Southwark Cyclists AGM November 11th 2015
Apologies for absence: Amy Aeron-Thomas, Eleanor Margolies
Present: Andy Cawdell (chair), Sally Eva (sec), Hugh Bolton (treasurer), Francis Bernstein, David Kernohan, Werner Wiethege, Elizabeth Eden, Jeremy Leach, Ralph Smyth, Bruce Lynn, Alastair Hanton, Joe Parker, Angus Hewlett, Pete Wood, Alex Ingram.
Minutes of the last meeting: agreed at a true record
Guest speaker: Councillor Darren Merrill, cabinet member for Environment and the Public Realm, in charge of cycling strategy. Councillor Merrill listed the strategies out for consultation and asked for help in selling the cycling strategy to the public. The aim of the strategy was to improve the environment for everyone, not just cyclists. It aimed to deliver safer streets, cleaner air and less noise. It aimed to take the stress out of the roads. Allow children to play outside again. The changes were not just for cyclists they were for everyone. The 20mph was to slow down the traffic. People were still speeding and the role of the council was to eliminate as much illegal and dangerous behaviour as it could in the long term.
People had to buy into the cycling strategy and he asked for cyclists help to persuade them to do so. These discussions had to take place with people who did not yet cycle -- with church congregations and tenants associations -- Change wasn't easy but it could be done one step at a time. Trials could help.
Cycle hangars: officers were using temporary traffic orders to install them. If there's a fuss they can be moved. Discretionary LIP funding was being used for temporary road closures. Roads would be closed for 6 months to see the effects on traffic. This was being done on 5/6 roads in Peckham and Nunhead. Important not to overdo it.
Biggest problem was persuading ward councillors who were under pressure from their residents. If cyclists could write to their ward councillors supporting pro-cycling developments that would be a big help
Angus Hewlett suggested more encouragement for families with kids to see cycling and quieter streets as something which was good for them. Kids should have freedom to cycle. It would be nice to see more public council support for this.
Jeremy Leach said that the success of mini-Holland schemes in Enfield, Kingston and Waltham Forest showed that these changes could be popular, and offered a lot more to everyone, not just cyclists.
Joe Parker asked what data the council had on levels of pollution and how it was influenced by road patterns. Councillor Merrill said that this was one of the purposes of trials.
Francis Bernstein suggested highlighting examples of successful interventions. Sustrans did not seem to successfully engage with the community.
Alastair Hanton said that large numbers of families in Dulwich would like their children to be able to cycle to school. A survey of 1000 households showed that 70% wanted to go to school by bike. These voices did not come out at the most recent consultation meeting which was largely older residents who have been shouting down the mothers of the children.
Councillor Merrill said that the aim was to highlight the benefits for the community as a whole of controlling and reducing traffic. Benefits in lower pollution, less noise, safer and more pleasant streets, improved quality of life. Benefits for cycling were part of that. Southwark Cyclists could assist by speaking up for these broader public benefits.
Treasurer's report:Hugh Bolton presented accounts for 2014/15.Net assetsfell from £14,025 to £13,213 due to thecalculation and settlement ofa VAT liability in relation to 2010 / 2011 / 2012 / 2013 Dunwich Dynamo transport operations. Profit on the 2014 Dunwich Dynamo transport operation was£5,480 (net ofa VAT liability settled after year end). Since year endapproximately £7,000 had been earned from 2015 Dunwich Dynamo transport operation and £2,000 had been spent, mostly onDr Bikes. It has always been considered that we need to have a buffer in case the Dynamo transport operationlost a great deal of money. LCC central concerned that doesn't happen because they might be on the hook for the money. But given the size of our cash reserves (approximately £20,000) and the greater certainty in relation to VAT we could safely spend more money without risk to LCC.
Parts of borough with high levels of deprivation. Suggestion that group spend up to £5,000 pa to benefit such residents. Dr Bikes under Peckham Arch primarily benefiting commuters who were largely well-off experienced cyclists. Attempts to broaden audience by offering Dr Bike in Burgess Park during the school holidays largely unsuccessful. Money spent on leaflets, newspaper advert and personal contact at local school. Response very disappointing. Dr Bike at LSBU an attempt to broaden our reach, worth pursuing. Pete Wood setting up Bike User Groups -- we could do Dr Bikes for those -- and contacting employers, providing resources for them to encourage cycling amongst their workforce.
Angus Hewlett suggested running Bike buses from local stations up to central London aimed at commuters dis-satisfied with Southern Trains and looking for new ways to commute. Group could pay professional ride leaders. Agreed to look into this.
Accounts approved, nem con. Agreed: Group agreed to try and spend about £5,000pa supporting cycling in Southwark.
Convenor's report: Group had contributed to consultations on Quietways and CSH’s, Elephant North roundabout, Camberwell Green, Lower Road and Brayards Road. Developers had asked to meet us to discuss safety around big building sites at the E&C. We had given them advice on safer lorries and safer routes. We have collaborated with local employers including local universities, Better Bankside and Team London Bridge to support cycling.
