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Newsletter 17 (April 1998)

Contents:

• Bridge Street, the future
• Cambridge-wide cycleways
• Slower Speeds
• Quy interchange
• Easier to park at Shire Hall
• Highway Code
• Addenbrooke's - Bitten by the BUG
• Where's the Edge?
• National Bike Week 6 -14 June
• Cambridge Leisure Park
• So What Is a Leisurely Ride?
• Membership Corner
• Letters
• Using a car carrier?
• The Chisholm Trail
• Newmarket Road Corridor Study
• Red may mean Go at Bus Signals
• Advanced Stop Lines
• Fixed Penalty Fines
• Spot the Cycle Track - Number 1
• Bikes and Trains
• Parking Subgroup
• Cambridgeshire Capacity Study
• Two-wheeled Charity
• A Day in the Life of a Mobile Mechanic
• Second Road Traffic Reduction Bill
• Discounts for Members
• Campaign Diary
• Campaign stall
• Can you help?
• About the Campaign
• Elected Officers
• Contacting the Campaign
• Cycling Campaign Subgroups
• Other organisations - contacts

Bridge Street, the future

The Bridge Street closure was made permanent at the County Council Environment and Transport Committee on 19 March. Thank you to everyone who wrote and sent postcards about the scheme. The decision was still in the balance until recently, when South Cambridgeshire backed it. At the meeting, I spoke in support of the petition many of you signed. We were undoubtedly influential in the outcome.

The main concerns raised in the debate were the impact on traders in Bridge Street, which was unclear, and the impact on Victoria Road.

What next? Bridge Street is supposedly stage 1 of the Core Traffic Scheme, and moves will be made to consider what further traffic restraint in the central area should happen next. More also on Bridge Street, however: we can expect to see proposals now for street architecture changes. Officers are also tasked with looking at Victoria Road.

David Earl

Cambridge-wide cycleways

It is ironic that this should be the title of a series of plans produced by the County Council covering cycle track proposals in southern Cambridgeshire, since they include the same narrow reconstructed or newly-constructed paths between towns and villages as we have seen slightly closer to home. One proposal in the Swavesey area suggests 1.5 m alongside a road.

We remain of the opinion that these constructions don't give good value for money. Nevertheless there are some links that would be useful. The plans included

• a link away from roads between Swavesey and Fen Drayton
• linking Swavesey with Over
• links between Huntingdon, Wyton and Houghton
• a particularly useful link between Whittlesford and Sawston. This latter is impenetrable at the moment because of railway and river.

Further north, things have ground to a halt a bit. An application for Government funds for a Fens cycle package in conjunction with Norfolk County Council was turned down. However there is some European money available, and there are hints that another bid this year may be successful, so more planning on the scheme is to go ahead on a small scale to keep it alive for now.

Closer to home

The three South Cambridgeshire schemes we reported on last time have gone a stage further. Fulbourn to Cambridge City boundary has been approved by a council committee to go to the planning stage, this route having 'most consensus'. This would form a newly constructed track on the north side of Fulbourn Road. Unfortunately there is no immediate prospect of anything happening on the area straddling the City boundary, though the Councils are now aware of the need for this to be addressed, especially as students at Netherhall School are among those expected to be using this discontinuous facility.

The Committee also accepted that 1.4 m was too narrow to build a cycle track between Comberton and Barton and has allocated extra funds to make this wider - 1.7 m, which is still too narrow, but the best we are likely to get. This scheme won't go ahead for a while.

Cambridge Road, Milton, now with red surfacing to encourage drivers to keep clear of cyclists

Milton High Street is possibly the most controversial of the group of three proposals, since there is a local movement to have the footways converted to shared-use through the village instead of providing (rather inadequate) cycle lanes. This kind of shared-use is exactly the kind of completely inadequate facility that we object to and we will oppose any moves in this direction. Nevertheless, South Cambridgeshire councillors really do seem to think that the only way to provide for cyclists is to put them on the pavement. They seem destined to repeat the same mistakes that Cambridge City made for years.

However a good bit of news in exactly the same area is that two of the central islands which created a hazardous pinch point for cyclists in Milton High Street, which we reported in Newsletter 14, have had red surfaced cycle lanes applied through them. We brought this to the attention of the Council through the Liaison Committee. The surfacing should give the appearance of a narrower gap to motorists and encourage keeping greater distance. If you use Milton High Street regularly we would very much like to hear from you whether this has helped.

This was part of what seems to be becoming a regular application of red around the City whenever contractors are in the area.

Barton Road

Cambridge Cable hurriedly burying their cables deeper on Barton Road

By the time you read this, construction should have started on the cycle track on Barton Road. In fact Cambridge Cable have already been doing preparatory work where they did not originally bury their cables deep enough. Signs saying 'extensive road works for 12 weeks' have gone up, and Grange Road will be closed for a week or so in April while the table carrying the track across it is constructed.

Work on the path will be done 100 m at a time, from one end to the other, but other works and the traffic signals at Newnham Road corner will be built in parallel. The whole of the new path will be surfaced in one go in late May or early June so there will be a temporary surface for a while (mind you, even this will probably be better than the old surface).

Milton Road

Work on Cowley Road off Milton Road near the Science Park has been completed. We have had some mixed responses about this. On the one hand, the cycle track at the junction with the old Milton Road actually curves up to the crossing properly, unlike the right angle bends so often used elsewhere; and it is a proper cycle track, not just a shared-use as originally proposed. However, now that it has gone in, there have been some critical comments about the crossing of Cowley Road at the southern end.

Several people have commented on the forward stop box on Milton Road. Why is it there, seemingly stranded in the middle of the road? The answer is that the left lane is now for left turns only all the way from the roundabout. For confident cyclists who are continuing straight on, on the road, this box and approach lane offers some limited protection from traffic passing on both sides. However, left turn lanes like this are never satisfactory for cyclists, and we now have an appointment to discuss left turn lanes in general at a liaison meeting with the Council later in the year.

Transport Policies and Programmes

This is the high falutin' title of the bid for money which the County Council makes each year for Government funds. This sets out the Council's general strategy, and this year will be being prepared in the shadow of the impending White Paper on transport, so there will inevitably be last minute changes to it to follow the new Government line. While the impact of the White Paper will not really be felt fully until the 2000-2001 bid, another change this year is very welcome - the Council is formally to consult interested parties, such as ourselves, for the first time. We did make a submission last year, in response to the rather weak content on cycling; this year the Council will invite comments.

David Earl

Slower Speeds

In 1996, 3 600 people were killed on British roads, and nearly a third of a million were injured. Speed is the single biggest factor causing crashes.

The Slower Speeds Initiative was launched on 23 March. It aims to show that there is massive public support for reduced speeds on our roads. This will encourage walking, cycling and public transport, save thousands of lives, and give greater freedom and fitness for all ages.

This fits with our aims so well that we have enclosed a leaflet about the initative. The organisers - an alliance of national transport pressure groups - are seeking endorsements from organisations and individuals. Please give it your support by returning the coupon.

Quy interchange

In the first week of March we had a letter asking us what we thought about proposals to take the left lane of the slip road from the A14 straight into Newmarket Road at Quy, effectively bypassing the roundabout. But before we had had a chance to reply to the letter, in the third week of March, the work was done. In any case the plan supplied was too small for us to see that there was a little cycle lane (only about 0.5 m wide) on the roundabout. This ends in a Give Way for cyclists, where we are intended to cross both the new lane of continuous fast-moving traffic and the ordinary lane on the slip road.

We took this picture, looking towards Cambridge, before line-painting was complete. We drew in the extra lines.

We felt this was outrageously hazardous for cyclists, for those coming from Bottisham would find themselves in Newmarket Road between two lanes of very fast moving and accelerating traffic, or stranded.

Many cyclists would use the tunnel under the A14 by the Quy Mill Hotel instead, but this does involve two right turns across traffic and ends up on a wholly inadequate shared-use pavement. Fiddly layouts on the pavement and around the roundabout wouldn't help here, because the kind of cyclist who would use the roundabout rather than the tunnel just won't use them.

As soon as we learned that work was proceeding, we had a flurry of phone calls with the engineers responsible. They would not take the scheme out immediately. It must come out, though. In the meantime, we must have careful monitoring, on-site meetings with the engineers and, in the longer term, better access to the tunnel.

Looking towards Quy; this cyclist did not use the lane

David Earl

Easier to park at Shire Hall

Covered shelter next to the main Shire Hall building, shortly to be monitored by cameras

Cambridgeshire County Council's headquarters at Shire Hall is one of the bigger employment sites in Cambridge, and while the County Council is promoting more sustainable transport, for example through the Travel for Work scheme, it is also making some effort to recognise its own role as employer and energy consumer. Many projects are only pilots so far - for example there is one gas-powered car among the ordinary pool cars, and one solar powered light by the porter's lodge. However, there has been more serious attention given to cycle parking in recent years and months, and the programme is continuing.

