CTC has published data showing which locations in the country have the highest concentration of drivers with penalty points.
The new ramp between the Concourse and Durham Road is now open, with a lot more room for pedestrians and cyclists.
At this year’s AGM we appointed a Campaigns Manager.
Having given it some thought as to how to approach this, he’s tried to apply Project Manager techniques to the task and created some templates in Google Docs.
So we now have a Campaigns Initiation Document for any new Projects. These have been looked at by the exec group and approved for use at last night’s meeting.
This is is an example of how this will work, based on the Ecclesall Rd campaign.
We also have also written a Campaigning Policy to which we would expect anyone running a campaign on our behalf to abide by.
Anyone running a campaign will be expected to provide a brief monthly update to meetings.
Something else we propose is be an online form so members can suggest prospective campaigns to us.
We now intend to inform the council that this is how we intend to work in future.
Costa have set up shop in Heeley Retail Park and blocked the cycle route. Where the ramp used to be there are some steps and to cycle through you have negotiate your way through the tables and then do a dog-leg to get the to the dropped kerb. There has certainly been no consultation about this!
This sign popped up on Clarkehouse Rd yesterday. It immediately elicited a storm of derision from CycleSheffield members. What on earth were they thinking – that cyclists would just pop off their bikes in the middle of a stream of traffic? A more appropriate sign would be “motorists give way to cyclists”.
These are the works that are being funded in the joint bid that Sheffield put in with the Peak District.
Some surface improvements in Wharncliffe Woods
A new cycle route from Wharncliffe Woods through Deepcar, Stocksbridge and Langsett connecting to the TPT at Thurlstone Moor (and crossing the 2014TdF route)
Surface improvements on the approach to Dunford Bridge
The estimated cost is £1.7Million, of which the grant awarded today will contribute £1.1million
Creation of a number of other new routes including
connecting the Monsal Trail into Buxton and Matlock and connecting to existing trails
A route from Staffordshire
A route through the Hope valley (though at partner discussions it wasn’t expected that this could be delivered within the timescales –so watch this space)
A grant fund for organisations to develop hubs
Funded from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) :
– Extending the Upper Don Valley route alongside Penistone Road from – Hillsborough Leisure Centre to Leppings lane (due for completion March 15)–as part of the Sainsburys development this will be further extended to Claywheels Lane
– Extending the Blackburn Valley route from Ecclesfield to Chapeltown
– Resurfacing the canal towpath between Tinsley and Rotherham (in partnership with Rotherham Council) – will be complete Sept 13
– Making improvements along the Five Weirs Walk – creating new links, filling in gaps and resurfacing (Due for completion Dec 14)
– Making improvements to cycle parking around the city – on and off highway including http://www.parkthatbike.info/
– Developing a secure cycle storage facility at Halfway park and ride (this may well (if successful) be rolled out to other tram and train based Park and ride across the county
Funded from the Local Transport Plan
– Creating a cycle link from Handsworth into the Adanced Manufacturing park at Waverley (due to be completed Dec 13)
– Improving the crossing points at Hangingwater Road and Whiteley Wood Road (programmed to be delivered summer 14)
– Opportunities for small scale cycle improvements as part of the Streets Ahead project PFI opportunities
– Improved access across the railway line from Oughtibridge into Wharncliffe Woods
Behaviour change/ Smarter choices
Funded from LSTF
– Sheffield CycleBoost (covering residents and employees in NE Sheffield, Don Valley and City Centre this scheme includes
Free bike loans and the option to buy the bike at significant discount at the end of the loan period subject to certain conditions
Free Maintenance courses and bike doctor surgeries
Free Training from beginner to advanced
Some of this programme is available to all but only runs in certain locations, I have attached the 2013 programme (this is on top of similar work with employers)
Publications
Sheffield cycle map published 2012, update due winter 2013
LSTF area bikeability map – map grading roads by the level of ability required to cycle on them – out now
As part of the LSTF project, a pop up bike kitchen in Attercliffe – this will host maintenance courses and will also be a place you can take your bike and fix it yourself by hiring tools on site. To be developed into a cycle hub.
Plans for the future
Developing a Green Routes network strategy to link much of Sheffield’s green space with cycle routes
Investigating solar powered low level way marking as many of our current ‘green’ routes are not cyclable in the dark.
Working with partners on a Tour de France legacy
On top of this parks and countryside are working on mountain biking, creating trails, improving bridleways, creating a significant social network of cyclists, plus work in schools.
So plenty going on, but lots more needs to be done. Sheffield City Council needs to have a “Shovel Ready” programme available so when funds come up they are fit to bid – bearing in mind that there is more to developing cycling than putting in cycle routes. In future bids the focus needs to be on utility cycling, since much of the work above will mostly benefit leisure cyclists.
A Sustrans volunteer writes:
You know how we discussed the closure of the above track to motor vehicles on Saturday! Barbara and I went out for a hike on Sunday, and we walked over the moor from the Roundhouse via Redmires. Jesus Wept!! Someone has used a large vehicle to pull the entire locked barrier out of the ground, post an all. So this expensive piece of kit is now lying twisted on the ground. To add insult to injury we had to get of the track to allow 6 off-road motor-cycles to pass. What next – landmines!
Travelling to Nottingham in the next 5 weeks?
- Mick is working on the Scrutiny Committee that will look at how the council promotes cycling and whether it could be doing it better, particular by looking at it as a community and public health issue rather than just a problem to be dealt with on the roads.
– Simon is taking on the proposed removal of a bus lane on Ecclesall Rd, with only a poor quality share use route on the pavement being offered as an alternative.
– Polly continues the good fight with Supertram, persuading them to at least try out the carriage of the occasional carriage of a bike on their very large vehicles at quiet times.
– Matt is working on a number of fronts including taxis stopping in bike lanes, trying to find out what the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership and Local Transport Bodies have in store for us, and assessing the impact of the tram-track engineering works on cyclists.
Richard and Ian have been working hard on 20’s Plenty, which of course has benefits for everyone, not just cyclists.
Meanwhile, we’ve been out and about with the stall, talking to cyclists and would-be cyclists, and of course encouraging you all to support us by joining up.
Catch us this week at the Sheffield Grand Prix!
The Northern Rail ‘Bike&Go’ hire scheme is due to be installed at Meadowhall and Rotherham Stations. Meadowhall’s scheme should be up and running by late August 2013.