Ealing Cycling Campaign
Newsletter December 2005
A
crime prevention officer, for the borough of Ealing, gave a very interesting
talk at our November meeting, and answered questions at the end.
Key points raised:
Cycle Stolen Rates:
Cycles stolen in Ealing average 12 cycles/week which is less than many
e.g. 44/week in Islington. These figures are based on reported crimes, which
tend to be robbery/burglary/or when a high price bike is involved.
Apparently a lot of bikes stolen are from children, as they are 'pushed
off' to get the bike.
Ealing Tube Station:
Ealing tube station attracts a lot of the above bike thefts.
There is a CCTV camera but thieves block its view while their mates work
on the lock. We asked what we could do, and he suggested we lobby Transport
for London to encourage them to put in secure cycle storage. He mentioned
additional CCTV might cost a few thousand.
What we can do:
As 40% of bike are from private property the following
ideas were suggested:
- Buy anchor bolt to attach bike to (approx £40)
- Cover bike (puts thieves off, as it takes time to remove and makes a
noise doing so.)
- Register bike details on www.immobilise.com.
This is a free service and the details include your bike's number (under
the crank) and your contact details. The police can quickly search this
database and find the owner of any bike they have. Stickers saying you
have registered with this site also discourage thieves. He also mentioned
similar company MEND Mobile Electronic Database.
- Buy good quality bike locks, to help choose go to www.soldsecure.com,
then go on to manufacturers site, then ask where nearest shop is.
- Alarms can also be fitted to bikes, they must be loud enough to distract
people to come over and see what is happening.
- Always lock your bike to an immovable object.
- Fitting more than one lock to your bike is also a good idea, to save
having lots of keys, he suggested you get in touch with the lock manufacturer
and get the same key for all your locks.
- Identifying Your Bike/Serial Number:
He said there was a period where cycle manufacturers stopped putting serial
numbers on each bike, but that looks over and most do have one. He mentioned
metal stamp kits can be used to put post code and house number on, this
method was readable via x-ray even if visible stamp is filed off. He recommended
painting over any new stamping with clear nail varnish to keep water out.
Pens, whose writing show up in UVlight, can also be used, but these fade
in sunlight so would need to be re-applied.
- Sale of unclaimed bikes:
Bikes that cannot be re-united with their owners are sold, and you
can even bid for them online, like ebay. Sorry we don't know the web site.
Try Googling.
- Use of 999:
If you see someone with bolt cutters and they look as though they are
about to commit a crime, he encouraged us to use the 999 number.
If you feel it is not urgent then contact the local police station on
the usual number.
Officers on bikes in Ealing:
He mentioned that PCSO's on a bike are in Ealing, they can give on the
spot fines (for offences like riding on the pavement and jumping red lights
- ED). One of their bikes together with their kit costs over £1000.
Cost of catching someone:
It costs about £25-30,000 for an average burglary, when everyone's
time, including courts, is factored in.
Smart Water:
He spoke highly of this new technology - water with a unique molecular
unique signature. It can be put on your possessions and even a tiny
bit is enough. They can detect its presence with uv-light. More information
at www.smartwater.com. Where used,
it has an extremely high conviction rate. But it's not cheap.
Other links mentioned:
He said we should check out www.bikeoff.com
and of course the www.lcc.org.uk which
has a pdf which can be downloaded. See
http://www.lcc.org.uk/Documents/cycle%20security.pdf?DocID=16
Ealing Transport Plan - Our response
Ealing Cycling Campaign is looking ahead to the next six years of cycling in Ealing. In November, Peter Mynors, our Council Liason member, submitted our response to Ealing Council's Draft Local Implementation Plan (LIP). The LIP is a statutory document prepared by each London Borough to implement the Mayor of London's Transport Strategy. It details the Borough's transport programme until 2011. The good news is that, thanks to years of campaigning, cycling features strongly in Ealing's plan. For details of the plan visit: http://www.ealing.gov.uk/services/environment/transportandstreets/local+implementaton+plan+(lip).asp
For our response, visit: LIP consultation response 10 Nov 05.pdf
Peter Mynors attended a couple of London Cycle Network Plus (LCN+) planning meetings in November. This is his report.
LCN+ 101 Cycle
Route Inspection Meeting (CRIM), 16 November 2005
This LCN+ link follows the A4 along its length from Sutton Court Road
to Gillette Corner.
The consultant (Buchanan) seemed well organised and this is reflected
in their comprehensive and prompt CRIM note, (see below). There is nothing
particularly controversial about this link - it just needs improving.
For Ealing cyclists it is mainly the section west of Windmill Road that
is relevant.
