Transport for London has released detailed usage data on the first five months of London’s new Cycle Hire Scheme, known as ‘Borisbikes’ after the London Mayor Boris Johnson who has presided over a glitch-plagued launch that began last July opening to pre-registered users. In December the system was opened to ‘walk up’ users. Continue reading
Kieron Yates‘s documentary feature on the countryside huts of the 32nd Association of North London cycle clubs sparks a discussion on the demise of the traditional cycling club and the possibilities for renaissance. With Nigel Wood, Chairman of the Dulwich Paragon club, who tells the story of how this 75 year old south London club’s fortunes were turned around.
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This video shows off the very best of cycling in London. It’s no surprise that the film features a several shots of people enjoying cycling along the Thames Path, on the south bank of the River Thames between Lambeth Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge.
But if you’ve cycled those lovely stretches recently you’ll have seen around twenty “No Cycling” signs have been put up along the stretch in front of St Thomas’s Hospital. The signs are of questionable legality as there is no by-law in place, just a proposal for a ban. This does not appear to have stopped the police patrolling the area from cautioning cyclists.
The London Cycling Campaign has put together their own video on why the ban is a bad ideal (and there’s more at the Kennington People on Bikes blog).
As things stand Lambeth Council does seem to oppose the ban, as does Mayor Boris Johnson and Green Party’s London Assembly Member Jenny Jones. Proposing the ban are local MPs Kate Hoey and Simon Hughes, St Thomas’s Hospital and the South Bank Employers Group. I encourage everyone to write to your elected officials and to Lambeth Council (via cycling@lambeth.gov.uk) to express your opposition to the ban.
Update 1 (Friday 28 January):
A freedom of information request by Ian McPherson to Lambeth Council has revealed the following fascinating facts:
– The recently installed “No Cycling” signs have no legal force, they are merely ‘advisory’.
– Lambeth Council put them up as a six month experiment following, in the Council’s words “complaints about a small number of aggressive cyclists who were spoiling it for the majority of sensible cyclists and pedestrians who use this section of the South Bank.”
– Police officers and Police community support officers “can request any member of the public to dismount their bicycle and advise them/ask them to dismount. However they are unable to force them to do so.” Should a cyclist refuse to dismount, they would not be committing any offense.
– The signs cost £2,600 to install. This does not include the additional costs to the Police of monitoring and enforcement.
Update 2 (Tuesday 2 February):
According to Nick Halpin of Lambeth Council:
“The “No Cycling” signs that have been erected on the Southbank were advisory and part of an ongoing experiment to tackle aggressive cycling along this stretch of the Southbank; however we recognise that a large number of considerate cyclists have been affected by this decision. As a result of feedback from residents and users of the river walk, we have decided to replace the “No Cycling” signs with the following: “Pedestrian Priority. Considerate Cycling Welcomed”. The erection of the new signs will take place within the next few weeks.
Mark Ames writes ibikelondon, one of the best of London’s blossoming bike blogs. We discuss the city planning ideas of Jan Gehl, the intellectual godfather of Copenhagenization. We hear what British Cabinet minister Eric Pickles MP has to say about cycling and Mark (pictured, above, with two devoted readers) gives his top tips for aspiring bike bloggers.
For more London bike blogging try 101 Wankers, Crap Cycling and Walking in Waltham Forest, Cyclists in the City, I am not a cyclist, Kennington People on Bikes, Lo Fidelity Bicycle Club, Velo Loves the City and War on the Motorist.
From further afield try A View from the Cycle Path, Lazy Bicycle Blog and Copenhagenize.
Audio clips of the Creating Tomorrow’s Liveable Cities conference thanks to The Economist.
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On the day before the completion of the construction phase of London’s new 6,000-seat velodrome on the 2012 Olympic site, we are treated to a sneak peek. Mike Taylor of Hopkins Architects presents the design vision and explains how he hopes it will not only be fast but environmentally sustainable and a great place to go and watch elite track racing. Mike argues that the threatened outdoor track at Herne Hill (which hosted the Olympics in 1948) is a vital ‘feeder track’ for the new Olympic facility.
Many London cyclists will know that the 2012 Velopark (velodrome, BMX track and road circuit) is being built on the site of the much-loved Eastway cycle circuit. A short film captures the final Tuesday night Ten Mile Time Trial before the circuit was demolished to make way for the 2012 Olympics.
Flickr set Velodrome pics (Creative Commons license!) here.
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Ron Cooper is a legend in frame-building. He started as a fifteen-year-old apprentice with A.S. Gillott, and his frames have come to define the very best of the British lightweight style. He talks about the early days learning from master frame-builders like Jim Collier and Bill Philbrook, his own racing career and his commercial success in the US in the 1970s. Along the way he explains the technique and motivation needed to hand build more than 7,000 racing frames. Having turned 79 in June this year, Ron Cooper is still building three mornings a week.
Look out for the cover story in Rouleur 19 on Ron Cooper, with photos (including the above) by Nadav Kander.
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More than a few people have raised objections to the way the Mayor of London has, for the relatively modest sum of £5 million a year for 5 years, given Barclays bank the right to paint large swathes of London’s public highway in its corporate shade of blue, have its name emblazoned on street signs and plastered over the 6,000 new hire bicycles that will be hitting the streets tomorrow.
If you sign up for the bike hire scheme (for £45 a year) you’ll get a special key (costing £3) that you will use to release the bikes from their docking stations. Like the streets, the signs and the bikes, the key comes with some Barclays corporate branding. Fortunately, it is rather easy to remove – with just a scouring pad and a little elbow grease. At least you can prevent the corporate takeover of the London’s streetscape from extending into your own pocket.
Before:
After:
Photo: Richard Pope (Creative Commons – Attribution | Share Alike)