From: newsnet@CTCnews.org.uk
Sent: 05 March 2010 14:30
To: timmyers@tiscali.co.uk
Subject: CTC Newsletter
If you can not see this email clearly please click here to view
online at the newsnet archive
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IN THIS ISSUE OF NEWSNET |
|
|
Dear Tim |
|
|
|
What’s Cambridge doing
right?
It
is a city where 20%
of people cycle, so in February, the All Party Parliamentary Cycling
Group left Westminster behind and took a trip to Cambridge to look at how the
city is encouraging cycling. On Wednesday, the group met again in
Parliament to watch a video of the
visit and to discuss how other towns and cities in the UK could do
similar things to get more people to cycle. Don’t forget, if you want your
future MP to consider doing more for cycling, get involved in CTC’s latest
campaign Vote Bike. |
|
|
Urban Transport
Challenge Fund
Transport
Minister Sadiq Khan has announced a
new funding scheme for urban strategies to tackle congestion, safety, air
quality and obesity in a joined-up way. The
Urban Challenge Fund replaces the Transport Innovation Fund, which aimed
to support strategies based around congestion charging, which most
authorities have got cold feet about after referendum defeats in
Manchester and Edinburgh. The new approach has laudable aims but the
Government isn’t saying how much money will be available. CTC is also
concerned that existing cycle funding could now get swallowed up by cities
with grand ideas for tram networks but little appreciation of how to promote
cycling. |
|
|
Video: the Bristol
Bike Project
The Bristol Bike Project is a
short documentary about a bike recycling workshop on City Road, Bristol. The
workshop, which is entirely voluntary, collects old and unwanted bicycles
from members of the general public and then works on them with disadvantaged
and marginalised members of the community who are then given the machines as
a new form of transport around the city. |
|
|
Ride the Equinox for
ShelterBox
CTC
Cornwall is organising six rides on 21 March to help cyclists leave the dark
winter behind and raise funds for disaster relief charity ShelterBox. There will be four trail
rides of 5, 17, 22 and 28 miles starting from the Bike Barn at Elm Farm near
Portreath, and two road rides of 25 and 50 miles starting from Devoran
Village Hall. CTC Cornwall is asking participants to raise a minimum
sponsorship or make a donation of £10 per individual or £15 per family, 100%
of which will go to ShelterBox. You can download information, registration
and sponsorship forms from the CTC Cornwall website. |
|
|
National Cycle Route
5 (Penmaenmawr, North Wales)
Conwy
CBC, the local authority denying safe cycle access along its Llandudno
north shore promenade which we wrote about in Newsnet 12.2.10, is now seeking
to enforce a similar ban along its Penmaenmawr promenade. This lies directly
between major cycle route construction work being currently undertaken by
Welsh Highways between the Penmaen Bach and Pen y Clip headlands. CTC is
protesting at the misleading signage and inappropriate use of 'Cyclists
Dismount' signs. |
|
|
Preparing for Los
Picos
CTC
member Des Donohoe is currently helping 14-year-old Luke Vaz train for a
challenging 600 mile ride through the mountains of Los Picos de Europa in
Cantabria, Spain. Four years ago, Luke’s mother died of a brain tumour and
Luke’s New Year resolution for 2010 was to do something special in memory of
her, together with his father Tom. They’ll be raising money for the South
East Cancer Help Centre and every penny raised will go directly to the cause.
You can find out more, follow their monthly reports and make a donation
through the Picos Riders website.
|
|
|
On your bike with BBC
Wales
There
are two days left to listen to the first episode of On Your Bike, a BBC Radio
Wales series about cycling in Wales. In this episode, Olympic Gold medallist
Geraint Thomas interviews Gwenda Owen, CTC’s Cycle Training Development
Officer in Wales, and CTC Right to Ride Rep Neil Hockley. You can listen to the show on
BBC iPlayer until Sunday. |
|
|
LifeCycle
CTC
is one of ten European partners in a project called LifeCycle, funded by the
European Union's Public Health Programme. The aim is to integrate cycling as
a means of transport into daily life and reduce sedentary lifestyles by
adding physical activity to daily routines. To find out more, read the latest issue of
the LifeCycle newsletter, which includes information on resources for
running a successful bike promotion project and a link to a collection of
over 100 active transportation best practices from around the world. |
|
|
Potholes for sale
A
town in Germany is attempting to solve its pothole problem - by
selling them. The hamlet of Niederzimmern in the eastern German state of
Thuringia is selling potholes off at a cost of 50 euros (£45), for which
they’ll tar over a hole and then attach the donor's name to it. Mayor
Christoph Schmidt-Rose says: "The point is to use a funny idea to find
people who can then help us to get our streets back in order.” Customers can
also request an inscription for their pothole plaque. If you’d rather see
potholes fixed without having to buy them, try CTC’s Fill That Hole instead. |
|
|
Tyne & Wear Tunnel
Vision
The
Tyne & Wear Integrated Transport Authority is inviting local people to
give feedback on what could be done to increase the number of people using
the Tyne Pedestrian and Cyclist tunnels connecting Jarrow and Howdon.
