Newsletter for Spring 2007

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Editorial

When Spokes first learned of the Grande Départ of the Tour de France finishing in Canterbury it was determined there would be a fitting and lasting built legacy to this momentous event. For the first time ever the race starts in the UK. On Sunday 8th July the 104th Tour de France leaves Whitehall, crosses the Greenwich Meridian and arrives in Canterbury for the finish of the first stage after a ride of 203km or 126m. The day before there will be a Prologue of 8km. This is an ultra fast time trial through London.

To mark this event Spokes is planning a major ride on Sunday 1^st July. For details please see the rides list. We have also been busy working with Canterbury City Council on major improvements to the National Cycle Network.

Tourism is a major source of revenue for east Kent and Spokes' aim is to promote green tourism. In January we attended two local area Member's Panels to speak on behalf of the new coastal route filling in the "missing link" from Reculver to Whitstable linking the Crab & Winkle route (NCR1) to the Viking Trail (RCR15). It also links to 14 schools. As will be seen elsewhere in this issue planning permission has been granted for two new bridges on the Crab & Winkle Route in Whitstable, one over Old Bridge Road and the station and the other over Teynham Road. These will link the present end of Invicta Way down to the Harbour and will form part of the Connect2 bid. It should not be forgotten that George Stephenson linked his first passenger railway in the world with Thomas Telford's Harbour as a means of bringing goods to Canterbury.

Another improvement is in Canterbury itself. The proposed redevelopment of the Wincheap Estate has made possible the opening up of the old route known as the Horses & Goats Tunnel which runs under the railway by the gasometer near Canterbury East Station. This will link the centre of Canterbury, the new housing on the Tannery site with the new housing on the old BT site and Wincheap to a cycle and walking route. It will go on to link with Morrison''s site and out to Chartham.

One of the aims of improving the Wincheap Trading Estate is to reduce the amount of traffic. A dedicated route to Chartham (NCR18) will provide a traffic free route for school children, commuters, leisure cyclists and tourists. This will cut down the numbers of cars using the A28. Ashford has shown the way the provision of good safe cycle routes has benefited many thousands of people. There is no reason why the route to Ashford could not continue along the River Stour.

We have found that once routes have been built and are up and running people wonder why they took so long and what all the fuss was about in the first place. Cycling is a major tourism earner in the EU. Spokes is often approached by tourist firms wanting us to help them plan safe routes around the coast. Those people also want to venture inland. That's why this built legacy is so important. Perhaps the next step is how to make east Kent carbon-neutral.

Sam Webb, Editor

Chairman's address

To those of you who are new to cycling don't be put off by all the jargon! Quick release skewers, big gear, little gear, ergo levers, Schrader or Presta. Just ask fellow Spokies out on one of our rides or at the various events that crop up what it all means Maintaining your bike isn't rocket science. Keeping it clean, especially the transmission, chain and gears, will mean you won't be let down when you're out. Wash off the tyres now and then and check for flints and glass. Most of your punctures will be from flints already in your tyre at the start of the ride. With a well maintained bike there's no finer pleasure than riding silently along a leafy Kentish lane in the sunlight. Gone quite prosaic! Spokes hopes to run basic cycle maintenance courses in the future to help beginners. Watch this space.

Cycling to school

John Grimshaw, CEO of Sustrans, puts his money where his mouth is with Sustrans' "Safe Routes to School" scheme linking established cycle routes & schools.

"I think the journey to school is the most important journey in our society," he says, "whereas transport planners think it is the journey to work."

Sustrans will help fund these links if they have been proposed by the local authority but the opportunity is lost if there are no prepared plans. There needs to be plans in reserve for these opportunities. Spokes can aid local authorities in this.

Spokes across the world

Fluorescent backpack cover with the text 'One less car'

Thanks to Brian Brett whom we met on the 1996 Sustrans Millennium Ride, Spokes keeps in touch with its colleagues in Canterbury New Zealand. Spokes, Canterbury Cyclists' Association in NZ see themselves as a cycling advocate connecting all people in their district interested in cycling. They have a very active email discussion forum - something for us? They produce a very good fluorescent backpack cover (see illustration) an idea which Spokes East Kent are keen to adopt. Spokes EK swapped a hi-viz waistcoat for a Spokes NZ backpack cover. If anyone out there knows how to set up an email forum for our website please contact the editor.

