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Spokes East Kent
Cycle Campaign Update JULY 2017 |
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Spokes and Canterbury's new MP, Rosie Duffield
Spokes has send a welcoming email to Canterbury’s new MP, Rosie Duffield, telling her about the organisation and hopes she will put cycling on her local agenda. A number of cycle planning documents have been sent to her including Space for Cycling. This guide is free and can be used to show MPs and councillors how easy it is to create space for cycling - and how much better off their constituencies will be as a result. Fabulous Froome! Many congratulations to the Kenyan-born, Chris Froome, who has won the Tour de France for a fourth time. One more win and Chris will be counted among the greats - Miguel Indurain of Spain, Belgium's Eddy Merckx and Frenchmen Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil. He won’t spend long celebrating his win as he plans a second grand tour of the season – the Vuelta a Espaňa, Spain's three week Grand Tour that starts on 19 August in Nimes. Website updating David Lane from Whitstable has kindly agreed to update our website and keep it relevant. So, Spokes members, please keep sending copy via editor@spokeseastkent.org.uk, David is keen to hear from members and site users about the items they would like to see on the site and any ideas for improving it. Texting and cycling Texting while cycling has become expensive for Australians living in the state of Victoria. From the beginning of July, police started issuing a $476 fine (£284) to any cyclist found using a hand-held phone while riding. Minister for Roads and Road Safety, Luke Donnellan stated - "we hope that by bringing this fine into line with the penalty for car drivers, we'll stop the dangerous and potentially deadly practice of cyclists using their phones while riding." Unless parked, riders will be fined for using their mobile phones, even while stationary!! August's ride Spokes monthly ride - Sunday August 6 - is on Romney Marsh. Meet at Hamstreet station at 10.30. This is completely different scenery from the rest of Kent. Dead flat, apart from a small hill near the station! Fascinating churches. Leader Chris Beswick. Canterbury Bike Project The Canterbury Bike Project, based at theRiverside Youth Centre in Kingsmead Road, aims to improve the lives of young people and help the community. The project runs in 2 formats. The first delivers sessions to local schools as part of an alternative curriculum program designed to re-engage young people and help them back into mainstream education. The second part is community- based. From Monday 11 September, free sessions will be held five days a week and are designed to teach people the skills required to keep their bikes safe and in good working order. The project also offers servicing and repairs at low cost. It also recycles unwanted bikes, which are repaired and then sold for a donation which helps fund the next bike. For more information, phone 01227 455337, email ssproston@canterbury.kent.sch.uk or www.facebook.com/thecanterburybikeproject. University of Kent's Masterplan Spokes members and representatives from community groups, councillors, council officers and university staff attended Kent University’s recent Masterplan workshop. Sustainable travel was a big theme with one of the groups. Our members felt that positive change could be discussed at last and felt hopeful that the day's comments would be considered, at least, by the powers that be at UKC. We look forward to reading the ensuing report. Cycling in Ashford There is still no news of a date for the Ashford Cycling Strategy meeting. Spokes will chase this up with Ashford Borough Council and also follow up other contacts provided by KCC’s Katie Cullen. There are major road works in Ashford that affect the NCN18 at Willesborough, A2070 Kennington. The road will be closed from 20 June until 1 September at the junction with Blackwall Road North for carriageway widening works. Cyclists can still pass (this stretch is part of NCN18) but the road closure has also resulted in increased traffic through Wye and along the NCN18 so extra care needs to be taken by cyclists using this route as the back roads are particularly busy. There is a new, proposed route for NCN18 which would negate the ‘dog-leg’ along the A2070 by creating a direct route between Blackwall Farm and Conningbrook Lakes/Julie Rose Stadium, currently a bridleway. Spokes plans to meet David Young of Sustrans soon to learn more about developments in the Ashford area. |