth using Bike Hangars - they are secure mini-sheds for 5 or 6 bikes that sit on the street and take up half a car parking space each. http://www.cyclehoop.com/product/bike-lockers/bike-hangar

Lambeth ran a pilot in Bonnington Square (near Oval) and are now putting in 26 hangars as part of a larger traffic calming scheme around Hackford Road, off Brixton Road.

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/TransportStreets/GrassRoutesStreetsForPeople.htm

Wouldn't it be great if Southwark tried putting in a couple of bike hangars in a street in East Dulwich?

[Jakido]

An post article about cycling mums setting out the challenges to overcome:

http://ibikelondon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/let-mothers-ride.html

[Townleygreen]

ellabrunswick makes good points. One answer - for some - is folding bikes. These take up a much smaller space (under a bed, desk etc) and you can also take them into your work space if that's good for you.

[ellabrunswick]

Thanks for the link to the cycling mums piece Jakido - interesting.

Yes, I agree Townleygreen folding bikes look like a good solution for some people. (I've never tried riding one!) The proposed Brompton hub at Peckham Rye station could be interesting... There's a very impressive Brompton hire dock at Manchester Piccadilly.

But my feeling is that - as you imply - there isn't one solution that works for all. We need to make it possible to ride safely and conveniently on bikes of different sizes, adult trikes, cargo bikes and box bikes, when pulling trailers or using child seats ... lots of different answers.

[Townleygreen]

I have a Brompton and it's great to ride.

[howdood]

+1 on potholes - I speak as someone who lost a suit jacket and a fair amount of blood after unscheduled contact with the tarmac last summer thanks to one of the many huge potholes toward the LL end of East Dulwich Grove. The lesson holds for the rest of ED: it's no good having a nice green cycle lane painted on the road if the surface itself isn't fit for two wheels.

One thing that would help a lot: a bit more careful monitoring of road repairs. On my 2 mile daily commute I could point out about a dozen hazardous potholes which are probably on a council spreadsheet as "repaired" when really all that has happened is that someone (Conway?) has dumped a spoonful of tarmac in the middle of them then filed an invoice.

[East of Dulwich]

James,

Regarding the Spurling Road cycle contraflow. This deserves the status of "ghost cycle route" ? how would anyone know it's there since it isn't signed and there's no indication from the roundabout that cyclists are permitted to use the facility? I'm afraid it's yet another example of embarrassingly half-hearted cycle facilities, for which the UK is justly famous throughout Europe.

See, for example http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/oct/20/crap-cycle-lanes

Kind regards,

[edhistory]

Did F.M.Conway construct all the cycle routes/facilities in East Dulwich?

John K

[Betsy Vickers]

Enough with the vendetta against Conways. It's really boring and gives every appearance of being an obsessive, creepy stalker. If you are an OCS, then fine. But if not, maybe want to give some thought to how you come across to others. Just saying!

[James Barber]

The FM Conways contract Southwark has agreed is considered cheaper than pan London deals others have signed-up for.

But we have had a number of local issues where contracted aspects such as keeping residnets advised and informed just doesnt happen effectively. The work on Crystal Palace Road for example had huge number of snagging issues - that went on for months and months after the official works had ended.

So I can understand the odd residents having a thing about them if they've been on the receiving end.

[Betsy Vickers]

Yeah? I think it's just boring and stalker-ish and slightly creepy. So we'll have to disagree on that.

[damzel]

Sorry, haven't read the whole thread so might not be the best place to ask but didn't think a new post was warranted. Can anyone advise how to request a 2 way cycle path on a one-way street? It would make my life so much easier cycling to Peckham Rye station if the 2 northern sections of Choumert Road were 2-way for cyclists. I can't seem to find a quiet alternative that doesn't add time to my journey.

[the-e-dealer]

I think the one way system is being scrapped anyway. Better for everyone. Even pedestrians! Not just Cyclists.

[polla2256]

It really is difficult to take this thread seriously when the word "normalise" is used.

To what standard of conformity are you referning, from which standard has it deviated and how ?