Travelwise co-ordinator David Arkell took me on a tour of some of the cycle parking facilities on one of the wettest mornings of the year in early March. There has always been some cycle parking on the Shire Hall site, but until recently much of it was of the wheel bender variety. Now however, Sheffield stands are becoming the norm. But what is unusual is that many of these are being installed under covered shelters. These are distributed around the large site, so that people can park their bikes close to their particular office. A few new Sheffield stands have also been installed within the last year at the main entrance, which visitors are free to use, and this year at the Castle Court entrance.

Security cages under Castle Court

Notices on the shelters make it clear that cycle theft is as much a problem here as everywhere. Closed circuit TV seems to be the answer to many urban crime issues. Here the County Council is to install cameras specifically to keep the cycle stands under surveillance. These haven't gone in yet, but are on the way.

Under Castle Court there is a car park, and at two of the corners a couple of spaces have been removed and replaced by locked cages containing bike racks. County employees can obtain a key, offering them very secure cycle parking with an allocated space. David said that these had been there for several years now. One effect of the generally increased level of provision seems to be that 'people who might only have cycled in the summer are tending to cycle all year round now', he said. At which point another member of the Environment and Transport Department staff drew up heavily dressed in waterproofs. Did he use the cages, I asked, expecting to take a photo of them in action. 'No,' he replied, 'I just lean my bike against the wall.'

David Earl

Highway Code

There's going to be a new edition of the Highway Code. Why should we care?

Although the Code is primarily intended for drivers, there is a section containing advice for cyclists, and a section of general rules which apply to all road users. The code isn't law, but in legal proceedings a failure to comply with the rules may be used to establish liability, so it's important that the rules should make sense from the point of view of a cyclist. Unfortunately, not all of the rules make sense, and some of them, if followed by cyclists, are downright dangerous.

The Driving Standards Agency, who produce the Code for Parliament, made a draft available to interested organisations for comment. We requested a copy of the draft, and a few of us met to discuss it. We would have done this at a full meeting of the Cycling Campaign, but by the time we heard about the request for comment there were only a few days left before the deadline, so we had to act quickly.

It's worrying to see that the general attitude of the Code towards non-motorists has hardened over the years. In past editions of the Code, pedestrians were advised to walk on the right. Later they were advised to keep close to the side of the road, and in the latest draft they are told to walk in single file! This won't do anything to encourage people to walk.

The draft Code advises cyclists always to use cycle tracks. Cyclists in Cambridge will know that this completely ignores the problems which cyclists have to face on such tracks: potholes, poor lighting, detours, and conflicts with pedestrians. It's difficult to believe that this advice could have been written by an urban cyclist.

In his book Cyclecraft (reviewed in Newsletter 15), John Franklin continually stresses the need for adult cyclists to ride confidently and assertively. Unfortunately the draft Code contains advice quite contrary to this. In particular, the section on roundabouts includes the advice that timid cyclists should consider riding all the way round in the leftmost lane, even if they are turning right. This terrible advice dates from many years ago, but it has been perpetuated from edition to edition. Cyclecraft explains why this is so dangerous. Drivers waiting to enter or leave a roundabout will normally be looking in the direction from which they expect other cars to come; they won't be looking towards the edge of the road.

The section which is supposed to be followed by all road users is rather baffling, as it's impossible to determine which of the rules are expected to apply to cyclists. Clearly advice about the use of anti-lock brakes (ABS) is not of much use for cycling, but in many cases it's not so clear.

The greatest failing of the Code is its overwhelming bias towards car drivers at the expense of all other classes of road user. I suppose that to some extent this should be expected: after all most vehicles on the roads are cars and the Code is produced by the Driving Standards Agency. However, its approach to cycling safety seems to be to keep cyclists out of the way of cars, rather than to give useful advice to cyclists and drivers as to how they can share the highway effectively. Hopefully it will be possible one day for a new edition to do this, but on the evidence of this draft there's a very long way to go.

Our response to the Agency is on the Campaign's Web site, at http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/camcycle/hwaycode.html. We've also sent a copy to Anne Campbell, who is a keen cyclist in addition to being Cambridge's MP. We hope it will be possible for her to raise some of these issues. In any case, we'll let you know of any replies we receive.

Andrew Haley

Addenbrooke's - Bitten by the BUG

Addenbrooke's Bicycle Users' Group (BUG) is the first corporate member to join the Cambridge Cycling Campaign, with the aid of a donation from the Addenbrooke's NHS Trust. This is only one example of the commitment shown by the management at Addenbrooke's Hospital to rid the site of its appalling parking problems. Cycling is seen as a key area for easing congestion on the Addenbrooke's site, along with improving bus services and encouraging schemes such as car sharing.

My involvement with the BUG started when I was volunteered to become cycle co-ordinator for the Trust in September last year. We quickly established a small committee responsible for forming a cycle policy, and determining the needs of cyclists on the site. As many of you will know, the Addenbrooke's site employs people from many different organisations and we therefore have representatives from the Trust itself, the MRC, the Institute of Public Health, and even the views of a frequent visitor and sometime patient.

So, what has been achieved so far?

• introduced interest free cycle loans for staff
• discount scheme for staff at local retailers
• constructed a cycleway along the main driveway
• established BUG
• cyclists' voice on the management-staff forum Access to Addenbrooke's for discussing travel to the site
• established links with the Travel for Work scheme and Cambridge Cycling Campaign
• ensured a source of funding for cycle initiatives via the Access to Addenbrooke's programme

What next?

Plans are already in place for

• provision of secure cycle parking
• improving changing and shower facilities
• a cycle repair service on site
• publicity for existing cycle routes in and around Cambridge
• increasing mileage payments for official journeys by cycle
• lobbying of, and working with, local authorities for cycle friendly initiatives
• cycle advice and safety courses for staff
• social cycle outings
• improving cycle access around the site

We have been impressed with the work of Cambridge Cycling Campaign, and look forward to working alongside the group, providing the support of the biggest single-site employer in Cambridge.

I have faith that while groups such as this and the BUG at Addenbrooke's continue to work together, that one day Cambridge will be recognised not only for its University, and the beautiful city that it is, but also for the city that finally realised that our future does not lie in the 'infernal' combustion engine, but in the true (leg) power of the people.

Colin Carr,
Cycle co-ordinator, Addenbrooke's NHS Trust

The front cover picture shows the covered cycle parking immediately opposite the main entrance at Addenbrooke's.

Where's the Edge?

Edge reflectors in Groningen

The County Council is increasingly building cycle tracks - shared with pedestrians - in rural areas. Frankly, we think these are poor value for money. However, they provide a useful link for some cyclists.

In rural areas, though, there are no street lights - especially as most of these paths end at the village boundaries. This makes them virtually unusable in the dark, even with bright cycle lights. If you have ever tried to use the Foxton to Harston or Barton to Cambridge City boundary paths after dark you'll know that the verge and path are virtually indistinguishable, and car headlights cast misleading shadows even when they don't blind you.

Might this work in the dark?

County engineers say they have been unable to find a product that could mark the paths. And they refuse to paint a simple line in standard reflective paint because 'drivers may confuse it with the edge of the road.'

Traffic engineers in more cycle-friendly cultures don't have the same reservations. We found numerous examples of edge markings in Groningen last year.

White lines wouldn't be ideal because edges of paths get overgrown, and would cover an edge line. So what is needed should be

• Cheap
• Hard to confuse with anything else on the road
• Visible even through a covering of wild flowers

Here is one proposal. Given the Council's inability to make progress on this one, we are writing to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions directly to ask permission to experiment with reflective paint in this or some other distinctive pattern, at, say, 8 m (25') intervals.

David Earl

National Bike Week 6 -14 June

The free events in National Bike Week are always very popular, and this year we hope to repeat two of these. Dr Bike, in which we set up a stall near the Guildhall and perform diagnostics on bikes that anyone brings along, is a very positive and fun event. Last year we examined fifty bikes and had an exhausting but rewarding day which surely must have resulted in more and safer cyclists. This year, we shall try to avoid clashing with Strawberry Fair and the Jesus Army. The other free event last year was the Cyclists' Breakfast generously provided by Hobbs Pavilion restaurant. About 150 cyclists were fed.

This year, we hope to add another freebie, in which various attractions will give free admittance to anyone arriving by bike during that week. We've got a short-list of places already, but welcome suggestions for more. Any participating organisation would benefit from sharing NBW publicity, and from a warm inner glow for helping our cause.