Section -2 to 13 : Whole Route
Suggested options for the whole Cycle Route Implementation Stakeholder Plan (CRISP) Route
Two way tracks on each side of carriageway
Green coloured cycle tracks with cycle logo
Better cycle signage and road markings
Fill in bus lay-bys
Consistent bus shelter layouts with cycle track behind shelter
Consistent and correct tactile paving for both pedestrians and cyclists throughout the whole route
Dropped kerbs need improving and repairing
Shared use subways
Remove street furniture/signposts/bollards from cycle tracks
Litter/Graffiti tidy up - general maintenance of tracks (whose responsibility TfL or LBH?)
Removal of any vegetation etc causing visibility issues
Improved lighting and security measures such as CCTV at elevated sections
Review of pedestrian/cycle crossing phases at signalled junctions
Any junction with out crossings put in signals where feasible and/or good dropped kerbs and advisory cycle lanes
LCN+ 48 draft CRISP report review, 21 November 2005
At this meeting we reviewed the draft CRISP report produced by Mayer Brown.
Colin McKenzie (LBE) and a very helpful guy from LBE Parks department
were there. TfL and I had submitted detailed comments beforehand but these
did not appear to have been read yet by the consultant's representative
at the meeting. It was agreed:
The western alignment of the route through the golf course/Pitshanger
Park is preferred (i.e. not Bellvue Road), subject to the parks people
sorting out the necessary formalities for upgrading and widening the route
and making it legal to cycle on.
The Uxbridge Road crossing next to Daniels rather than at Northfields
Avenue is accepted.
BUT
For the section south of St Mary's Church, there still seems to be uncertainty
about the status of the four routes into Hounslow.
For the route towards Brentford, the consultants seem to prefer the route
via South Ealing Road rather than the route via Weymouth Avenue/Junction
Road. It has been agreed that Mayer Brown will draw up the alternatives
in detail before a decision is made. Hounslow LCC group are strongly supporting
the Junction Road route.
For the route towards Kew Bridge, LB Hounslow have agreed that Clayponds
Avenue is preferable to Lionel Road, but the LCN+ section in Ealing is
still shown on the map as going via Windsor Road/Elderberry Road. Colin
agreed that this needs revisiting. The right solution probably is to make
the Olive Road/Clayponds Avenue route the LCN+ route, with local widening
through the cemetery, and to make the Windsor Road/Elderberry Road route
a borough cycle route.
LCN+ 100 draft CRISP report review, 5 December 2005
I shall be attending this meeting on behalf of both GSK plc and Ealing
LCC. Hopefully we shall get Mayer Brown to commit to doing the necessary
detailed work required to resolve the route from St Mary's to Brentford,
referred to above.
There is also an ongoing debate as to whether the southern end of the
route should go via Syon Park or via Twickenham Road. Hounslow LCC are
strongly supporting the former, even if unlit at night. I have arranged
a poll of GSK cyclists to get a view from some regular commuter cyclists,
and will be putting this forward at the meeting.
Who was it that said retirement must be dull?
Planning of the tram
route, from Uxbridge to Shepherds Bush, roughly following the 207 bus
route, continues. The original plan was that Transport for London would
have applied for a Transport & Works by the end of December 2005 but
this has been delayed until summer 2006 as more traffic modelling and
detailed plans are required. A year later in spring 2007 a public enquiry
will take place and TfL will find out if the government will fund the
£650 million needed. This all seems a long way off but some interesting
events have taken place in the last few weeks:
1. Hammersmith and Fulham Council have withdrawn support for the tram
whilst Ealing Council has announced it will partner TfL.
2. TfL has released details of the infrastructure changes it requires
for the building and maintenance of the tram. In other words it needs
compounds to store machinery during construction, electrical sub-stations
and the like. A full list is available on their website: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/trams/initiatives/wlt/consultation2005.shtml
It includes the Dickens Yard behind the Council offices, West Ealing Lido
and Singapore Road behind West Ealing. These announcements were reported
as a surprise by Ealing Council as they feel they were not consulted.
3. TfL has leafleted the whole Borough with a smart flyer in order to
keep people abreast of the situation.
Many the anti-tram groups see these as more nails in the coffin of the
whole project and it will be an interesting 12 months. Ealing LCC will
continue to keep a close eye on the project. Members have taken a keen
interest since the plans were first mentioned and both the building and
final route of the tram will have a massive impact on cycling not only
on the route itself but adjacent areas too.
We are holding our Christmas Meal at Cafe Grove on 7 December at 8pm - immediately after our regular monthly meeting. Because numbers are limited, you will need to reserve a place. If you would like to come, please send an email to: ealingcycling@dsl.pipex.com.
All
members are welcome at our meetings. We usually get together on the first
Wednesday of the month. Our
venue is downstairs at "Cafe Grove" on The Grove, W5.
If
you haven't been before you are very welcome.
P.S. The cafe does very good cheesecake and Polish beer.