Planning to establish a network of Bicycle User Groups in Southwark by early next year to extend the active supporter base of Southwark Cyclists, assisting the group to push cycling up Southwark Council's political agenda. Resource pages planned for local residents, employees and students, to do their own independent cycle campaigning.
Long delayed success with residential bike parking. After pressure from us in CJSG and well-supported popular online campaign the council has increased the funding put towards bike parking and streamlined the installation process. Group has assisted people to submit CGS bids for bike parking and the bike parking page is the 4th most popular on the website, 2nd most popular topic after the Dynamo.
We continued to run the Healthy Rides (thanks Bruce) with great success and added Dr Bikes in Peckham Square, Burgess Park, Hyde Housing and the South Bank Uni. We ran the Dunwich Dynamo return transport – 1000 cyclists brought back on our coaches.
Employed Pete Wood to develop our web-site, social media and work with universities and employers. Pete is investigating how to better integrate the group's social media accounts with the webpage so that the group's activities are more widely visible and do not require volunteers to manually post the same information in multiple places. Changes on the way include: establishment of a facebook page for better advertising of events, tweets (3,000 followers) to automatically re-post to Facebook, and to be displayed on the sidebar of the website; new blog posts to be automatically posted to twitter and Facebook. Pete is re-establishing a Flickr group to harvest a photo-library for better images. The monthly newsletter is to go out via LCC Engaging Networks email list allowing much wider distribution. The new template and interface should make the newsletter easier to view on mobiles and tablets
Group resigned to continuing to use the yahoo groups as a core discussion forum and archive. However trying to do collaborative work such as planning consultations on cyclescape and googledocs. Suggestions for non-google collaborative software welcomed.
TfL temporary roadworks safety rides fantastically successful. Great input from Francis Bernstein, police, Southwark Council, Lambeth Cyclists, developers, TfL project managers taking part as well as Southwark Cyclists. Developers fighting to get business in London want cycle-friendly endorsement. Dangers spotted on these rides dealt with immediately, sometimes one phone call. Important contacts being made within TfL.
LCC Infrastructure Review Group, Bruce representing us on this. Great way to learn (rapidly) about infrastructure planning and have early input. Bruce wanting to step back and looking for others to join and potentially take over. (Liz Eden and David Kernohan later volunteered)
New rules for local groups: quorum for AGM agreed to be 10. Day-to-day management of the Group to be by Management Committee, comprising of the three Officers plus up to seven more members of the Group. All members of management committee must be members of LCC and only LCC members may vote in their election (agreed by convenor's action after AGM).
Campaigning 2015/16: group continue to promote cycling through Healthy Rides and Dr Bike under Peckham Arch to continue through 2016; develop use of Engaging Networks to encourage our members and followers to take action to support cycling. Follow up suggestion of Bike Buses to turn train commuters into cycling commuters.
Consider how to spend £1-5,000 to reach marginalised cyclists and non-cyclists who could benefit from cycling and more cycling friendly environments.
Election of convenor: Andy Cawdell, proposed Alastair Hanton, seconded Pete Wood (agreed nem con)
Election of secretary: Sally Eva, proposed Andy Cawdell, seconded Alastair
(agreed nem con)
Election of Treasurer: Hugh Bolton proposed Andy Cawdell, seconded Sally Eva (agreed nem con).
Election to Cycling Joint Steering Group (five places): thrown open to the group for suggestions. No offer to stand or request from the floor. Those on the group agreed to continue: Andy (ex officio), Eleanor Margolies, Pete Wood and Alastair Hanton. One place left vacant to be filled ad hoc.
LCC Junction Review Group: Bruce looking for assistance (Liz Eden and David Kernohan agreed to assist in private conversation later)
Newsletter editor: Eleanor Margolies willing to continue. She would like assistance, no one offered.
Management committee: agreed by convenor's action after meeting.
AOB:
Jeremy Leach said consultation for QW7 extended to November 13th. Urged all present to use it to support the filtering of Edmund St.
Joe Parker said that Friends of Burgess Park AGM had supported our plans for making Wells Way more cycle friendly. He wanted us to respond. Group passed the following motion: Agreed:
Southwark Cyclists note that a large number of North-South cycle journeys through the Borough pass along Wells Way, even though this route also carries large volumes of motor traffic including buses with no Go Dutch infrastructure.
"Southwark Cyclists further note that two lanes of parking, a wide junction with Albany Road, and a substation car park at the critically-narrow St. George's Way junction all offer 'quick wins' for an off-carriageway cycle route, and also note that Friends of Burgess Park are supportive of this concept.
"Southwark Cyclists therefore resolve to campaign for an off-carriageway cycle route along Wells Way to be built to Go Dutch standards, working with other voluntary organisations such as Friends of Burgess Park and Southwark Living Streets as necessary."
Meeting closed at 8.15pm. Date of next AGM: November 9th 2016. Date of next ordinary meeting: December 9th 2015 at Better Bankside, junction of Zoar St and Great Guildford St, starts 6.30pm. All welcome.