Jonathan Powell, British Cycling, came to the CycleSheffield meeting in March to talk about the plans for Sky Rides in Sheffield in 2014.
He has kindly sent us his notes for the meeting and they are below along with the PPT he used.
Some CycleSheffield members have signed up to work as Sky Ride Leaders

Schedule overview

Start Date: June 15th

End date: November 30th

3 rides a weekend until August the 31st

2 rides a weekend through September and October

1 ride a weekend starting October 26th and continuing through to the end of November

No Rides 6th of July for Tour de France and a Sunday for the Sky Ride City Event. This will be on 10 Aug 2014, a route has been agreed.

Sheffield iconic/stand alone routes

1. Philadelphia to New York

2. Full Monty ride – visiting filming locations from the movie. (Mick Nott providing details)

3. Norfolk Park Easy (Sheffield College – S2 2RL/Goals Soccer Centre – S2 2RU)

4. Tour de France Route

5. Iconic 5 – any ideas on this one? What could be a route that would be iconic of Sheffield?

Hubs (places to meet to start and stop rides) and indicative rides

1. Concord Park – S5 6AE

1. Easy around Concord park

2. Steady 5 Weirs ride

2. Meadowhall – S9 1EP

1. Easy Ride – Meadowhall shopping trip to New York

2. Steady route – Meadowhall to Coisley Hill

3. Forge Valley Sports Centre – Stannington – S6 5HG

1. Easy route – Around the 1km circuit

2. Steady 8+ (old Well) route – using part of the TDF route through High Bradfield.

4. Westfield Leisure Centre – S20 1HQ

1. Steady to Rother Valley

2. Steady 8+/Challenge route

5. Forge Dam – Fulwood – S10 3TE

1. Steady to Redmires reservoir/Stanage Pole

2. Challenge route

Back up hubs if required

6. Niagara Conference & Leisure – S6 1LU

7. Springs Leisure Centre – Heeley – S2 2AL

8. EIS – S9 5DA

9. Hillsborough Leisure Centre – S6 2AN

Routes by Level

Easy

1. Forge Valley Circuit

2. Norfolk Park

3. Meadowhall to New York

4. Concord Park

Steady

5. Forge Dam to Redmires reservoir

6. Westfield to Rother Valley

7. Concord 5 Weirs ride

Steady 8+

8. Forge Valley TDF to Bradfield

9. Philadelphia to New York

10. Meadowhall steady to Coisley Hill

11. Steady 8+ from Westfield

Challenge

12. Forge Valley longer TDF route

13. Full Monty ride

14. Forge Dam Challenge

15. Iconic 5

The tram tracks are being replaced. The document below is from SYPTE.
Cyclists, especially cyclists visiting or new to Sheffield, are coming off in the tram tracks and injuring themselves.
We understand that as the law stands if a cyclist comes off on the tram tracks then the company is not liable.
But that is only if the tracks are laid correctly (ie not proud of the surface).
The operator, not the Council, was found liable in Roe v Sheffield City Council and others
The rails being proud of the surface were deemed to allow Mr Roe’s car to skid and the tram operators were deemed liable for his (severe) injuries.
I think this case has gone through appeal and the judgement stands.
CycleSheffield understands that SYPTE own the track and South Yorkshire Supertram Ltd, the operating company, is owned by Stagecoach Supertram.
It is not in SYPTE’s interests to challenge Stagecoach Supertram about the carriage of bicycles on the trams or light rail.

Cycling over or along tramtracks needs care and probably explicit training about angles at which to approach them, how much to lean, when to brake, wet or dry? etc
CycleSheffield think that more could be done to make the tracks safer for cyclists – eg warning signs about the presence of tracks, rubber inserts at crossing points with roads etc.
The Council is to remove the red paint that is between the tracks and the footways especially near tram stops as some cyclists are liable to think they indicate a cycle lane.
Neither SYPTE nor Stagecoach Supertram make any attempt to gauge the number or severity of incidents involving cycles (but neither do SYP or the NGH’s A&E).
The Council receive a steady trickle of letters of complaint or inquiries to sue.
None of these problems were anticipated when the tram tracks were laid in the early 90s but came to light more or less straightaway.

