newsnet 10.02.06

The weekly newsletter for members of CTC

 

 

News

 

Tour de France UK route announced

The Tour de France, which will start in London in 2007, will take in some of London's most famous landmarks including the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, it was announced yesterday. The Grand Depart, the start of the Tour, will come to London and Kent over three days during the weekend 6th - 8th July 2007 and is expected to attract more than a million visitors to London. See the story on our homepage or listen to online Interviews with Phil Liggett and Kevin Mayne of CTC, London mayor Ken Livingstone and outgoing Tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc, alongside others on the Bikebiz.com podcast here

 

First class to bike class
French Railways SNCF revealed in September the first of 183 refurbished TGV high-speed trains. At one end, the former first-class compartment has been converted for people travelling with bikes. There are 12 seats arranged face-to-face around three tables plus four other seats which are folded up to make room for four bikes. The first modified TGV vehicles will be operated on the Paris to Nantes and Paris to Luxembourg routes, but by 2007 they should be seen more widely. (Source: Today’s Railways)

Gongs of praise

Schemes or projects that have helped to boost cycling will this year be recognised at the National Cycle Project Awards. CTC’s Adam Coffman said:  “We are particularly looking for examples of innovative practice that are worthy of national recognition. These could be implemented by local authorities, transport operators, schools, community organisations or anyone else. Consideration will be given to projects of any kind that are shown to have made a difference.” Closing date is 10th April and the winners will be announced on 20th May at the CTC/CCN Conference in Birmingham. Further information from adam.coffman@...

 

And finally…

If you’ve been following the Southern Trains story, or read about our Easyjet victory last week, you will know that we spend a lot of our time campaigning for the right to take bikes on public transport. That’s why this story from Brazil made us chuckle. It’s an electric single-decker bus that’s powered by an onboard spinning class…It has to be seen to be believed, so  watch the video here or visit the website.

 

What’s on?

 

Are you up for a challenge?

This year’s CTC Challenge Rides offer something for all cyclists; from family routes to 150km romps across some of the most picturesque terrain in the country. There is something to suit everyone. Furthermore, they help raise vital funds for cycling. Rides organiser, Matt Mallinder, told newsnet: “The rides follow a simple formula: rewarding routes, stunning scenery and great camaraderie. This is coupled to a sense of great satisfaction in completing the route in the knowledge that you are raising vital funds for CTC Charitable Trust.” Find out more here 

 

Love Yr Bike!

A celebration of cycling is taking place tomorrow (Sat 11th Feb) in Mitcham, Surrey. Entertainments and attractions include a bicycle-powered smoothie maker, demonstrations ranging from fixing a puncture to building a wheel, a cycle cinema and free cycle training. Jenny Jones from the London Assembly will be on hand to answer questions in the afternoon. Entry is free. More details from the official website: http://www.love-yr-bike.co.uk

 

Your Cycle Magazine needs you

Yes, it’s that time again. Cycle Magazine is looking to hear from you, the reader, about what you’ve been up to. So if you, your DA or your local group have been out there doing good for cycling, or know of any group or individual you feel should be recognised in print then send your contributions to david.douglas@... . Send 200 words or less (with a digital photo if possible) and he will try and fit it in to the local news page.

 

Products

 

Share your love of cycling…

If you haven’t bought your Valentines Gift by now you’re leaving it pretty late, but luckily not too late!  If you don’t know what to buy your loved one, CTC is on hand with its Valentines gift membership - and you don’t even have to brave the high street to buy it.  A gift that will open the door to a lifetime of cycling enjoyment for you and your partner is just one phone call away. Give a CTC gift membership to the one you love this valentine and share your love of cycling together. Simply call 870 873 0061

 

…Valentines Day Socks

If you’d rather not think about Valentines, we’d like to talk to you about socks.  If you don’t already own a few pairs of cycling-specific socks then why not love your feet and give them a try? They provide a superior fit and can help keep you warmer, cooler or drier, whilst protecting you from sore feet and blisters. Socks, Socks and more Socks...

 

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

 

CTC info

 

From Russia with love

Our information sheet on Russia has been updated with the generous assistance of Vladimir Filippov of the Russian Cycle Touring Club. For anyone contemplating a trip, this year is probably a very good time to go. Check out the RCTC website on www.rctc.ru

 

Picture this

We are working hard to preserve CTC’s history, especially with our upcoming move, and with this in mind many of our historic photographs have been sent to the Modern Records Archive at Warwick University. The Archive team are looking for a volunteer to place the photos in special polyester sleeves. If you can help, please email Monica Ory. M.A.Ory@...

 

Finally…

Many thanks to Lloyd Bower for his excellent route sheet describing his four week tour of Costa Rica in December 2005.

 

CTC Campaigns

 

Sweet and sour

City of York Councillor Tracy Simpson-Laing (Lab) has contacted local CTC activists, to ask for experiences with a new kind of sugar-coated rock salt, which is increasingly being used by Local Authorities for road gritting. Seemingly, the sugar coating helps the rock salt adhere to the road surface for longer. However it is also gunging up the bottom bracket on Tracy's bike and child trailer. She will welcome email feedback from anyone with similar experiences, at cllr.tsimpson-laing@...  or adam.coffman@...

 

Southern Trains relents…a bit

Following pressure by CTC and others over its strict policing of a peak time ban on bikes, Southern Trains has relented – slightly. It had been insisting that passengers with folding bikes, which are allowed on its trains during peak hours, fold their machines before walking down platforms. Southern has decided to now allow folders to be wheeled down platforms. We hope that this outbreak of common sense is catching and that the company reviews its entire policy on the carriage of bikes.

 

Cycling Symposium

The next Cycling and Society Symposium will be held at Chester University on April 10th -11th 2006. If you want to present either work in progress or finished papers, please contact Peter Cox at the address below or via email, peter.cox@...  Find details of the event at the Cycling and Society Research Group's here

 

Member benefit

 

The CTC credit card can save you money and helps raise valuable funds for CTC’s campaigning and cycling development work - all at no extra cost to you. Benefits include 0% p.a. on balance transfers guaranteed for 6 months, no annual fee, 15.9% APR (variable) and up to 59 days free credit on purchases. Phone 0800 776262 and quote ref. MOH5 to request an application form.

 

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