If we can get it together in time, we hope to launch a new service for members in National Bike Week. This is a trailer loan scheme. We are looking for sponsors and applying for grants to enable us to buy cycle trailers which will be loaned out to members. We shall also need a place to store them.

Two years ago, we ran a signs campaign which advertised 'Minutes to City Centre' by cycling and driving during rush hour. Figures were based on a survey of members' experiences, and the bike won on average by about nine minutes. The idea of a 'time versus distance' road sign is holding interest, so much so that we are going to pursue the idea with the Council. We hope permanent signs will be possible.

The local media don't provide free publicity for events, but normally report them only after they have happened. By that time you often think, 'Damn! I missed that.' We have learned to do mini-events before the main event to get a picture in the paper or a report on the radio. This year we also hope to get travel reports to mention cycling conditions. I suspect we'll have to write these on the day and phone them in: something like 'Milton Road cycle path blocked by repairs to traffic light cabling.' Anything to put the word 'cyclist' into the public's mind.

Other events this year will include a schools arts competition, a picnic (with a much shorter ride to it than last year) and various publicity events which we are keeping under our hats for the time being. It is easy to devise protest events which gain publicity by breaking the law, but I believe we are better off by pressing the arguments through persuasion. We rejected the idea of occupying a car parking space at Cambridge railway station with anarchistic bike art (as a protest over tardiness in improving cycle parking there). Instead, we are planning to catch cycling commuters there and get their ideas for how to pursue that argument.

There's still plenty of planning to be done, and help to be secured for the events, so if you can help in any way, please do come along to one of the NBW subgroup meetings. Hope to see you there.

Simon Nuttall

Cambridge Leisure Park

The Cattle Market site as it is now

In Newsletter 16 we mentioned the big leisure development proposed for the redundant Cattle Market site. Since then the plans have been revealed. These include an extended Junction for wider activities, a couple of 'family' restaurants (read, McDonald's or similar), a multiplex cinema, a bowling alley, a hotel and some small shops. This would be accompanied by an 800 space multi-storey car park (which, with a bridge over the railway, might displace some of the station car parking during the day) and several hundred more parking spaces in the open. This is a big development, which will have a major traffic impact in the area, both attracting cycle traffic and affecting motor traffic flows. We discussed the plans, and Simon Nuttall and I arranged a private meeting with the developer. We prepared a paper for this, in conjunction with Cambridge Friends of the Earth, and will submit the paper to the City and County Councils as well.

We saw the problem in three parts:

• The land use in the area (a strategic concern of FoE, whether housing would be more appropriate; the Cycling Campaign has no opinion on this).
• The impact on the roads around the site and access to it. No bus turnaround had been provided, nor any arrangements to make sure buses actually serve the site. Bus services on Hills Road are likely to change when the Park and Ride site at Babraham Road is built and bus priority measures are added. There is potential in the development for funding for both these and the cycle facilities that would be needed. We also felt the need for cycles to be incorporated in the already busy Clifton Road junction traffic lights, and along Cherry Hinton Road, as well as direct cycle access to the site from Rustat Road (and therefore Romsey and the bike bridge).
• The site itself. We saw it as basically a big car park around which buildings had been placed, rather than as a human space, easy to use for cyclists and pedestrians. We got the impression that the developer had also been having second thoughts like these. We asked for large scale provision of cycle parking (this seemed an afterthought in the original plans), and also suggested a supervised covered cycle park on one or both sides of the railway.

David Earl

So What Is a Leisurely Ride?

We run regular countryside bike rides on Sunday afternoons, just for the sheer pleasure of cycling, for the change of scenery, and for the fresh air. At the moment, we go on the second Sunday of every month, though later in the year we'll probably add one on the fourth Sunday as well.

We stick to minor roads, byways, cycle paths and bridleways - nothing too muddy, and nothing too busy - the quieter the better.

And we absolutely always take a break, a little way from home, for tea and cakes, or whatever refreshments take your fancy.

How fast and far do we go?

Well, that depends. We always try to judge the pace according to who comes along. We guarantee not to lose anyone along the way. We set off with a tea stop in mind, and pick a route that gets us to tea for about 4 pm or 4:30.

We tend not to advertise the routes ahead of time, because, um, we often don't plan the routes more than a day or two in advance! A different person leads the ride each month, and it's up to the leader to pick a tea stop, and a route to it. As more people volunteer to help run the rides, we'll hopefully start advertising the tea stops ahead of time. (If it seems like I'm emphasising the tea and cakes a lot, that's probably true!)

On the other hand, if you find our rides aren't strenuous enough (and they definitely aren't strenuous) you might want to get in touch with the Cyclists' Touring Club local District Association. As well as local and national campaigning, they run a large number of regular local rides and are always keen to welcome more members. Their phone number is at the end of each issue of our newsletter.

So where do we meet?

We meet on Lensfield Road, at its junction with Brookside, and we set off at 2 pm. If the weather looks a bit grim, and you're not sure whether we're going or not, do feel free to give me a ring ( 501050) on Sunday morning to check - though I don't think we've yet cancelled a ride due to bad weather.

Should I bring anything?

Just yourself, your bike, some change for tea, a waterproof if there's any possibility of rain, and your lights (for the winter rides, anyway). I hope to see you on a ride sometime soon. Everyone's welcome - both members and non-members alike. Watch out, too, for extra publicity for the May ride, which we will be running in conjunction with the City Council's Environment Week.

And finally, a plea for help

If you know of any tea-shops or cafés within a few miles of Cambridge that are open on Sunday afternoons, we'd love to hear about them, to broaden our horizons!

Clare Macrae

Membership Corner

More Members!

Thank you to everyone who has displayed posters and distributed membership forms since our last newsletter. We're delighted at the number of £1 vouchers we'll be sending out shortly to those who have signed up friends. Thank you - and please keep it up! See Newsletter 16 for full details.

By 1 March, we had reached the grand total of 421 members - our biggest increase since National Bike Week last year. Since the last issue, we have welcomed our 400th member, Rebecca Lack. I'm looking forward to announcing our 500th member!

Group Membership

At our February meeting, we talked about how group membership of the Campaign might work. This is the scheme we have adopted.

Groups may join Cambridge Cycling Campaign in support of its aims and to provide a means for members of the group to access the Cycling Campaign's services. Groups may include constituted organisations, companies and bicycle user groups within a company and other groups as the committee from time to time decides.

For a membership fee of at least £25, the organisation receives the following benefits:

• At least two copies of each edition of the newsletter, and other mailings.
• The ability for members of the group to join the Campaign individually at the reduced rate of £3.00, which offers voting rights, the usual range of services such as discounts, optional 3rd party insurance (at the usual rate), except newsletters which would be directed via the group (or accessible via the Internet). Introducing a new member through this route does not qualify for 'introduction vouchers'.
• A single vote at Cycling Campaign meetings, where relevant.

If an organisation ceases to be a member, individuals can continue to be members, but must renew at the standard rate at the next renewal.

We are very pleased to welcome Addenbrooke's NHS Trust Bicycle User Group (see Addenbrooke's - Bitten by the BUG) as the Campaign's first group member.

Clare Macrae

Letters

Tough tyres

Readers of Keir Finlow-Bates' review of Greentyres in Newsletter 16 might be interested in my experience of a rival brand. I had already found the tyres on my new Raleigh (Continental Top-Touring) to be far superior to any I have previously used. I had not suffered a single puncture in a year of using them. Before a touring holiday in Israel in the summer I fitted a new pair of Top-Touring 2000. The original tyres were still in good condition, and are still doing excellent service on my wife's bike.

I quickly discovered that, perhaps because cars are driven until they fall to pieces, Israeli roads appear to function as extended scrapyards. And because in the hot weather people need to drink a lot, and then just chuck the bottles out of the car, taxi or bus windows, the whole is gracefully overlaid with a thick patina of coarse-ground glass. It is a credit to Conti that I suffered no punctures at all for the duration of the holiday, nor have I in the six months since.

The recommended pressure is 70 psi (a helpful motorist in a service station in Jerusalem nearly had a fit when he saw what I was doing to the air line!) and they appear to be happy to be over-inflated. The Editor's Note to Keir's review is important: you are unlikely to put this much air into them with a hand pump. It's also worth digging out the thorns, flints and glass each time you check the pressure.

I found the 2000s a trifle softer than other tyres I have used, with a slight feeling of roll on corners (as Keir reported with his Greentyres). But I would not go back to other brands. Though an expensive outlay (of the order of £16 apiece) they are very hard-wearing. I suspect in the long run they are if anything more economical than the cheap-'n'-cheerfuls of the high street. I bought mine by mail order, but I know that Chris's Bikes stock them.