Around a quarter of a million cyclists and pedestrians use the tunnels
every year, a fraction of the number who used them in the 50s and 60s. Click here to fill in the survey.
Please note that the deadline of 1 March has been extended by another month. |
|
|
A ‘Buzz about Biking’
in Leighton Buzzard
Watch
Bike Club Officer Tejesh Mistry talk about Bike Club on the pilot of Leighton
Buzz, a volunteer-led community group running a monthly TV show on their
website which features interesting things going on in Leighton Buzzard. Find
out more on the
Bike Club blog. |
|
|
CTC Heart Of England
Rally
The
annual CTC Heart of England Rally will take place on 15 and 16 May at
Meriden, the 'Centre of England' and the site of the Cyclists’ War Memorial,
which was erected and dedicated in 1921. On Saturday, there will be 160km and
100km Audaxes, led leisure rides, and supper followed by an illustrated talk
from cycling legend and Olympic medallist Tommy Godwin. On Sunday there will
be the 89th Cyclists' Memorial and Celebratory Service around the memorial on
the village green, followed by lunch and a treasure hunt. Visit the CTC Heart of England website
or phone John Bennett on 0121 459 9319 for more information. |
|
|
Birthday Rides update
Nearly
200 bookings have already been received for CTC’s Birthday Rides, which are
taking place this year in Cornwall from 19-25 August. Bookings have come from
as far afield as Canada. The first 40-seater coach for the optional trip to
the Eden Project has been fully booked, and a second boat is being chartered
to meet demand for the boat trip on the River Fal. The early bird discount is
still available, so book your places now to avoid disappointment. For more
information, visit the Birthday Rides
website. |
|
|
Try touring in
Slovenia
With
breathtakingly varied scenery and low levels of traffic, this country is
ideal for cyclists. Visit beautiful Lake Bled, Triglav National Park with its
snowcapped mountains, and the historical capital of Ljubljana; then ride
Slovenia's highest road and follow the astonishing Soca River as it meanders
through wooded hills and vineyards. Slovenia is a 12 day holiday from 29 May
to 9 June. CTC holidays are not-for-profit and are exclusive to CTC members.
For more information or to book your place see the CTC Holidays website. |
|
|
Membership Benefit :
CTC cycle clothing
Made
exclusively for us by UK manufacturer Impsport, CTC
cycle clothing will ensure you’re cycling in style. Our vintage range,
which uses modern breathable fabric, carries the historic “winged wheel”
emblem, and a modern range is also available. The full range can be found on the Imsport website –
click on ‘National Organisations’ in the ‘Shop by Range’ menu - and is
available to order online or by calling Impsport on 0845 5050505. |
|
|
Newsnet
If
you have something to share with over 28,000 CTC members, please email links
to websites, videos and images to publicity@ctc.org.uk.
Don’t forget you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook
too. |
RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER
SUBSCRIBE: If you
have been sent this newsletter by a friend and would like to receive it
directly, simply send your membership number (or postcode) and email address
to membership@ctc.org.uk. UNSUBSCRIBE: If you
would no longer like to receive the newsletter, send the word unsubscribe and
your membership number in the subject box of an email to membership@ctc.org.uk. If you would like to comment on
this newsletter please email publicity@ctc.org.uk.
If you have a general enquiry please contact our information team at cycling@ctc.org.uk. To discuss any topic
with other cyclists please post your views on the CTC Forum at www.ctc.org.uk/forum. CTC will not disclose the
information you provided whilst joining CTC or using CTC's support services
to any other person or organisation, except for the purpose of providing you
with CTC membership services and membership benefits available to you as a
member of CTC. If you do not want us to contact you about CTC membership
benefits, products or services, or if you have any query about the use we
make of your data, please write to the Data Controller at CTC, Parklands,
Guildford, Surrey GU2 9JX. |
|