Is the bigger issue not national and related to attitue ?

[Jakido]

Blame Boris for my use of 'normalise' (see his quote in first post).

Happy to change the title if you'd like to suggest something - i am interested in how we could make cycling the normal way to get around, as opposed to driving. e.g. the school run involves families cycling to school rather than sitting in a car.

Thanks everyone else for your suggestions, i see elsewhere James Barber has announced that cycle superhighway 6 is due to arrive on Lordship Lane in 2015. This should help cycle commuters at least.

Jakido

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

From the TIMES NEWSPAPER TODAY

David Cameron is being urged to start a cycling revolution as a cross-party group of MPs and peers calls for the transformation of Britain?s streets.

Motoring organisations, road safety professionals and opposition MPs welcomed proposals that they claim would save lives, improve public health and save millions of pounds spent treating preventable disease.

The recommendations come after a four-month parliamentary inquiry, inspired by The Times Cities Fit for Cycling campaign, into how to encourage more cycling and to protect those on the roads.

The inquiry?s proposals include:

? A default 20mph speed limit on residential streets.

? Access for all schoolchildren to cycle training.

? Better road surfaces and junctions.

? Widespread segregated cycle routes.

? Improved lorry design and driver training.

? Stricter enforcement of road traffic law.

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

and the link to sign the petition

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49196

[Loz]

Rhinestone Cowboy Wrote:

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> ? Stricter enforcement of road traffic law.

... for cyclists? Yay!!

[Sue]

ellabrunswick Wrote:

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> I think we need secure places for bicycles at

> home. If you live in a terraced house converted to

> flats, or share a terraced house with lots of

> other people who want to cycle, or live in a small

> flat on the fourth floor of a block ... there's

> nowhere safe to leave your bike overnight.

>

> I think that lots of people who don't cycle at the

> moment might if they had somewhere to keep a bike.

xxxxxxx

Agreed.

That is exactly my problem.

I had some cycle lessons last year, which were great and made me a lot more confident, but I have nowhere to keep a bike.

Townleygreen, someone I know who has several bikes including a Brompton says folding bikes are quite unstable and weird to ride, do you not find that?

Also, how long does it take you to fold and unfold it?

I'm not sure I can afford one but I might consider it if I thought I would actually use it a lot.

[macutd]

I have an idea? how about getting the coach parking off East Dulwich Grove in front of JAGs.This bottlenecks the traffic into a death trap for cyclists.The coaches could use the ample grounds within JAGs or even Greendale.

There used to be a cycle path along this part of EDG but it was taken out to make room for the coaches.

[susiq]

cyclepaths should be locked up

[susiq]

perhaps cyclist could pay something towards road tax or pay for some sort of road tax.

[uncleglen]

How is this little lot going to be normalised then?

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1081433

[Applespider]

susiq Wrote:

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> perhaps cyclist could pay something towards road

> tax or pay for some sort of road tax.

There is no such thing as road tax; it was abolished in 1937. Roads are paid for from general taxation which cyclists are just as subject to as every other citizen.

The current actual terminology for what motorists like to call 'road tax' is vehicle excise duty which is based on emissions. Cyclists (unless they're refuelling on beans) don't emit toxic fumes so their VED would be nothing. The other zero-emission vehicles (electric cars etc) are also heavier and therefore more likely to damage road surfaces than cyclists.

The other key thing mentioned in that report is the health benefits if you get more people cycling and therefore the money put into cycling infrastructure should be seen as an investment in future lower NHS costs for obesity/heart disease/diabetes.

[Townleygreen]

Sue, in answer to your questions:

"Townleygreen, someone I know who has several bikes including a Brompton says folding bikes are quite unstable and weird to ride, do you not find that?

Also, how long does it take you to fold and unfold it?"

They are no way unstable at all! thousands of them have been sold by this company which makes them in Britain amazingly and they are great.

When I was trying one out (at Evans Cycles in Clapham) the guy serving me folded it in 9 seconds! I can't do it that fast, but it takes less than a minute, and the same to fold it up again.

Try one out at Evans or wherever, see for yourself.