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SPOKES objectives
If you support our objectives, why not join us? SPOKES East Kent is affiliated to the Cycling UK (formerly CTC) and the Cycle Campaign Network. |
Join Spokes in telling the Government that cycling and walking in England (outside London) needs to be properly funded. Only 72p per head a year by 2020/21 - the cost of two pints of milk - is simply not enough. |
News
Rides and events
Spokes rides
Sunday 1 July, Canterbury West station to Chartham
Meet 10.30am Canterbury West Station
This is a very short, safe, off-road suitable for new and returning cyclists - in face, you don't even need a bike as some can be borrowed from Wheel Potential at Toddlers Cove! The ride will leave Canterbury West station and head to Toddlers Cove where Wheel Potential will be showing off the equipment and bikes they have available to try or borrow for the ride - see www.wheelpotential.com for details. We'll leave Toddlers Cove at 11.00 and cycle just over three miles along the Great Stour Way beside the river Chartham for lunch and a drink at the Artichoke - a 14th century pub with a well in the dining room and a lovely garden at the back. Then we will return the same way - all flat. Anyone wanting a hill to climb can go up Rattington Street to Chartham's other pub, The Local, or go further on Route 18 to Chilham, to the Woolpack or White Horse, on their own. The Spokes ride is for novices and other interested cyclists and goes to the Artichoke and back. Leaders: Beatrice Shire (Canterbury West) 01227 7667782 and Frank Guthrie (Toddlers Cove) 01227 374993.
Sunday 5 August, An Ashford meander
Meet Ashford domestic station 10.30 am.
A meander around the villages to the west of Ashford. Suitable for all bikes with no major hills and a lunch stop en route. Ride leader: Chris Beswick
Sunday 1 July, Canterbury West station to Chartham
Meet 10.30am Canterbury West Station
This is a very short, safe, off-road suitable for new and returning cyclists - in face, you don't even need a bike as some can be borrowed from Wheel Potential at Toddlers Cove! The ride will leave Canterbury West station and head to Toddlers Cove where Wheel Potential will be showing off the equipment and bikes they have available to try or borrow for the ride - see www.wheelpotential.com for details. We'll leave Toddlers Cove at 11.00 and cycle just over three miles along the Great Stour Way beside the river Chartham for lunch and a drink at the Artichoke - a 14th century pub with a well in the dining room and a lovely garden at the back. Then we will return the same way - all flat. Anyone wanting a hill to climb can go up Rattington Street to Chartham's other pub, The Local, or go further on Route 18 to Chilham, to the Woolpack or White Horse, on their own. The Spokes ride is for novices and other interested cyclists and goes to the Artichoke and back. Leaders: Beatrice Shire (Canterbury West) 01227 7667782 and Frank Guthrie (Toddlers Cove) 01227 374993.
Sunday 5 August, An Ashford meander
Meet Ashford domestic station 10.30 am.
A meander around the villages to the west of Ashford. Suitable for all bikes with no major hills and a lunch stop en route. Ride leader: Chris Beswick
Sunday 24 June, Divas on wheels
This women's only bike ride in support of the Pilgrims Hospice offers two routes - 25 miles and 50 miles - starting from The Independent Pedaler in Bridge near Canterbury. The routes are along quiet roads and the organisers promise a "great atmosphere, support along the route and plenty of pampering afterwards as you take part in the county’s only ladies bike ride for charity". More information from https://www.pilgrimshospices.org/event/divas-on-wheels/.
Summer's here and the time is right...
for cycling in the streets - as Martha Reeves and the Stones didn't sing. But why waste a useful lyric? Better weather and cycling are made for each other and in addition to the usual Spokes rides there are many other events coming up in the next month or so.
The Women's Festival of Cycling will be running throughout July and celebrating women who love cycling and encouraging many more to take up or continue cycling. The festival will include cycle rides and events all round the country, ranging from just a few miles with a coffee and cake stop to longer endurance rides, both on and off-road. Details from https://www.cyclinguk.org/ride/womens-festival-cycling.