Douglas de Lacey

Stripe shared-use pavements

Since the war there have been too many tragic accidents in Cambridge involving cyclists. Cambridge is a city where cycling is a tradition but the danger is inevitable and growing. Ideally there should be properly built cycle paths as in Holland. But where impracticable cyclists should continue to be allowed to share path ways with pedestrians. As a pedestrian and cyclist and motorist I appreciate the problems of each, but all have obligations as well as rights.

Road users have well established rules of the road (enshrined in the Highway Code). You drive on the left; you overtake on the right. Why not regulate footpaths in the same way? You walk or ride on the left; you overtake on the right. What could be simpler than that?

A correspondent in the 'Times' has recommended a white line down the middle of the pathway. It would remind users where they should walk and where cyclists should overtake. As a reminder the line would not need to be continuous and there could be scarcely a less expensive remedy for the present problem. Cyclists should not be expected to put their lives in danger unnecessarily.

non-member M Boston,
13 Trumpington Road,
355975

Fumes

I wonder if cyclists are 'less polluted' than car drivers (see Newsletter 16). Having hammered down the A10 from Landbeach, I stop at the A14 roundabout breathing about once every 3 seconds.

This is a factor of several more than when I'm at rest, so I get to sample a lot more air. Even if the concentration of pollutants is lower than in the 'car tunnel', the amount must be higher.

Is there any research which establishes whether the effects of pollution are determined by concentration or amount?

Adrian P Stephens

Using a car carrier?

The government wants to find out about people's experiences of using cycle carriers mounted on cars.

The Department of Trade and Industry thinks that there may be problems with bike carriers mounted on cars. There have apparently been a number of serious accidents - for example with the rear window against which some models of rack rest shattering when the car is travelling at high speed.

Therefore, they are looking at formulating a British Standard for these products. They would like to hear from users of them to find out their experiences. If you use a carrier like this, they would like to hear any anecdotal or first-hand evidence of problems (or, presumably, perfect happiness), and are inviting our comments on what a British Standard should entail. They do say that any replies will be treated in confidence.

The study is being conducted by a firm of private consultants. If you would like to make any comments, please write to: Laurence Clift, Ice Ergonomics, FREEPOST MID17459, Loughborough, LE11 0BR.

The circular also offers the following safety advice:

• Ensure that the rack is correctly mounted, with securing straps located on solid structures (not aerofoils, spoilers etc.).
• Ensure that the bikes are securely mounted on the rack - tether the retaining straps to the frame of the carrier, not to any padding.
• Ensure that the carrier is not overloaded - cheaper mountain bikes can weigh a significant amount, especially if fitted with accessories, child seats etc.
• Stop after a couple of miles and check the security of the straps. Repeat the checks on a routine basis if the journey is a long one.
• Use a lighting board if the number plate or lights are even slightly obscured.
• Modify your driving to account for the (relatively) unstable load attached to your car.

David Earl

The Chisholm Trail

This is the first of two articles, with the traffic theory in a future Newsletter. Jim Chisholm gave a talk at March's Campaign open meeting to explain how building a strategic, good quality new cycle route across Cambridge may be the most cost-effective way to relieve the city's traffic congestion. The route is proposed by Jim and the Cycling Campaign, not by politicians or County highway planners. This is its first time in print.

Jim Chisholm worked at the Transport and Road Research Laboratory from 1969 to 1985. He worked on collection and analysis of data, but also did some mathematical modelling. On obtaining a degree he moved to research in new fields, but retains his passionate interest in sustainable transport. He has been a commuting cyclist for over 25 years.

Mark Irving, Editor

A lot of this suggested route is on private property. Don't attempt to ride it yet, as you would be trespassing. All of the route can be explored from either adjacent rights of access or readily available maps.

A supercycleway?

There are already several routes that could be converted to 3.5 metre (12 feet) wide paved cycle tracks at little cost. These are rail alignments that are either disused or under utilised. These routes are ideal because of their even grade and segregation at most road crossings. There are also other potential routes either on existing metalled but not surfaced farm tracks or parallel to existing rail tracks.

The bridges at Long Road, Mill Road, and Coldham's Lane all have space under their spare arches on both east and west sides to allow a cycleway. Those at Hills Road and Newmarket Road have usable crossing points and provision of 'grade separation' could be provided at a later stage. The addition of a cycleway to the railway bridge over the Cam at Stourbridge Common could continue the link to Chesterton and hence the Science Park, Cambridge Regional College and one of the possible Sustrans routes out of Cambridge.

This supercycleway would provide a segregated route connecting the campuses of CRC (Kings Hedges), Anglia Polytechnic University, Hills Road, Homerton and Long Road, to residential areas north and south of the City. In addition a southern extension would provide excellent links to the Addenbrooke's complex from the south.

Journey times for some cycle trips along such routes would be far shorter than today's car journeys.

A low cost first stage part funded by section 106?

With only minor engineering works and access agreements across derelict Railtrack land or existing roads a route from Newmarket Road to Addenbrooke's Hospital and Shelford Road, Trumpington could be provided. No major land acquisition would be required, only some fences, lighting and 2 km or so of asphalt for 5 km of route. The section from Newmarket Road to Hills Road is described in detail below as this is the area currently subject to planning applications (the source of 'section 106' money).

East of the railway

This whole eastern side route of nearly 3 km could give journey times of around 10 minutes from Cambridge United football ground to the Junction, with the only serious conflict being the little used level crossing on the Newmarket line.

Newmarket Road to Coldham's Lane

Space for a supercycleway

Although there is already a path across Coldham's Common it is narrow and twisting. The track between the railway and the lake on the Common leads to Coldham's Road, and would provide a direct alternative. The quiet Newmarket railway line has a level crossing on Coldham's Road, and there is a railway access road which leads under a spare arch of the Coldham's Lane bridge. This section has the advantage of leading cyclists away from the 'at grade' signal crossing over Coldham's Lane.

Coldham's Lane to Mill Road

The access road leads to the disused railway traction depot, then the route could follow the boundary of the old BT site where development as a fitness centre has been proposed, then along the boundary of Ridgeon's. Together with a proposed cycle and pedestrian bridge over the railway beside the (narrow) Coldham's Lane road bridge, this would greatly reduce traffic conflict at the Cromwell Road-Coldham's lane junction. Access could also be provided to the proposed Anglia Polytechnic University residences. The route could then run to the east of the Railtrack buildings to reach the north end of Cavendish Road. From there, there is a partially surfaced route used for access to carriage cleaning facilities. This leads to the car park in Great Eastern Street, and from there can connect with a spare arch under Mill Road railway bridge.

Mill Road to Hills Road

Spare arch under Mill Road Bridge

A vehicle track runs over Railtrack land (with access, through a locked gate at present, to Mill Road through Fletcher's Terrace and Argyle Street) to the east end of the cycle bridge and the edge of the Leica car park. Then a junction with Clifton Road is possible, and an abandoned vehicle track runs parallel to the sidings for 200 metres to part of the parking area for the Royal Mail sorting office. From the other side of this parking area a new high quality route could lead to the 'works' access to the Junction, and hence to Hills Road at its junction with Cherry Hinton Road.

This last part of this section is adjacent to one of the areas likely to developed (the old cattle market). It would improve the very poor access on foot or by bike to the Clifton Road industrial area, which has 800 car parking spaces in addition to the Park and Ride car park. This section would reduce, by about one kilometre, cycle and walking distances from Mill Road to the Royal Mail sorting office or other developments in that area.

West of the railway

For most of this section an access agreement, fencing to separate the route from rail tracks, and some works to give cyclists and pedestrians priority over cars would be all that is needed.

This section, about 2 km, would give a good, safe and speedy route through an area which is currently difficult to cross by bicycle. It would then become less than 5 minutes journey time from York Street to Hills Road.

Beehive Centre to Mill Road

The Beehive includes a cycle route, of a rather low standard, from Coldham's Lane to York Street. This should be upgraded, then Ainsworth Street and Hooper Street lead back to the railway at the back of the City Council's maintenance depot. A new cycle path could use some of this depot's land to lead to a disused arch under the Mill Road bridge, and to Mill Road itself past the front of the closed public library. This avoids the need to cross Mill Road, even at the modern traffic lights on Gwydir Street.

Mill Road to the station and Hills Road

For 300 m a path used by railway staff leads to the corner of the station's long stay public car park. Through this car park, past the front of the station and through the short stay car park leads to the Railtrack signalling centre. A short new shared-use path would complete the link to Hills Road at the Brooklands Avenue junction.

Personal Safety

Many people feel insecure and vulnerable on enclosed routes with poor lighting and blind corners. Care would be needed to ensure that lighting, landscaping and frequent access points make these routes a pleasant place to walk and cycle rather than dark and enclosed tunnels.

