Dear member, There is a preliminary consultation on the future transport in the North East. Please reply to it and mention the construction of a good quality cycle network and the six principles of Space for Cycling as much as you can. Please fill in the NE survey and mention cycling https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/neca_transport_manifesto_consultation There are several questions in the online questionnaire. Be not put off, not all need filling in. The only compulsory question is whether you reply as an individual or on behalf of an organisation. There is plenty of freetext to mention building cycleways and liveable neighbourhoods (reducing through motor traffic), creating safe routes to schools and cycle-friendly[…]
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Why do we campaign for cycling and a safe quality infrastructure? Above all, there is huge sense of unfairness faced by the small minority of people who cycle as a means of transport, to go from A to B, everyday or regularly. The people we call the brave ones, because, despite the hostile conditions on the roads, they do it. As most minorities, we are not cared for, abused and blamed in many ways. Do people have choices when it comes to transport? Is cycling a genuine option when the provision in our cities is so poor and unsafe? Last[…]
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At the LCGD conference, Cllr Nick Forbes, the Leader of Newcastle City Council showed his support to cycling and talked about the ‘bigger picture’, and how cycling is an essential part of a fair and sustainable economy. While you can listen to his entire opening speech or read the transcript here, we have selected some highlights for you, and added our comments too: “The challenge for us of course is as I say is that much of our physical infrastructure in Newcastle is designed around either an old fashioned model of how the economy worked or the post-industrial period where[…]
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Earlier this year, we pressed for a Bikes on Metro trial – although NEXUS bosses said no, at least it kick started a stakeholders’ group examining the long-standing question of whether bicycles can be carried on the TW Metro. As part of this investigation, NEXUS are surveying Metro passengers (on-train) and a wider population (off train) in order to capture the views of bike users and non-bike users: https://www.research.net/s/N2XKRJ7 The results of the survey as well as other elements of the investigation (e.g. Health and Safety assessment) will be included in a report to the NEXUS board at the end[…]
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This week the Campaign for Better Transport released their 2012 Car Dependency Scorecard. In the scorecard, Gateshead was ranked last in the category for Walking and Cycling, with Newcastle also ranking low at 22nd (out of 26). In the scorecard, the Future Plans for Newcastle and Gateshead are also seen as a problem as they seem to have no measures to address the low Walking and Cycling scores for the area. Gateshead has a particular issue with only around half of children cycling or walking to school, which has contributed towards it’s low ranking. Locally Sunderland compared significantly better, but[…]
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In a letter today Bernard Garner says the task & finish group is in the process of being set up. His own head of communication was of the opinion it had been set up. Communications! Wires. Crossed. Inching closer… Metro’s Stephen Psallidas will be in touch. In the near future. Here’s what was said in 2005 “However, Stephen Psallidas of transport charity Sustrans, is urging Nexus to support the idea in principle and carry out a trial on Sundays and bank holidays”. We remain. Waiting. And. Seeing.
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Today Metro announces the first modernised carriage has taken to the tracks http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-17032582. Years ago the cycling community had been promised that the refurbishment would give consideration to the carrying of bikes. Funny that.
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We ‘learnt’ that Metro bosses are still playing the same old record, see today’s Journal and the Chronicle. For the ones interested in the detail: Contrary to Huw Lewis, head of communciations, announcement, the working group (task & finish group) has NOT been set up. As we would be part of it, we would have heard, surely? We remain requesting to hear from Bernard Garner directly, not by proxy from his head of communications; and wonder whether Bernard’s taken up the offer by a Newcastle Councillor to meet at South Gosforth station to discuss the very subject? We renew our[…]
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Today we wrote an open letter to Bernard Garner calling for a trial run. We’ve also pledged our involvement.
A press release is available here
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04.02.2012 PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CYCLE CAMPAIGNERS’ CALL FOR A TRIAL OF BIKES ON THE METRO An open letter was sent today to Metro bosses asking to pilot the carriage of standard bicycles on their network. The bicycle ban on Metro trains has for decades been a big bugbear to the cycling community. The Newcastle Cycling Campaign collected corroborating evidence in 2011, and swiftly submitted this to Metro bosses. The cycling community was also quick to renew their demand to carry bikes on the trains at an event organised by Metro in November 2011. In an open letter[…]
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