The Big Bike Revival is running to 28 July. The Big Bike Revival has been running for four years and aims to inspire the 42% of people who own bikes, but who don’t cycle, to start riding. With events across England and Scotland, people attending benefit from free cycle checks, servicing, cycle maintenance workshops, cycle training and accompanied rides - details from https://www.cyclinguk.org/bigbikerevival.
Closer to home and just a short rail journey away, Medway Council is organising a series of events for Bike Week, 9 - 17 June. More information from http://bikeweek.org.uk/organiser/medway-council/. You can find out more about Bike Week at http://bikeweek.org.uk/.
If you like track racing, old bikes and dressing up then The World Cycling Revival is made for you. The organisers' bill this as "a spectacular vintage cycling festival" at the historic Herne Hill velodrome, Dulwich, London. The event runs from 14 - 16 June and you can find out more from http://www.cyclingrevival.com.
This women's only bike ride in support of the Pilgrims Hospice offers two routes - 25 miles and 50 miles - starting from The Independent Pedaler in Bridge near Canterbury. The routes are along quiet roads and the organisers promise a "great atmosphere, support along the route and plenty of pampering afterwards as you take part in the county’s only ladies bike ride for charity". More information from https://www.pilgrimshospices.org/event/divas-on-wheels/.
Summer's here and the time is right...
for cycling in the streets - as Martha Reeves and the Stones didn't sing. But why waste a useful lyric? Better weather and cycling are made for each other and in addition to the usual Spokes rides there are many other events coming up in the next month or so.
The Women's Festival of Cycling will be running throughout July and celebrating women who love cycling and encouraging many more to take up or continue cycling. The festival will include cycle rides and events all round the country, ranging from just a few miles with a coffee and cake stop to longer endurance rides, both on and off-road. Details from https://www.cyclinguk.org/ride/womens-festival-cycling.
The Big Bike Revival is running to 28 July. The Big Bike Revival has been running for four years and aims to inspire the 42% of people who own bikes, but who don’t cycle, to start riding. With events across England and Scotland, people attending benefit from free cycle checks, servicing, cycle maintenance workshops, cycle training and accompanied rides - details from https://www.cyclinguk.org/bigbikerevival.
Closer to home and just a short rail journey away, Medway Council is organising a series of events for Bike Week, 9 - 17 June. More information from http://bikeweek.org.uk/organiser/medway-council/. You can find out more about Bike Week at http://bikeweek.org.uk/.
If you like track racing, old bikes and dressing up then The World Cycling Revival is made for you. The organisers' bill this as "a spectacular vintage cycling festival" at the historic Herne Hill velodrome, Dulwich, London. The event runs from 14 - 16 June and you can find out more from http://www.cyclingrevival.com.
Folkestone to Hythe Cycle Path
This cycle path is 4.6miles long and joins Leas Cliff at Folkestone with Hythe railway station. A lot of the route is beside the sea and, altogether, its a very pleasant ride. If you'd like to explore the route, this new video from Kent Connected, will give you an idea of what it's like.
This cycle path is 4.6miles long and joins Leas Cliff at Folkestone with Hythe railway station. A lot of the route is beside the sea and, altogether, its a very pleasant ride. If you'd like to explore the route, this new video from Kent Connected, will give you an idea of what it's like.
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Spokes AGM, 26 March 2018
Spokes members and supporters are invited to our 2018 Annual General Meeting which will be held at the Friends Meeting House in Canterbury on 26 March and starts at 7.30pm. Our guest speakers are Peter Wedlake and colleagues from Kent County Council who will be talking about KCC's cycle training programme and developing cycling infrastructure for new and inexperienced cyclists.