Spokes NZ can be found @ http://www.can.org.nz/spokes_chch/

New Coastal Route between Reculver & Swalecliffe

Spokes was at the recent Whitstable & Herne Bay Area Member's Panel where it fully supported Canterbury City Council's proposed Coastal Cycle Route between Reculver & Swalecliffe. This gained great support from the members. The next stage goes to a full Council. Sustrans has offered a maximum of £100,000 matched funding to the £290,000 total at the proviso that the route is completed by Summer 2008.

This is the first phase of the missing link between Thanet's Viking Trail and NCR1 via the Crab & Winkle. Let's hope the next step, changing the busy Joy Lane interim route between Whitstable & Seasalter to the traffic free route proposed by Spokes and Sustrans 12 years ago can now be implemented.

Help Sustrans support the Crab & Winkle

Look out for the TV programme "The People's Millions" in October this year. The programme will allow the public to vote for £50m of the Lottery Fund, "Living Landmarks", through Sustrans Connect2.
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp?sID=1156519444250

Connect 2 aims to provide "missing connections" between communities, bridges over rivers, roads & railways. There are 75 Sustrans Connect 2 projects including two new bridges on the Crab & Winkle and the last section of the route to Whitstable Harbour. One of the proposed new bridges will be at the site of the first passenger railway bridge in the world, tragically demolished in the 1960s to aid traffic flow! Crab & Winkle Trust.
http://www.crabandwinkle.org/

Canterbury Cycle Centre should be open by April

The long awaited Canterbury Cycle Centre at the Cycles UK shop at Whitefriars is getting closer and Cycles UK reports that it hopes to open it in April. There have been problems with the final completion by the builders and lighting has just been installed. The cycle storage plans are being finalised. Spokes campaigned for this innovative project for over 12 years and it will be one of only three such centres in the UK, the others being in Bristol and Leicester.

Downland Cycle Festival at the end of February

Downland Cycles are holding their third Cycle Festival on Sunday 25th February in Barretts Jaguar Showroom in the High Street by the Westgate Towers. All aspects of cycling will be covered with events ranging from tips from fitness experts from Christchurch's Sports Science department, Tour de France information and, loads of bikes with dealers on hand to expand your knowledge. Spokes will have its stand there with plenty of information on routes and what we're doing. Come and see us.

De Luxe Cycle Tours in East Kent

When Wendy Carter of Capital Sports wanted to contrast existing "gentle cycling tours" in the Cotswolds and the Thames Valley with a seaside route she looked to South East England and chose East Kent as it has the longest section of cycle route close to the Sea compared to the rest of the South East. Capital Sports have carefully selected their routes and stay at the very best hotels in the area such as Reads at Faversham. The 7 nights/ 8 days Coast to Capital Tour goes from Dover and along the coast to London and costs £898 per person. The 4 night/5 days "Historic Kent" costs £498 per person and goes from Dover to Canterbury via Sandwich. No more wet nights under canvas with these very superior cycle tours. Spokies can do the routes for free!

Stop Press - Daniel Cadden found innocent

Daniel Cadden, the cyclist who was found guilty last year of cycling inconsiderately when stopped by police last year has just been found innocent. At the first trial, the presiding judge said Cadden should have been riding on the cycle path. At the appeal, a judge and 2 magistrates accepted Cadden's argument that there was no legal obligation for cyclists to use cycle tracks. Cadden said afterwards that the decision served to reaffirm cyclists' right to decide when to use cycle facilities and when they were inappropriate or dangerous. He also thanked all those who donated over £25,000 to his costs via the Cyclist's Defence Fund managed by the CTC. Spokes contributed to this fund.

Would you like to receive your newsletters electronically?

SPOKES has a very switched-on membership when it comes to adopting technology. I have e-mail addresses for around two thirds of our members - well above the national average for Internet connection. If you would like to receive your copy this way please email spokes@room-101.freeserve.co.uk and you will receive an update on progress. A longer version of this article can be found on www.spokeseastkent.org.uk

Andy McNally, Membership Secretary SPOKES

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