The System

The advantages of a system are more than the sum of its parts. Even with just this central section of the Supercycleway, or even just parts of it, for many journeys across Cambridge cycling would become the quickest mode. Also many more journeys would be within the capability of a sensible 12 year old (a Sustrans route criterion), hence reducing the need for parents to 'taxi' children to and from activities in this area.

If this route could be constructed as part of the change of use of the three major sites to the east of the railway line it would greatly reduce the need for cars to be the prime method of access to these developments as well as giving improved choice for people making existing journeys in this area.

With suggested extensions to the north and south it is possible that enough journeys would switch from car to bike to make significant reductions both to delays for motorists and to traffic pollution.

Jim Chisholm

Newmarket Road Corridor Study

As you may have read in Newsletter 16, the County Council is just beginning to look at what can be done for cyclists along the Newmarket Road 'corridor.'

This is a great opportunity to improve cycle routes in this area, and the subgroup formed to discuss this has prepared a 22-page document listing our proposals. The report was produced to a high standard, with maps and colour photographs, and we feel quite proud of it.

We presented our report to council officers at the Cambridge Area Cycling Liaison Group on 3 March. These officials will be developing their own proposals for this area over the next few months and we hope they will include some of our suggestions.

So what did we say in our report? Too much to reproduce here, but here is a summary of the main points we made.

We started by explaining that there were two main cycle routes along the Newmarket Road corridor. These were Newmarket Road itself and an alternative route which ran along the river and away from main roads to Fen Ditton and beyond.

Newmarket Road

We said that, in general, the best way to provide for cyclists using Newmarket Road was to provide cycle lanes on the carriageway. The existing cycle lanes work quite well, as do those bus lanes that have a cycle lane marked within them.

Approaching Ditton Lane, it is hard to get into the central cycle lane.

East of Ditton Lane, however, where the road is narrower and becomes less urban in character, we felt that it was more appropriate to ask for high-quality cycle tracks to be provided.

The big issue with cycle tracks is whether or not they have priority over side roads. We explained that it was essential that these cycle tracks had priority over side roads.

Proposed design of cycle track with priority over side roads

In the past we have been unable to persuade council officers to create cycle tracks which have priority over side roads. For Newmarket Road, therefore, we are proposing a new design of cycle track. This is a hybrid affair - essentially a one-way segregated cycle track which turns into a cycle lane when it crosses side roads. We hope that this might offer a practical compromise between the segregation of a cycle track and the convenience and priority of a cycle lane.

Whether we have cycle lanes or cycle tracks, the worst thing about Newmarket Road is its junctions. We therefore asked for major changes to be made to all the major junctions.

• We asked for the Elizabeth Way roundabout to be filled in and replaced by traffic signals with a cycle phase. If this was not possible we asked for the junction to be made safer for cyclists by means of suitable 'at grade' facilities (i.e. without sending us down underground).
• We asked for changes to the Coldham's Lane and River Lane junction. In the eastbound direction we asked for special signal phasing to assist cyclists turning right into Coldham's Lane. In the Westbound direction we asked for changes to the road layout to protect cyclists from traffic crossing their path to turn left into Coldham's Lane (more about this below).
• We asked for changes to the layout of the Newmarket Road and Ditton Lane junction. We suggested that the eastbound approach to this junction was probably the scariest section in the whole length of Newmarket Road. The main problem here is the left-turn-only lane for traffic turning left into Ditton Lane, which forces cyclists going straight on to move into the centre of the road whilst traffic whizzes past by on both sides. An advisory cycle lane here helps but is not enough.

We suggested a very simple solution: reduce the number of lanes leaving the Barnwell Road roundabout from two to one. Then to turn left, motor traffic would have to make a definite lane change, much closer to the junction, in the manner established elsewhere in the city such as the left-turn from East Road into Mill Road, as shown below.

If this were not possible, and the council was determined to retain the left-turn-only lane, then we suggested providing a special phase of the signals to allow cycles to go straight ahead from the left side of the road, similar to the arrangement at the Hills Road and Cherry Hinton Road junction.

• In the opposite, westbound, direction we suggested that the bus and cyclelane could be extended through the junction, protected with a kerb. This would allow buses and cycles to avoid the signals completely. (We have been told that this would work well but would require widening the carriageway, which would be very expensive because the verge was 'crammed full with services.')
• We also proposed replacing the Barnwell Road roundabout itself with traffic signals. Full provision could then be made for cyclists using the junction, with forward stop lines and cycle lanes on all four approaches.
• Finally, we also proposed changes to the junction outside the Park and Ride site, which is inconvenient both for cyclists using the shared-use footway and for those using the road.

Along the River

The route along the river provides a generally pleasant alternative to Newmarket Road, though cyclists must still use Newmarket Road to cross the railway.

There is hope here, however, because the proposed National Cycle Network (see Newsletter 16) envisages a new path across Stourbridge Common and a new crossing under the railway just south of the River Cam. We expressed our support for this idea.

Cutter Ferry Bridge at Midsummer Common

We pointed out that despite its attractions, the riverside route as a whole has a number of problems. In particular:

• The four footbridges across the river are very inconvenient to use. Cyclists have to dismount and wheel their cycles through narrow pinch stiles, round sharp corners and up flights of steps. This was inconvenient to everybody but posed real problems to elderly people and parents with children. We asked the council to consider how these footbridges could be made more convenient to use. At the very least, the pinch stiles should be removed and replaced with cattle grids.
• We also complained about the inconvenient gates and pinch stiles on Jesus Green and on the commons, and asked that these be removed or replaced with cattle grids.
• We suggested improvements to the Newmarket Road railway bridge, which forms a 'missing link' in an otherwise quiet route. We suggested that the carriageway could be narrowed and used to provide a high-quality two-way cycle track between Ditton Walk and Swann's Road.
• Beyond Fen Ditton, there is an unclassified road called High Ditch Road which leads Eastwards towards Newmarket Road and the tunnel under the A14 near the Quy Mill Hotel. We proposed that this road be reduced to a single lane in width and the remaining space used to construct a cycle track.

Hospital corridors next for examination

Looking ahead, the next area for consideration by the County Council will be the Hills Road, Addenbrooke's Hospital and Trumpington Road corridor. We have had one subgroup meeting so far to discuss our ideas for this, and will be spending the next few weeks getting together a report similar to the one on Newmarket Road. If you have any ideas for this area, or if you would like to help us produce the report, then please get in touch.

Nigel Deakin

Red may mean Go at Bus Signals

In addition to reviewing the Newmarket Road Corridor as a whole, we have also been monitoring the effect of the new bus priority scheme on cyclists and discussing various details directly with County Council officials. Details of this scheme were given in Newsletter 14.

The scheme is still not finished. We are still waiting for the council to fit 'green bicycle' filter lights to the bus priority signals near Swann's Road and near the airport. When these are installed (and we have been promised that they will arrive eventually) they will allow cyclists to go through the signals at all times, even when a red light is showing.

Bus Signals near River Lane. Is it safe to allow cycles to go straight on here?

The main problem has been the bus priority signals just before the River Lane junction, where the council was reluctant to provide a cycle filter light because of the risk of conflict between right-turning cycles and straight-ahead cars. This is a purely legal issue because every cyclist ignores the red light here anyway.

After several letters to the official concerned we arranged an on-site meeting. At that meeting we pointed out that the problems for right-turning cycles were no worse than they had been before the signals were installed.

We explained that the main problem for cyclists was not here but a little further on at the River Lane and Coldham's Lane signals, where left-turning traffic cuts across the path of straight-ahead cycles. We suggested providing advisory cycle lanes in the straight-ahead lane to make it clearer to left-turning drivers that they were crossing the path of cyclists.

The County Council official seemed to think our point of view was reasonable, that the cycle lanes we suggested were possible, and we might be able to have a green cycle filter light at the bus priority signals. After the meeting, though, he changed his mind and decided not to accept our proposals after all.

This leaves us with a road layout where nearly every cyclist feels compelled to break the law. This is quite unacceptable and we feel we can't let the matter rest. We're now deciding what to do next.

In addition to the specific problem at River Lane, we also reported that several of the bus priority signals were not detecting bikes properly. Please let us know if you find your bike still won't change the lights.

Nigel Deakin

Advanced Stop Lines

An Advanced Stop Line uses the now-familiar cycle symbol painted in a box on the road at traffic lights. ASLs are a good idea, and I am not knocking them. It does seem to me that they are often a compromise, but I know it took a lot of unenviable hard work by the country's highway engineers and planners to reach that compromise. All highway users need a degree of order, safety, and an indication of respect from authority. Cyclists still face certain difficulties in today's junction designs.

