Category: General

Happy New Year – 2014

Posted on by Secretary

Happy New YearWe would like to thank everyone who helped us in 2013 and to wish all of our members a Happy New Year for 2014.

The New Year is traditionally a time for reflecting on our past achievements and for making new resolutions to ensure that we do even better over the coming 12 months.

We have worked hard over the last year, and have achieved some pretty good things. Highlights include:

  • securing improvements to local cycle facilities,
  • organising three successful cycle counts,
  • running several Dr Bike sessions,
  • supporting local greening campaigns and other events,
  • providing loan bikes to kids from low income families,
  • helping children and adults to improve their cycling skills

Of course it’s not all been hard work – we’ve also enjoyed our social events, such as the monthly gatherings at local pubs and the occasional bike rides.

There’s plenty more that we want to achieve in 2014 and to help focus our efforts, we are asking our members if they would complete a short online survey about:

  • your cycling habits,
  • how you feel about cycling in West Berks
  • what you think about Spokes
  • whether you would be interested in social bike rides.

As always there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved with any of our activities. No experience is necessary. So why not make a New Year’s Resolution that you will actually enjoy keeping and help us to make cycling safe, easy and fun. We look forward to seeing you!

Improving Cycling Safety

Posted on by Secretary

Crash MapCycling has been making the news for all the wrong reasons lately, with 5 cyclists killed in London in just over a week.

It should be remembered that London is going through a significant period of change, with cycling levels in the capital having tripled over the last decade. With such dramatic changes in cycling numbers, it is not surprising that existing infrastructure is struggling to cope and radical changes are required.

There are all sorts of trials of new infrastructure going on, such as Dutch style roundabouts, segregation at signal controlled junctions, and low-level traffic signals for cyclists. This means that we can expect some new approaches to providing facilities for cyclists in the next couple of years, which will really help to tackle some of the safety problems that are starting to appear.

One of the main reasons for founding Spokes was to campaign for safe cycling facilities. Where cyclists are injured on West Berkshire’s roads, it is important to ensure that these incidents aren’t repeated and that risks are designed out of our road network wherever possible.

Until recently, road traffic casualty data has not been available to cyclist campaigners, but web sites such as Crash Map have now put this information in the public domain. Spokes will be using this tool to aid our negotiations with West Berkshire Council to ensure that their investment in cycling infrastructure is targeted effectively.

It is important to remember that cycling is still a relatively safe activity and we don’t have anything like the same level of cycling casualties that London has. With your help, we will continue to press for improvements that will make it even safer.

Northcroft Lane Link Resurfaced

Posted on by Secretary

Northcroft LaneAs reported previously, Spokes has given West Berkshire Council a list of priorities for improving local cycling infrastructure. As you would expect, this included several big schemes like constructing a cycle route on the A4 between Lower Way and Turnpike Road.

However, it also included a number of smaller schemes like resurfacing the western end of Northcroft Lane, which links to the cycle track at the side of Goldwell Park. This may not seem important, but this short stretch of road was so riddled with potholes that it had become quite uncomfortable to cycle on, and we are delighted to report that the Council has just resurfaced this section.

This is just one example of small-scale changes that can be implemented quickly and easily and which make a genuine difference to local cycling journeys. If you have any schemes that you would like us to lobby the Council to implement, then please get in touch. We can either raise it through the Cycle Forum or separately with Council officers.

Spokes campaign success

Posted on by Secretary

Earlier this year, West Berkshire Council asked Spokes for their priorities for cycle schemes and other transport improvements that would deliver benefits for cyclists.

We’re delighted to say that the Council has responded positively on many of these and will even be constructing some of them in the current financial year, including the extension of the Newbury town centre 20mph zone.

Other schemes require further investigation such as:

  • Exempting cyclists from one-way restrictions, e.g. Mansion House Street and Wharf Street.
  • Giving cyclists priority over side roads, e.g. on the Thatcham Northern Distributor Road and on the A4 at B&Q
  • Widening the southern footway of the A4 opposite Martingale Chase and converting it to shared use

However, some of our biggest priorities were knocked back, including:

  • Provision of a cycle route on the A4 between Lower Way and Turnpike Road
  • Improving the canal towpath between Hambridge Road and Thatcham Station.

These are really important links in the cycle route network, so we will keep up the pressure and push for these to be reconsidered.