Spokes members and supporters are invited to our 2018 Annual General Meeting which will be held at the Friends Meeting House in Canterbury on 26 March and starts at 7.30pm. Our guest speakers are Peter Wedlake and colleagues from Kent County Council who will be talking about KCC's cycle training programme and developing cycling infrastructure for new and inexperienced cyclists.
Adult cycle training
Kent County Council is running free cycle training courses for adults during February and March in Ashford, Gravesend, Maidstone, Ramsgate and Tunbridge Wells.
Learn to ride is for people who want to start riding a bike but have never learnt how or lack confidence. Confident road cycling aims to improve cycling abilities and develop the skills and knowledge needed to share the road safely with other users.
The Council are also running the four day National Standard Cycle Instructor (NSI) Course on 19, 20 and 26, 27 March at Ashford Rugby Club. This course, which costs £500, is for experienced cyclists who want to work as cycle instructors.
Details of all of these courses, including application forms, can be found on the council's website at www.kent.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/health/get-moving/cycle-training.
Kent County Council is running free cycle training courses for adults during February and March in Ashford, Gravesend, Maidstone, Ramsgate and Tunbridge Wells.
Learn to ride is for people who want to start riding a bike but have never learnt how or lack confidence. Confident road cycling aims to improve cycling abilities and develop the skills and knowledge needed to share the road safely with other users.
The Council are also running the four day National Standard Cycle Instructor (NSI) Course on 19, 20 and 26, 27 March at Ashford Rugby Club. This course, which costs £500, is for experienced cyclists who want to work as cycle instructors.
Details of all of these courses, including application forms, can be found on the council's website at www.kent.gov.uk/social-care-and-health/health/get-moving/cycle-training.
New cycle route video
Isn't it always the way - you wait years for a cycle route video to come along, and then three come together!
The latest cycle route video from Kent Connected covers the six mile route from Deal to St Margaret's at Cliffe.
Isn't it always the way - you wait years for a cycle route video to come along, and then three come together!
The latest cycle route video from Kent Connected covers the six mile route from Deal to St Margaret's at Cliffe.
Useful guides
If you cycle, you may find a couple of guides to safe cycling and the law useful:
The definitive guide to safer cycling - the Bike Storage Company have put together this online guide to safer cycling - you can find it on their website at http://www.thebikestoragecompany.co.uk/bike-safety-guide/
Cycling and the law has been produced by Environmental Transport Association. The guide is available on their website at https://www.eta.co.uk/cycling-and-the-law/ and as a downloadable pdf.
If you cycle, you may find a couple of guides to safe cycling and the law useful:
The definitive guide to safer cycling - the Bike Storage Company have put together this online guide to safer cycling - you can find it on their website at http://www.thebikestoragecompany.co.uk/bike-safety-guide/
Cycling and the law has been produced by Environmental Transport Association. The guide is available on their website at https://www.eta.co.uk/cycling-and-the-law/ and as a downloadable pdf.
Canterbury sustainable transport forum
Canterbury City Council are setting up a Sustainable transport forum to support aspects of their transport policy. And SPOKES is one of the organisations they have invited to join the forum. The first meeting should be held sometime in November or December and will be followed by regular six-monthly meetings. The forum's terms of reference are available on the council's website as is a copy of their transport strategy.
Canterbury City Council are setting up a Sustainable transport forum to support aspects of their transport policy. And SPOKES is one of the organisations they have invited to join the forum. The first meeting should be held sometime in November or December and will be followed by regular six-monthly meetings. The forum's terms of reference are available on the council's website as is a copy of their transport strategy.
Cycle route videos
Kent Connected have produced videos showcasing the Crab and Winkle Way and the Great Stour Way cycle paths.
Kent Connected have produced videos showcasing the Crab and Winkle Way and the Great Stour Way cycle paths.
Kent Connected is a Kent County Council initiative funded by the Department for Transport’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund to address peak traffic congestion, improve travel choices and promote more active and sustainable transport modes in Kent.