Getting to the ASL. Because of space limitations, the ASL feed lanes are sometimes omitted. Often 'gutter riding' proves hazardous or impossible, and if she needs to turn right, the cyclist has a gauntlet to run. It can be unpleasant and dangerous if the traffic starts to move off before the cyclist reaches the ASL. Regular users of a junction memorise the signal timings, so as to avoid being caught in this moving traffic.

Moving off with the lorries. The moment the lights turn green, all traffic moves off. For vulnerable road users to be placed in the centre of this busy scenario is asking too much, especially of those carrying children. Even cyclists going straight ahead are often 'cut up' by left-turning motor vehicles.

Pedestrians. Sometimes cycle lanes are used as footpath extensions and ASLs as pedestrian crossing areas. Pedestrians often do not see cyclists at all, or do not see them as part of the traffic - they switch off their traffic sense and step out into cycle lanes without looking.

Traffic light junctions are well-designed for motorists and pedestrians. At most junctions cyclists are supposed to be controlled by the same set of lights and time sequence as used by motorists. In my opinion this is a mistake. It signals to all highway users that cyclists should keep up with the cars, and the clear hazards and difficulty of doing so help to drive some cyclists illegally onto the pavements.

A bad idea? Just because one version of cycle traffic lights has problems in the UK, it should not lead to the scrapping of the concept. Other countries, including France and Germany, have found their twin traffic light designs quite successful. Here the 'problem' with a second set of lights is that the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions does not want to encourage anyone to go past a red light. I am very concerned with the apparent lack of flexibility to update the national regulations in this area. The adherence to the letter of the law here is making it more dangerous for cyclists to use these junctions.

The concept. On the conventional traffic light pole, usually level with the advanced stop line, add another set of traffic lights, about the size and height of the pedestrian crossing 'push and wait' box. Each lens shows the cycle symbol red (or green). A sign Cycles Only would indicate to both cyclists and motorists whose lights these are. The cycle green phase should start a few seconds before the motor vehicles' green light appears. This would allow cyclists to clear the junction without having to dodge motorists. In addition, the delay would help approaching cyclists know whether they have enough time to get to the ASL before the motor traffic starts to move.

I do not believe that the cost of these lights will be greater than that of a feeder cycle lane, taking into account the disruption involved in adding one, and the lane's reduction in motor traffic space. Any improvement in safety would be of great economic benefit, too.

This concept reinforces for everyone his role in transport. It brings cyclists safely back into the traffic control system, and other road users are shown that the highway system respects the cyclist's needs. It could be an important learning tool for highway users of the '90s, and I believe this argument alone is enough to merit its serious consideration.

Matt Polaine
502365
matt.polaine@bt-sys.bt.co.uk

Fixed Penalty Fines

Responsibility for pedestrian casualties, 1996

The Home Office said in January that it would introduce fixed penalty fines for cyclists riding on the footway. Offenders would be issued with a ticket and be required to pay £20 (not, though, an on-the-spot fine as the local paper said) - or be taken to court and risk doubling that.

While many people have written to the Cambridge Evening News objecting, and the Cyclists' Touring Club has objected nationally, we have supported this move. The law is not changing; it is just becoming easier to enforce. There is a section of cyclists in Cambridge who use the footway to jump queues and take short cuts, where safety is not their concern. Generally they are cycling fast and are responsible for much of the intimidation felt by pedestrians and the poor image these give cyclists as a whole.

It would seem unlikely that the police won't take a common sense approach. After all, they would make fools of themselves targeting, say, parents with young children. There is a danger though that the police could over-use these powers, because they offer cyclists as an easy target, when the clear evidence is that though pedestrians perceive a threat from cyclists, both groups are at hugely greater risk from speeding motor traffic.

Numbers of fatal, serious and slight casualties on the footway, by vehicle type, 1996

Taking attention away from speeding because it is easier to stop and fine cyclists is absolutely the wrong priority. The CTC is negotiating with the police at a national level for guidelines for the use of this power, to make sure that it is not abused.

Secondly, the penalties for motorists on the footway need to be equitably dealt with. At present it is not illegal to park on the footway, only to drive on it. So someone has to see the driver in motion. Presence of the car on the footway is not sufficient evidence that it was driven there, and this is absurd.

Nevertheless, if this measure can increase responsible cycling, then it is a good thing. Pavements are for pedestrians. It is our job to make roads safe enough and not blocked with traffic so that cyclists don't need to resort to threatening pedestrians.

David Earl

Spot the Cycle Track - Number 1

Spot the Cycle Track - Number 1 Seen at Mitcham's Corner But where's the lane?

Bikes and Trains

A lot has been happening recently that could have a very positive effect for cyclists wishing to travel by train. Here's a summary of what's going on.

The National Cycling Strategy

As a Cambridge cyclist, you could be forgiven for thinking that the National Cycling Strategy has been forgotten! Launched in July 1996, its central targets are to:

• double the number of trips by cycle (on 1996 figures) by end 2002
• quadruple the number of trips by cycle (on 1996 figures) by end 2012

We are now over 18 months into the initial 5-year period, and I've hardly seen a mention in local policy-making. As we pointed out in National Bike Week last year, whether cities like Cambridge, Oxford and York reach the targets will have a disproportionately large effect on whether they can be achieved nationally - because these cities account for such a large fraction of current usage.

So, what's all this got to do with 'Bikes And Trains'? Read on!

The Intermodality Working Group

As an objective of the National Cycling Strategy, the National Cycling Forum was launched. This oversees the Strategy's implementation, and is chaired by the Minister for Local Transport (Glenda Jackson, MP). This, in turn, set up the 'Intermodality Working Group', which consists of representatives from cycle campaign organisations, local government, train operators, bus companies and national government. It is working on improvements for cyclists who wish to use their bikes in conjunction with other modes of public transport, including train, bus, light rail, ferries and planes.

The Intermodality Working Group has targeted its activities in these key areas:

• Operator perceptions - raising awareness of the value and potential of making provision for cyclists
• The regulatory framework - how it might be relaxed to encourage innovation, but where it also fails cyclists with inadequate contractual safeguards
• Information - why there is so little data available on how, when and where bicycles can be taken by public transport, and why ticketing systems are over-complex
• Physical issues - how buildings could be improved to make access and parking for cyclists easier
• The design of vehicles - overcoming the contractual and safety hurdles that are placing limitations on operator innovation, as cyclists become part of their growing market
• Marketing - the absence of promoting bicycles and public transport as a viable tool in intermodal transport

The Working Group has begun with rail, and has been working with the Rail Regulator, resulting in a very useful position paper entitled 'Using Cycles in Conjunction with Trains'. This states, for example

Although the Rail Regulator has no formal powers in relation to cycles on trains or at stations, he is keen to ensure that train operators are aware of the part the railways play in meeting the country's transport needs as a whole and do more than the minimum necessary to comply with the letter of their franchise agreements or licences.

The Working Group's first annual report to the National Cycling Forum makes extremely impressive reading. Contact me if you would like to read it. I am confident that we can expect continued improvements in national policy, as a direct result of the Working Group's efforts.

CycleMark

Last year, a new code of practice entitled 'CycleMark - Providing for Cyclists' was launched by Sustrans, C-PAG and the CTC (as members of the Intermodality Working Group). It sets out objectives for rail operators for two distinct groups of users - those arriving at stations by bike (and parking) and those wishing to travel with their bike (and use their bike at both ends of the journey).

The code of practice covers these areas:

• General Customer Information
• Improved Access to Stations
• Cycle Parking at Stations
• Onboard Storage of Bicycles
• At-Station Information and Facilities

In conjunction with the code of practice, an award scheme called CycleMark was set up, to recognise companies that have met the objectives. Passengers are invited to help monitor rail operators (both the good points and the bad), by means of a form on the reverse of the Code of Practice.

The first CycleMark was awarded to Anglia Railways last June. See below for more about Anglia's work.

If you'd like to comment on any of the local companies (there are at least three that operate out of Cambridge) or read the code of practice, you can get your own copy by phoning the Sustrans Information Service on 0117 929 0888.

WAGN and Cambridge Station

We recently wrote to the managing director of WAGN (the company which manages Cambridge railway station) asking for more cycle parking, suggesting that cycle lockers be installed for regular commuters, and describing the cycle facility we recently saw in Groningen, which had:

• cycle rental service - for visitors to the city,
• cycle repair service - for bikes to be serviced whilst customers are travelling,
• sale of spare parts and
• secure cycle parking (for a small charge).

We'll be meeting WAGN just as this Newsletter goes to press, to discuss our suggestions further.

Anglia Railways' 'Cycles On Trains'

We've mentioned Anglia Railways' modification of their local trains before. In fact, last June, we gave Anglia a Cambridge Cycling Campaign 'Golden Bell' award for their work.

