newsnet 31.03.06

The weekly newsletter for members of CTC

 

 

News

 

“Up to 100,000 miles of trail across England and Wales waiting to be claimed”

Following our nationwide campaign, we are today celebrating final confirmation that cyclists will be able to claim a new type of right of way. Welcoming the news, CTC’s Richard George said: “We have no idea how many routes like this are out there, and the only way we’ll find out is by cyclists submitting claims - there could be up to 100,000 miles of trail across England and Wales just waiting to be claimed” Where there is evidence of twenty years’ cycle use on a trail, cyclists can claim a permanent right to use it. CTC is asking cyclists to think of examples like this near them, and to submit a claim to their local highway authority; there is a guide to submitting a claim on the CTC website. Full story on our homepage  and advice on how to make a claim here

 

Cycle Lane Frenzy

Around 10,000 people have in the past month written to their MPs in response to CTC's Highway Code campaign. The suggestion that cyclists could be penalised if they choose to use the road instead of a nearby cycle facility, has outraged the cycling community. The episode is a re-run of the last revision of the Highway Code in 1998 when exactly the same words were threatened - CTC's call to action was successful then and we hope the Driving Standards Agency will listen to us, remove the offending words and not threaten them again in the future! We would like to reach 15,000 signatures so please spread the word about this campaign. Read more (Please note that the technical glitch that was affecting campaigners in Scotland is now fixed)

 

We’re moving

CTC will be moving over the weekend of 8th and 9th of April to its new headquarters in Guildford. Headquarters will close on Thursday 6th April and re-open for business in the new office on Tuesday 11th April. Between these dates, you will not be able to contact Headquarters, but all other offices including Membership, the CTC Shop and Accident Line will operate as normal.  In addition to the days when we are closed, staff at headquarters may be unavailable while they are preparing for the move. Please allow us extra time to respond to your enquiries in both the week before and after the move. Read more

 

Police hang up their skates

Everyone knows that to escape a Darlek you need no more than a flight of stairs, and now villains have discovered the Achilles heel of the Police officers who use in-line skates to patrol the Royal Parks in London; grass. Superintendent Derek Pollock told The Times this week that his officer had reverted to bicycles: “The minute people realised they were being chased they would switch to a soft surface.”

 

Tour leaders required

An American company is seeking guides to lead tours for groups of pensioners touring south east England. The tours will take place for 12 days in September 2006 and June to September 2007. Applicants must be over 50 years of age, non-smoking, technically inclined and have a pleasant personality. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your knowledge of Southeast England with Americans who prefer to see a country from a bicycle. CVs via email to shibt@... or fax 001 860 767 3090.

 

What’s on?

 

Ride with a difference

The Cheam and Morden’s programme of rides with a difference continues with a First Friday Fun Ride in Central London on 7th April (start 7pm at the NFT) and a Coast Ride departing Hyde Park at midnight on 14th April. Check it out on at the group’s website

 

In your area…

The CTC online events page is regularly updated. Find cycling events in your area here

 

Products

 

Discount store Lidl this week has a sale of cycling products including a bicycle lift (a hoist for storing bikes by hanging them from the ceiling) for only £3.99. See here

 

Don’t forget that as a member of CTC you are eligible for 10% discount on all non-sale items at our online shop. There is currently over 35% off the price of the Pearl Izumi Vortex Road II Shoe here

 

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

 

CTC Campaigns

 

Compulsory helmet law could be quashed

Following the publication of a paper in the British Medical Journal arguing that helmet laws do not improve public health, the Western Australia Government has announced it is to review its mandatory cycle helmet law, introduced in 1992. The Planning and Infrastructure Minister, Alannah MacTiernan said "We would be very silly if we were not prepared to look at the research.” Read more

 

Two Tunnels

CTC member Frank Thompson is one of group of cyclists and railway preservation enthusiasts, calling themselves the ‘Two Tunnels Group (TTG)’ and working to preserve and promote a particularly picturesque shared use cycle path, which serves Bath and north east Somerset. Find out more at http://www.twotunnels.org.uk/index.html.

 

Supertram

CTC joined local cycle campaign groups Pedal Pushers the Sheffield Cycle Campaign recently to organise a trial of cycle carriage on Sheffield’s Supertram network. The trail followed several years work to gain acceptance of the principle of bike carriage on the tram. CTC Right-to-Ride Rep for Sheffield, Simon Geller, told newsnet; “All of us found that the public and the conductors on the trams were generally supportive of what we were doing. It’s now up to us to take our experience back to Supertram, compare our notes with theirs and see if we can agree on a way forward.”

 

Member benefit

 

Help us to help you

At no extra cost to you, CTC receives up to 15% of your purchase price when you shop using www.easyfundraising.org.uk. The website features products from BoysStuff, Firebox, Virgin Experience Days, Early Learning Centre, Woolworths, Amazon, Harrods Online and even the Science Museum. 

 

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