road safety – Page 4 – Newcastle Cycling Campaign

Cities Fit for Cycling campaign moves up a gear

5th November 2012 Claire Uncategorized

Nine months after launching the Cities Fit for Cycling campaign, The Times takes stock. The 8-point manifesto to make cycling safer is reviewed and the conclusions are clear: not good enough. The government needs to do much more to tackle the issues and make decent progress: levels of funding earmarked for cycling infrastructure in particular are too low to make a real difference on the ground. A parliamentary inquiry “Get Britain cycling” will look at safety issues, amongst other things, and will report back in spring 2013. It will inform how previous commitment can be turned into action and cut[…]

Summer of Cycling on the Finish Line

21st October 2012 Katja Uncategorized

PRESS RELEASE 21.10.2012 The idea was to encourage everyone with an interest in cycling to share the fun and introduce just one friend, neighbour, colleague or family member to cycling. In 2012 a national campaign was run between March and October which aimed to encourage more people to cycle. The ‘All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group’ and ‘The Bicycle Association’ alongside the force of 23 cycling organisations aimed to double cycling this summer. http://www.summerofcycling.net/ The Newcastle Cycling Campaign was an early adopter of the Summer of Cycling and in April asked locals to “nominate their bike buddy”. Katja, Newcastle organiser for[…]

Haddricks Mill walkies

5th October 2012 Katja Uncategorized

Organised by Living Streets. Living Streets (Tyneside) will be carrying out a survey of the streets in the Haddrick’s Mill area on Wednesday 17th October at 5pm to look at Killingworth Road and the South Gosforth Roundabout, a nightmare area for people cycling and walking. The input of people who know the area well would be greatly valued. Meeting place will be at the Brandling Villa shortly before 5pm. The route will take us to South Gosforth Roundabout, along Killingworth Road, and then returning to the Brandling Villa. Total time approximately 1 hour which will allow us to finish in[…]

Awareness Training – Get them cycling, make them understand!

29th September 2012 Newcastle Cycling Campaign Uncategorized

We are talking to Cycle Training UK (CTUK) who are running cycle awareness training courses for HGV drivers in the Hackney Borough (case study attached, below) to learn from their experience and bring their courses up to the North East. They have also worked with the taxi firm Addison Lee in London http://www.bikehub.co.uk/news/bike-to-work/addisonlee/ We believe that getting professional drivers on bicycles is the best way of making them realise how vulnerable cyclists are. Can Newcastle City Council follow in the footsteps of Hackney and cab firm? Watch this space…

Green issues. How many more deaths?

27th August 2012 Katja Uncategorized

Attend to tell council officers about your transport (eh, cycling) problems in the city. The meeting format has now been confirmed by council. Nicola Woodward: “The seating arrangements will be “café” style but the tables will not be themed as that would restrict attendees to one area of discussion only. The tables will be facilitated by council officers but we will expect the attendees to take the lead in discussions and feedback. We will take note of the feedback given by each table. After the meeting we will write a short report on the meeting which will be published on[…]

News clippings – Changing the cycle by Ruth Lawson

5th August 2012 NewCycling Press

Journal 3-page feature (2 August 2012) Changing the cycle by Ruth Lawson http://www.flickr.com/photos/katsdekker/7699121776/ [html / flickr] Kate Cairns attended our last members meeting making a passionate plea for safer roads and road justice.

Charter of Vancouver – children’s right to cycle

11th July 2012 Katja Uncategorized

We’ve signed the Charter of Vancouver because we think children have the right to cycle. It reads: As the UN stresses in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (*): • Childhood is entitled to special care and assistance • Education should be directed toward the development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential and respect for the natural environment • Governments recognize the right of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development • Governments shall respect and promote the right[…]

Cyclist awareness workshop for bus drivers in Newcastle

2nd July 2012 Katja Uncategorized

On 27 June 2012 we joined forces with Newcastle City Council and Newcastle’s four bus companies to host the first ever cycling awareness workshop with bus drivers in Newcastle to improve road safety on our streets. Here some quick comments from the Campaign organisers: Tanja Cooper says: I believe the best way of tackling this problem is by actively raising cyclist awareness amongst motorists through face-to-face workshops. I am delighted about the positive feedback from both cyclists and bus drivers alike. It’s great news that the attendees would recommend this workshop. We are hoping to hold this type of workshop[…]

A resident’s letter – cycling dangerspots

30th June 2012 Katja Uncategorized

Date: 30 June 2012 Subject: Re: South Gosforth roundabout To: Cllrs Leggott, Slesenger, Gallagher Cc: Cllrs Murison, Todd, Faulkner Dear ward Councillors cc Cabinet Environment & Transport, opposition leader I’d really value your action on this. Norman Baker, Under-Secretary of State, has set aside £15m for junction improvements for cyclists, nationwide excl London (which itself received £15m separately) http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3457523.ece. As you can see, Newcastle is seen as a city of inaction, despite the early signing up to the Cities Fit for Cycling campaign – doing something in word, not in deed. The junctions that are a hindrance to cycling at[…]

A resident’s letter – Times blackspots

28th April 2012 Katja Uncategorized

Date: 28 April 2012 Subject: South Gosforth roundabout To: Cllrs Renton, Taylor, Gallagher, Leggott, Slesenger, Dear ward Councillors I am not sure which ward to address this to. The location is seemingly on a boundary. I live in East Gosforth. Have you heard about The Times campaign ‘Cities Fit For Cycling’? The council has signed up to it as an early supporter. You may have seen this recent article? It’s stating: “The South Gosforth Roundabout in Newcastle, the James Barton Roundabout in Bristol and the Brook Hill Roundabout in Sheffield were singled out by many cyclists.” http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3392916.ece May I ask[…]