Not everyone has been quite so impressed with the conversion, unfortunately. Some have commented that space for 4 bikes per train is not very much. Others have expressed disappointment that it's not possible to take tandems or some recumbent machines. I personally feel these comments don't acknowledge the enormous effort Anglia and their partners on the scheme had to use to make room for any bikes at all. In the climate of privatisation, Anglia have been a rare company to be making such positive changes. And yes, 4 spaces may not sound very much. But these are small trains, for local services, and I look forward to the time when these are consistently used, to encourage Anglia (and other train operators) to make space for more bikes.

Clive Morris (Anglia Railways) and Brian Smith (Cambridgeshire County Council) at the launch

Anglia officially started their new service on 1 March, and I went along to the launch, at Cambridge station on Friday 27 February.

So, how does the scheme work? Anglia are marketing the service with a leaflet encouraging people to make use of it. To quote the leaflet:

Secure your place with free reservations. To take your bike on the train it is best to reserve your place in advance, as four cycle spaces on each train can fill up quickly. However, provided space is available, those turning up on the day will be allocated a space on a first come - first served basis. To make your cycle reservation, call 01603 764776 or 01473 693469, or enquire at any staffed station.

The bike ticket then costs a 'flat fee' £1 - in other words, that covers both outward and return journeys. With their Anglia Plus ticket, it covers all your journeys for an entire day. (Sadly for Cambridge cyclists, that special ticket only covers Norfolk and Suffolk at the moment). And for commuters, there are cycle season tickets, which seem reasonably priced, making commuting with your bike very viable.

If you'd like to extend your horizons, riding further afield, why not give this new service a try? In the new climate of encouraging cyclists to use trains, you should find it very enjoyable. (Cambridge is on the edge of Anglia's network. From here, they run trains to Ipswich, via Newmarket, Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket amongst others).

And from April this year, Anglia Railways are offering a brand new free rescue service for their cycling passengers. If you are stranded whilst out cycling as a result of faults or damage to your bike, theft, accident or sudden illness, you can phone the ETA's help-line, quote your ticket details, location and problem, and they will arrange assistance to pick you up and transport you to the nearest railway station.

I understand that Anglia's next step will be making modifications to their stations, to make them more cycle-friendly.

Cycle Challenge and ScotRail

Anglia Railways' 'Cycles on Trains' scheme was part-funded by Cycle Challenge. This was an initiative of the last government, to bring about innovative projects to encourage cycling - as a result of which, Cambridge has the Cycle Friendly Employers scheme.

In 1997, a Scottish equivalent was launched, and ScotRail Railways Limited were awarded £150 000 to modify 46 2-car trains to accommodate 2 cycles, and 30 other 2-car trains to accommodate an increase from 2 to 5 cycles.

And finally

Thank you to Peter Gazey and Rose Ades, of Bikerail, for their contributions to many of the projects I've described, and for material and suggestions for this article.

Clare Macrae

Parking Subgroup

We mentioned last issue that we're planning a campaign to encourage large shops to provide better cycle parking. Thanks to everyone who volunteered to help with this. We've just about finished the planning and preparations, and will be in touch with volunteers round about the time you get this newsletter.

We will also be working on a Cycle Parking Standards report for Cambridge, to be launched early in May. Part of our monthly meeting in May will be devoted to discussing this. If you would like to contribute to the report, please contact me. We should have a first draft ready by the beginning of April.

Clare Macrae

Cambridgeshire Capacity Study

Cambridgeshire County Council is consulting the public on the Cambridgeshire Capacity Study, which aims to identify principles for the allocation of new housing in the county until 2016. This may at first glance seem unrelated to cycling, but in fact whatever decision is made has important implications for the nature of travel and transport within the county - which in turn affects cycling.

Central government's projection of new housing need in Cambridgeshire is 71 000 new dwellings. This figure has been rejected by SCEALA, the association of eastern counties (Cambs, Norfolk & Suffolk), who propose an alternative figure of 45 000. Both figures are over and above the existing commitments for 35 500 dwellings, which means that either way the county is faced with a massive increase in households over the next twenty years - although the population does not increase so much, as existing households divide up for various reasons.

The purpose of the study is to determine how to make the decision about where to locate these households. Chesterton Consultancy has produced a consultation paper on the county's behalf which identifies six key issues to be taken into account: market demand for housing, the preference for developing on 'brownfield' sites, the need to protect the green belt, accessibility of public transport, accessibility to nearby employment, and existing development constraints and opportunities. Whichever of their suggested options is chosen there will be significant implications for cyclists. For example, all of them create a need for increased travelling, and it is thus crucial for cyclists to ask what kinds of travelling are to be facilitated alongside the development of housing.

A conference of mainly planners and local councillors organised by the county to discuss the study proved surprisingly positive in its commitment to sustainability and to non car based transport .Susan Owens of Cambridge University Department of Geography received a very warm reception. She highlighted changing social priorities towards the environment, sustainability and transport. She argued against the old 'predict and provide' approach, in favour of some kind of demand management. For example, with changed assumptions about the inclusion of car parking within the space needed for a new house, the number of new dwellings built on a given piece of land might be radically increased.

The consultation continues until 13 April. Whilst it isn't clear which of these options will produce the most beneficial outcome for cyclists, I feel it is important for cyclists to take part in the consultation and to air cycling concerns well in advance of any decisions being formally taken. Consultation leaflets can be obtained from local authority offices, or on the web (at http://www.camcnty.gov.uk/sub/capstudy/result98.htm).

Paul Rosen

Two-wheeled Charity

All summer long, the Cambridge Evening News is filled with an amazing number of reports on those who've taken to their bikes to raise money for good causes. Most of these are small groups of people with very personal causes - but there are also a few much larger rides organised by individual charities.

Over the years I've been on about 15 such rides, and I've always found them to be very enjoyable. I love the sense of community of joining hundreds or thousands of other riders.If anyone out there is interested in joining a Cambridge Cycling Campaign 'team' for this year's London to Cambridge ride on 26 July, I'd love to hear from you.

On really large rides, such as the London to Brighton (where 27  000 riders are expected this year) pick your starting time carefully - the earlier the better. The year I did that one, I started around 8:30 am, and I had to walk the first couple of miles, as there were too many people crammed into too tight an area - very stressful, though the rest of the ride did make up for it.

Secondly, on the larger rides it's probably also worth taking your own lunch - as the queues can stretch quite a way at busier times.

This Year's Sponsored Rides

These are the ones we've heard about so far. (If you hear of any other sponsored rides on the Cambridge area, I'd really like to know about them, to put an update in the next newsletter.)

Sunday 3 May - The Cambridge Wheel, in aid of Action Research. A countryside ride of 25 or 50 miles, starting and finishing in Cambridge. (01603) 414676.

Sunday 31 May - Roundabout East Anglia, in aid of the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust. Circular routes through the countryside, starting and finishing in Cambridge. (01865) 875758.

Sunday 26 July - The London to Cambridge Bike Ride, 60 miles in aid of WWF. Probably Cambridge's biggest ride. If you're not riding, it's worth going to Midsummer Common just to soak up the atmosphere! (01483) 426269.

Sunday 6 September - The St Ives Fun Bike Ride, 25 miles in aid of the British Heart Foundation. For details, write to British Heart Foundation Bike Rides, 14 Fitzhardinge Street, London, W1H 4DH - quoting ref. 24.

Other ways to help

If you don't want to ride, but are interested in helping one of the good causes, there are other ways. The organisers of the Cambridge Wheel, in particular, are seeking volunteers to help marshal on the day. If you're interested, let me know, and I'll give you more details. I'm sure that applies to the other rides as well.

Finding out more

Bike Events is an organisation in Bath which organises rides throughout the UK and abroad. Their annual brochure provides details of over 100 rides. If you'd like a copy, contact them at: Bike Events Ltd, PO Box 75, Bath. BA1 1BX. (01225) 480130.

Clare Macrae

A Day in the Life of a Mobile Mechanic

I recently caught up with Chris Lloyd, who runs a mobile bike service in Cambridge, and asked him about the business.

What does a typical working day consist of?

Well, it usually covers all aspects of the business. I start by collecting bikes. Most repairs I can do on the spot, but occasionally I pick up bikes and return them to the workshop. On four afternoons a week, I have regular slots at various locations in Cambridge. I return bikes in the evening - at around 6 or 7 pm. This means I'm usually travelling to homes, rather than workplaces. I often get morning calls for hire bikes, so I'll deliver those along the way, too.

That sounds like more than a one-person job.

No, not really. I'll occasionally hire someone for specific tasks, but I can usually manage alone.

What would you say is the most important skill or trait for a mobile mechanic?

I think trustworthiness is really important as you're going to people's houses. Obviously, being skilled at repairing bikes, and good at diagnosing problems and finding cost-effective remedies is important as well.

