newsnet 27.01.06

The weekly newsletter for members of CTC

 

 

News

 

Prince of Wheels backs bikes

The credit for this headline goes to bikebiz.com, but well done to Prince Charles for highlighting this week how cycling can help tackle unhealthy living; It has spurred us to send him an invitation to the opening later this year of CTC’s new headquarters in Guildford. Speaking at a conference in London, he raised concerns Britain was closely following the US in the consumption of fast food and lack of exercise. Read the story as reported by the BBC here

 

Tour de Londres

The worst-kept secret in cycling was this week finally th subject of an official announcement; London will host the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in July 2007. It will not be the first time that the Tour has visited England. The 1994 Tour en Angleterre took a route from Dover to Brighton and Portsmouth, with crowds estimated at 3m over the two days. It is expected that the Tour will provide an additional boost to cycling, which in London is currently growing at a faster rate than anywhere else in Europe. CTC’s Roger Geffen said: “We hope that the Government and Transport for London will maximise the opportunities to promote cycle use not only as a recreational activity and sport, but as day-to-day travel." The exact route that the Tour will take will be announced on 9th February. http://www.tourdefrancelondon.com/

 

How a bike framed Prescott's opposition to Blair

John Prescott has two grace-and-favour houses and two Jags, yet it is the absence of a bicycle as a child that has cemented his opposition to Tony Blair’s education reforms. If you missed this fascinating article in The Times this week, read it here

 

‘Bike Stations’ to help stranded commuters

Following the news that London’s Waterloo & City line, popularly referred to as ‘the drain’, will from 1^st April close for five months of repairs, it appears that Transport for London will launch ‘bike stations’ at both Waterloo and London Bridge. The stations will include bike hire and pool bike facilities, and Waterloo station will boast a new 250-place bike park.

 

What’s on?

 

York Cycle Show latest

A new attraction called "Les Cyclistes" will bring exciting audio-visual and interactive cycling displays to the 2006 York Cycle Show, which will be held on York Racecourse over the weekend of June 24th and 25th. The Show Committee Chair is now Paul Hepworth, and the Secretary is John Taylorson MBE, who many will know as the long-standing organiser of the "Great Yorkshire Bike Ride.” A call for volunteers, plus campsite booking forms will appear in ‘Cycle’ and on our website in early Spring. As the website is currently experiencing technical difficulties, for more details call 0870 873 0066 or email yorkcycleshow@...

 

Products

 

There’s a strong chance that I’m preaching to the converted, but if you haven’t already swapped to clipless pedals then what are you waiting for? They take a bit of getting use to, but once you’ve mastered them they are more efficient and your feet will never again slip off the pedals. Click here for our pedal section...

 

The CTC shop can be found at www.ctcshop.com or feel free to give us a call on 0870 873 0069

 

CTC info

 

Work for cycling

The current edition of Cycle, which should be dropping through your door any day now, contains details of three job opportunities at CTC. If you are interested in applying to be a senior cycling development officer, off-road and rural campaigning officer or a fundraising officer for CTC Charitable Trust see our webpage here

 

Also…

Thanks to member Nigel Everest for some useful, up-to-date information on cycling in Alaska and the Yukon. Find it on information sheet CA6.

 

The Normandy Tourism Bureau’s office in Keynsham, Bristol (remember Horace Batchelor) closed at the end of 2005. Details of their address in Evreux remain the same and may be found on P18 of info sheet FR1.

 

Are you planning to take your hydraulic brake-equipped bike abroad? Then be aware that Easyjet has recently added a clause into its ‘carriage of cycles’ rules which forbids carriage of cycles which use hydraulic fluid. Watch this space for developments. We’re on the case to ease the restrictions.

 

CycleDigest online now

The latest edition of the CycleDigest, CTC’s quarterly campaigning newsletter, is now available at: here (pdf and doc versions available).  In this issue: Local Transport Plans - CTC’s final check list; news from Scotland; Cycle-rail campaigns & news; update on the Road Safety Bill; report on the autumn 05 CTC/CCN Campaigns Conference, Warrington; New Publications & Diary Dates; and much more. Paper copies from 01483 520732 / cherry.allan@...

 

CTC Campaigns

 

Cycle-rail motion in Parliament

Emily Thornberry MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group (APPCG) has tabled a parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM 1468), calling for closer integration of cycle and rail travel.  APPCG is backing CTC's campaign featured in the current issue of 'Cycle' magazine, and MPs need to know of your local experiences of using bikes and trains in order to draw the issue to the attention of Derek Twigg MP, the Minister now responsible for both cycling and rail policy.  Please go to our website from which you can automatically call on your MP to support CTC's campaign and in particular to urge him/her to sign EDM 1468.  (If you have already written to your MP, please add a further message urging him/her to sign the EDM).

  

Peer calls for action to bring cyclists to book

Conservative Peer Lord Quinton yesterday asked what the Government was doing to make cyclists obey the Highway Code. The previous day, Radio 4's You and Yours programme brought Lord Quinton together with CTC's campaigns manager Roger Geffen for a brief discussion on the issue. Geffen acknowledged the problem but urged that it should be placed in perspective. He pointed out that cyclists and pedestrian groups were at one in wanting much higher priority given to traffic law enforcement, not least to tackle the widespread speeding and other forms of dangerous driving which endangers both groups, and which leads some cyclists to break the law not through antisocial behaviour but for their own safety. Listen to the Radio 4 piece again here. Read a transcript of the discussion in the Lords here

 

Customers misjudged…or lazy?

Retailers often cite overflowing car parks as an excuse to oppose cycle lanes that will encroach on these spaces, but new research suggests that they may be underestimating the proportion of their customers that arrives by bike. They also misjudge the distances their customers travel, greatly underestimating the proportion that lives less than a mile away. 

 

Member benefit

 

By special arrangement, members of CTC are now able to join the exclusive healthcare plans offered by Civil Service Healthcare, the non-profit making friendly society run solely for the benefit of its members. Benefits include a 24hr medical advice line and, as a special offer to CTC, one month's free membership. To receive your no-obligation quotation and information pack either visit www.cshealthcare.co.uk/ctc.asp or call CS Healthcare free on 0800 917 4325 (quoting reference CTC165).

 

Receiving this newsletter

 

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