A colleagues from Leeds Cycle Campaign went along to a meeting about the possible installation of a cycle path alongside the HS2 line.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has commissioned a Feasibility Study into potential demand for cycling in communities along a route that broadly follows the HS2 corridor. The study will examine how we might create a new national cycleway, by linking or upgrading existing cycle infrastructure or rights of way from London to Birmingham and then onto Sheffield and Leeds, Stafford, Stoke and Manchester.

The Feasibility Study is being carried out by Royal Haskoning DVH (a Dutch consultancy) in conjunction with Phil Jones and John Grimshaw (the founder of Sustrans), both of whom were at the meeting.

The primary objective of a linear cycleway would be to provide a national exemplar of modern and international cycling infrastructure fit for 8 to 80 year olds and bringing benefits to local communities along the route to serve both leisure and utility cyclists and walkers by providing safe, convenient, attractive and continuous links to local stations, urban centres, countryside and tourist attractions typically, but not exclusively, within 3 miles either side of the HS2 route.

The primary purpose of the meeting, which was attended mainly by highways and planning officers from the local authorities on the route through Yorkshire, was for the study team to get a very quick introduction to the existing routes, the problems on those routes, and other desirable routes, some of which would need major infrastructure (such as bridges over motorways) to enable them. We also discussed how such a project should be funded and managed.

The consultants will produce a design guide (which could be a very useful reference for other cycling infrastructure projects), and will report back to the DfT in the autumn. It then “only” needs the DfT to provide the funding, and agreement on a body to manage its construction (and possibly maintenance). It’s hoped the cycleway could be built over a period of ten years – i.e. it could be on the ground long before the HS2 railway!

Full Briefing note below

Reps from CycleSheffield will be presenting the itemm below to the next bi-monthly CycleForum

These items may receive some discussion and/or be passed on to the best people to deal with it in SCC or elsewhere

We post these to all on the CycleForum list about a week before the meeting – and already a Police Inspector has got back to us to say he would like to come and talk to the Forum about the parking of football coaches on the Sheaf Valley Cycle Route at Asline Rd.

We report back on the responses at our monthly meeting (next one Mon Apr 7) and start to build up our agenda for the next CycleForum (Tue May 20) which will be finalsied at our May meeting (Mon May 12)

CycleSheffield Matters for CycleForum Tue 18 Mar 2014

1. CycleSheffield would like SCC to note:

1. our response to the DfT consultation on parking;

2. our appreciation of Greg Challis from the SCC AQAP team coming to the meeting to discuss the Smarter Travel Choices aspect of AQAP 2015;

3. our recent meeting and discussion with the SCC Cycle Champion, David Caulfield to discuss cycling issues;

4. the Cycle Expo meeting in Leeds May 1 & 2 2014  – CycleSheffield is sending a delegate and we would appreciate SCC sending one too;

5. our thanks for a successful initiation of the sub-committee to look at making highway schemes better for cycling;

6. our thanks for works being done to make small improvements within the Streets Ahead opportunities programme, eg dropped kerbs on Duchess Rd at one end of SVCR and the excellent work being done on Upper Hanover Way.

2. Cycle Audits It is now one year since the Cycle Forum meeting in March 2013 where we were led to believe that cycle audits would start.  We understand that some cycle audits have started wrt Streets Ahead opportunities but we do not believe it is the case that is part of the general practice in SCC for highway design or improvements.

1. It could be argued that the Cycle Forum’s sub-committee is a part of this process.  We think this sub-committee is important but we believe that cycle audits (and walking audits) should be part of the design ‘flow-chart’ – an institutionalised part of the process.

2. When are cycle audits to be incorporated into the planning and design process as a matter of course?

3. Has a programme of professional development and training on designing for cycling been established for staff?

4. Is there a reason for why, one year on, that it feels like very little has been done?

3. SYP and Cycling CycleSheffield met with the Police Commissioner last year to discuss SYP’s response and policies wrt cycling and treatment of cyclists and cycling facilities.  We have had cordial discussions with officers but we do not feel we have got any real engagement.  In some events we feel we have not got anywhere and never will get anywhere.