How have you publicised the business?

I've been running the business for over 5 years now, and I've always had regular customers who heard of the company through word of mouth and recommendations. I haven't really needed to advertise because I'm always busy. But I've been expanding the business over last 18 months, so publicising it a bit more.

How did you get into the cycle repair business?

I've always owned and repaired bikes, ever since I was at Loughborough University. When I first came to Cambridge I was a teacher, and a sold second-hand bikes after work! About 5 years ago, I decided to start the cycle business, and I've never looked back really - I've enjoyed the move.

So do you cycle yourself?

Yes I do, when I get time, and anyway, I always have to try out every bike I work on, to make sure it's OK. Sometimes I think about the distances I drive for work, but then I think about the hundreds of bikes I'm keeping on the road, and it all seems worthwhile.

What are the most common things you repair?

It's odd. One week you get loads of chains and blocks to repair - and the next week there'll be a run of punctures. It depends on the time of year and what children are doing - you always get more punctures in half term! Tyres, tubes, brake cables etc. are a staple all year round. There are usually lots of buckled wheels to be fixed - particularly on a Monday morning after people have left bikes at the train and bus stations over a weekend. I carry lots of spares in the van. It's easy to figure out what things are worth carrying. Just occasionally parts have to be ordered, but not too often.

How far from Cambridge are you willing to travel?

My patch is really Girton, Histon, Newnham, through City Centre, Chesterton - basically north of the river. I go out to Milton quite a bit, and to Longstanton and Swavesey. I try very hard to avoid rush hour. You can't help noticing how more traffic there is now than 5 years ago.

What are the hardest aspects of being mobile?

Well, I think it's hard to get over the various services I offer. People who rent bikes from me don't know that I do repairs, and people whose bikes I repair don't know that I do rental, for example. But in fact I offer a complete cycle service - sales, hire and repair.

How do you think your prices and service compare with traditional bike shops?

Well, supplying and fitting a new inner tube would be about £6. A new chain would vary, depending on the quality, but usually between £9 and £11, and a brake cable or gear cable would be £5. But the service is the most important point. I go to my customers. They don't have to put bikes in cars, and waste time wheeling bikes to shops.

You offer a discount to Campaign members - has there been much uptake?

No - none!

Interviewed by Clare Macrae

Second Road Traffic Reduction Bill

We've reported on Road Traffic Reduction in the past. The 1997 Road Traffic Reduction Act placed a responsibility on local government to set local targets for reducing motor traffic.

The successor to the 1997 Act, the Road Traffic Reduction (UK Targets) Bill was debated in Parliament on 30th January, with Government support, and won a second reading. Unfortunately, in order to secure that support, the Bill's promoters (Friends of the Earth, the Green Party and Plaid Cymru) had to remove the total (national) target of a 10% reduction. So the campaign for a national target goes on. In the meantime, we shall have to wait for the Integrated Transport Policy White Paper, due out in May.

Clare Macrae

Discounts for Members

Discounts are available for members at:

Ben Hayward Cycles 69, Trumpington Street Cambridge 352294	Ben Hayward Cycles Laundress Lane Cambridge 301118
Bishop's Cycles 51 Station Road Histon 518855	Chris's Bikes Mobile Bicycle Service 276004 or mobile 0468 075307
Cycle-Logical 171 Mill Road Cambridge 576545	Geoff's Bike Hire 65, Devonshire Road Cambridge 365629
Howes Cycles 104, Regent Street Cambridge 350350	Kingsway Cycles 8 City Road Cambridge 355852
King Street Cycles 82 King Street Cambridge 367275	Mike's Bikes 26-28 Mill Road Cambridge 312591
University Cycles 9 Victoria Avenue Cambridge 355517

Campaign Diary

April

Tuesday 7	7:30pm	Monthly Meeting, Friends' Meeting House, Jesus Lane
Thursday 9	8:00am	National Bike Week planning meeting, at Le Favori, Hills Road
Sunday 12	1:50pm	Leisurely countryside ride, meeting at Brookside, Lensfield Road
Monday 20	8:30pm	We'll be at the Zebra on Maid's Causeway - all welcome!
Tuesday 21	8:30am	Newsletter 17 Editorial Review Meeting, at Le Favori, Hills Road
Tuesday 21	7:30pm	National Bike Week planning meeting, at 100 Thoday Street

May

Friday 1		Deadline for copy in Newsletter 18. Miss this, and it goes in issue 19.
Sunday 3		The Cambridge Wheel, sponsored ride for Action Research.
Tuesday 5	7:30pm	Monthly Meeting, Friends' Meeting House, Jesus Lane
Sunday 10	1:50pm	Leisurely countryside ride, meeting at Brookside, Lensfield Road
Monday 18	8:30pm	We'll be at the Zebra on Maid's Causeway - all welcome!
Friday 22	7:30pm	Newsletter stuffing, 8 Thirleby Close - helpers needed
Sunday 24	1:50pm	Leisurely countryside ride, meeting at Brookside, Lensfield Road
Sunday 31		Roundabout East Anglia, sponsored ride for Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust

June

6-14

National Bike Week!

Campaign stall

If you haven't done so recently, do come along and visit the campaign stall - we're outside the Guildhall (opposite the Market) every Saturday from 10.15 am to 2 pm. Here you will find up-to-the-minute information about the Campaign as well as a large range of quality T-shirts - now at the reduced price of £8 (while stocks last).

If you'd like to see what it's like to help on the stall, you can ask to sign the rota while you're there. Or give me a ring and I'll explain what's involved - and make sure you're on with someone who's done it before. See you on Saturday!

Paula Watson
323057

Can you help?

We're going to get Cambridge Cycling Campaign mugs made in the near future - and so we're looking for a suitable design. Is there anyone out there who's feeling creative? We'd love to hear from you! (The maximum printable area is 180 mm wide by 75 mm high - and the brighter the design, the better.)

Clare Macrae

About the Campaign

Cambridge Cycling Campaign was set up in 1995 to voice the concerns of cyclists. We are not a cycling club but an organisation campaigning for the rights of cyclists, promoting cycling in and around Cambridge and lobbying for more and better facilities.

Membership is open to all who support these aims. It includes subscription to this newsletter, published every two months, and a discount at a number of Cambridge cycle shops.

Come to our regular stall on Saturdays outside the Guildhall. This is the public face of the campaign and volunteers are always welcome to help. And don't forget our meetings, on the first Tuesday of each month, 7.30 for 8.00 pm at the Friends' Meeting House, Jesus Lane, Cambridge.

Elected Officers

Treasurer - Simon Nuttall

Co-ordinator - Clare Macrae

Membership Secretary
Liaison Officer
Press Officer - David Earl

Stall Officer - Paula Watson

Newsletter Editor - Mark Irving

Officer Without Portfolio - Nigel Deakin

Contacting the Campaign

Cambridge Cycling Campaign
PO Box 204
Cambridge CB4 3FN

Telephone David Earl 690718

Web http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/camcycle

E-mail contact@camcycle.org.uk

Cycling Campaign Subgroups

 Telephone number   e-mail address

Arbury Camp - Studying Sainsbury's plans for development. Contact Clare   336024   macrae@ccdc.cam.ac.uk

Cycle Enumeration - Analysing cycle journeys in Cambridge. Contact Jim Chisholm work   334438 or home 841954   jim.chisholm@ucs.cam.ac.uk

Cycle Parking - Working to improve cycle parking provision throughout Cambridge. Contact Clare   336024   macrae@ccdc.cam.ac.uk

National Bike Week '98 - Planning events for June 1998. Contact Simon Nuttall   773699   radar@scientia.com

Newsletter - Co-ordinating this, the Campaign's newsletter. Contact the Editor, Mark Irving 882378  Mark<irving@home.cam.net.uk>

Road Danger Reduction Charter - Working to get the RoadPeace charter adopted locally. Contact Slim 363434

Science Park Access - looking at plans to widen Milton Road. Contact Clare   336024   macrae@ccdc.cam.ac.uk

West Cambridge - Studying the University's plans for development. Contact Dave Earl 690718   david@frankieandshadow.com

Other organisations - contacts

Cambridge Friends of the Earth
St Michael's Church Hall, Trinity Street, Cambridge CB2 1SU
517509   camfoe@home.cam.net.uk

Cycle-Friendly Employers scheme
Teresa Broadstock, Travel For Work Advisor
Cambridge and Huntingdon Health Authority
Hillview, Fulbourn Hospital
Cambridge CB1 5EF
475131

Cyclists' Touring Club, Cambridge District Association
Sue Taylor, Secretary 563414

Sustrans - Nigel Brigham
The Environment & Energy Centre, 33a Westgate
Peterborough PE1 1PZ
 (01733) 319981 fax (01733) 346902