1. The evidence collected for the Inquiry into Cycling showed that one of the main reasons that people do not feel able to choose to cycle is because of the behaviour of other road users either when travelling or when they abuse cycling facilities.  Lack of enforcement means that this poor behaviour on the road will continue and deny people the right to cycle.

2. SYP continue to park football coaches on the Sheaf Valley Cycle Route at Asline Rd and do not seem to be able to locate or be willing to locate alternative locations. This parking blocks the path for every SUFC home game with neither SYP or SCC defining a suitable alternative for cyclists.  This parking creates the impression that it is OK to park on this cycle track.

3. SYP admit that policing road safety or traffic enforcement is a low priority yet we have at least one yellow box that regularly fills up with traffic blocking a cycle lane across the junction.(Behaviour that SY LAs, and agreed by SYP, noted as common in their submission to DfT on Section 6 of the Traffic Management Act)

4. SYP will not take action with vehicles parked in cycle tracks as they deem it a parking offence, we deem it obstruction of a cycle track. (See http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/21). SYP officers are still parking their vans in the cycle lane on Castle St whilst attending Snig Hill police station.  We believe that these obstructions are hazardous to cyclists and threatens their safety.  SYP will not do anything about this parking on Castle St.  They claim parking coaches on Asline Rd cycle path is for the public safety.  This is obviously a complicated area as SCC have officers who enforce parking regs.  There is a SYP Safer Neighbourhood Team, does SYP talk to SCC about these matters under this umbrella or the Road Safety Partnership that exists between them?

5. We recognise that SYP officers have treated threatening behaviour towards cyclists on the road with seriousness but we also recognise that officers haven’t done this and in fact cyclists have been harrassed when trying to make statements.  We believe that there is little training for officers in dealing with incidents where cyclists have been put at risk and no consistent policy or practice with abuse of cycling facilities or incidents likely to put cyclists at risk.

6. SYP would like cyclists to report incidents and to attend Safer Neighbourhood Team Consultations which may be done through Ward meetings.  However we do not believe that this will satisfactorily address the issues above when an advocacy/campaign group is addressing city-wide issues that may affect the whole of SYP and certainly its Sheffield District.  We would value SYP attending the May or July CycleForum to discuss:

7. the priority given to the enforcement of road safety and poor road behaviour;

8. the parking of football coaches and police vans;

9. the guidance or training officers receive to deal with incidents where cyclists are put at risk.

6. Taxis The hope was that when Castlegate market was closed that the number of taxis at the taxi rank would reduce and taxis would no longer park in the contraflow cycle lane.  We can report that this is not the case.  Taxis still park in this lane.

1. We want Parking Services to increase their monitoring & enforcement  and POs to warn taxis of obstruction of a cycle track

2. We want the licensing committee to treat this offence (or multiple offences by taxi drivers) more seriously and consider and change the current disciplinary policy.

3. Our colleagues in Leeds are taking part in a LCC consultation about the ‘fit and proper persons’ criteria for taxi drivers in Leeds with a view to granting 3 yr licences.

4. Are people with criminal convictions allowed to be taxi drivers in Sheffield?  

5. Are there Sheffield taxi drivers who have convictions for criminal motoring offences?

7. Castle St The design of Castle St with the contraflow cycle lane and the bus stops means that buses have to cross the solid white line on the mandatory contraflow cycle lane to pass stationary buses.  We need help here with interpretation.  We think this is hazardous and not legal unless the TRO says it is.  The TRO as far as we can see does not say that crossing the solid white line is permissible.  The Highway Code Advice is: 140 Cycle lanes. These are shown by road markings and signs. You MUST NOT drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a solid white line during its times of operation. Do not drive or park in a cycle lane marked by a broken white line unless it is unavoidable. You MUST NOT park in any cycle lane whilst waiting restrictions apply. Law RTRA sects 5 & 8

1. We want Sheffield Bus Partnership to discuss this matter at the earliest opportunity, something is very wrong here and the city inner ring cycle route is compromised.

8  Five Weir Ways and Towpath

1. Last CycleForum (Jan 2014) we raised out concerns about the construction of the Bus Rapid Transit Northern Route that went to Cabinet on Wed 20/11/13.

2. The 5WW from Weedon St to Meadowhall South tram stop has been closed and is being dug up and used as the route for the district heating pipes.  (We hope that whilst this disruption is concurrent for the BRTNR construction on Meadowhall Way).

3. The Meadowhall to Rotheham towpath is now closed at Tinsley – for NINE months – for construction of the BRTNR onto Sheffield Rd.  Access is not available again until Bessemer Way leading to Brinsworth Lock (at which point you may as well carry on Sheffield Rd to R’ham).  No alternatives (‘safe’ or otherwise) have been provided for cyclists.  Members who use these routes are appalled thatno warning appears to be given or that no altreantives seem to be have been considered by EoN, SCC or RMBC.

4. This follows the fiasco of the recent disruptions to National Cycle Network Route 6, where no warning was given and no diversions have been posted (other than by volunteer rangers) We request that the following measures should be put in place.

5. Sustrans to be notified of all works on NCN routes at least one month before they begin.

6. Diversions to be agreed by Rangers and posted.

7. Where there is space (as on Meadowhall Way) an alternate walking and cycling route to be marked out by temporary barriers, so that the option of a traffic-free route is preserved.

9 Glossop Rd & Clarkehouse Rd cycle lanes.

1. We understand the position re Clarkehouse Rd, where it is difficult to prosecute people who sit in their cars and drive off when parking enforcement officers approach,

2. But we ask SCC to note that people are getting away with parking outside the shops on Glossop Rd at Urban Clearway times.   (We note that Parking Services had a recent enforcement campaign on Carlisle St outside Tesco.  Sometimes these issues are resolved not as a matter of road design but of enforcement)

Cycle Sheffield responded to the Government consultation on local authority parking.

Our SCC liaison officer flagged it up to us.

Many thanks to Dave Holt  for doing this and consulting with us all at meetings and on email.

Here it is

Annex A – List of questions

Q1. Do you consider local authority parking enforcement is being applied fairly and reasonably in your area?

Q2.The Government intends to abolish the use of CCTV cameras for parking enforcement. Do you have any views or comments on this proposal?

Q3. Do you think the traffic adjudicators should have wider powers to allow appeals?

Q4. Do you agree that guidance should be updated to make clear in what circumstances adjudicators may award costs? If so, what should those circumstances be?

Q5. Do you think motorists who lose an appeal at a parking tribunal should be offered a 25% discount for prompt payment?

Q6.Do you think local residents and firms should be able to require councils to review yellow lines, parking provision, charges etc in their area? If so, what should the reviews cover and what should be the threshold for triggering a review?

Q7.Do you think that authorities should be required by regulation to allow a grace period at the end of paid for parking?

Q8. Do you think that a grace period should be offered more widely – for example a grace period for overstaying in free parking bays, at the start of pay and display parking and paid for parking bays, and in areas where there are parking restrictions (such as loading restrictions, or single yellow lines)?

Q9. If allowed, how long do you think the grace period should be?

Q10. Do you think the Government should be considering any further measures to tackle genuinely anti-social parking or driving? If so, what?

Here is the Arts Festival

I must get a ticket to see Maxin Peake’s adaptation of her radio play, Beryl, at the W Yorkshire Playhouse

CycleSheffield will be putting on a Barnsley FridayNightRide as part of the Bike Show there

and CycleSheffield member Rod Ismay is leading a Bell ringing festival on the days of the Tour in Yorkshire – see last box

Plenty to see and do

•          Yorkshire Festival 2014 is the first ever arts festival to precede the Tour de France, the world’s biggest annual sporting event

•          Yorkshire Festival 2014 will run from 27th March to the 6th July 2014

•          Yorkshire Festival 2014 is backed by Welcome to Yorkshire, Yorkshire Water and Arts Council England as well as Local Authorities across the county

YORKSHIRE FESTIVAL 2014 COMMISSIONS