City of Newcastle Upon Tyne : Planning & Transportation

CITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE : PLANNING & TRANSPORTATION

NOTE OF MEETING – ACTION POINTS

Date of Meeting: 24 July 2014 File: 24 July 14 Cycling Forum minutes

Topic: NEWCASTLE CYCLING FORUM

In attendance: Cllr Marion Talbot (Chair), Cllr Steve Fairley, Bill Dodds (Vice-Chair), Peter Chamley, Anne Clark, Cheryl Ford, Graham Grant, Ali Lamb (all Newcastle City Council), Heather Evans (CTC), Paul Snedker (Cycle Hub), Peter Macdonald, John Davies, Peter Hawthorn, John Dixon. Late: Cllrs Stephen Psallidas & Lousie Sutcliffe, Claire Prospert (Newcastle Cycling Campaign).

Apologies: Katja Leyendecker, John Litherland, Peter Pickard.

1. Welcome and introductions Action The Chair of the Forum, Cllr Marion Talbot, welcomed everyone to the meeting. Ali Lamb, who was present for the first time, is now attached to the Transport Planning Team and helping with engagement on infrastructure proposals in and around the City.

2. Road Safety GB North East (RSGB NE) - proposed regional cycle safety campaign MT explained that the council had been asked by RSGB NE to promote this campaign and the leaflet they had produced had been circulated with the Agenda. CF (Road Safety Manager) had not been involved in developing this campaign. She had found the leaflet quite negative. It gave out the wrong information and she felt there were more positive ways to influence cycling safety. The NE group is made up of road safety officers from the 12 local authorities and CF had already told a colleague in the group that she was not happy about the campaign.

However, the leaflet had already generated much concern amongst cyclists and there had been a twitter storm of comments, which had taken up a large amount of officer time in responding. There had also been 5 email responses. GG will pass these on to RSGB NE.

HE wasn't surprised at the reaction to the leaflet. Cycling News just said that there would be discussion on a regional cycle safety campaign which the Council have been invited to take part in. If this had also stated that officers and councillors had serious concerns about the content, and that this was on the Agenda so that the views of the Forum could also be obtained, this could have prevented the twitter storm of comments.

The Forum supported the council's view that the council should not be involved with this campaign and cannot endorse the advice as it is. GG will pull together a response GG which will include the views of the Forum, which CF will take to the RSGB NE meeting next Thursday. The council's position will also be made clear via the E-newsletter. AC

3. Action points from 5 June meeting not covered on the Agenda a) Presentations on cycling infrastructure design: There is a link on the website to the Cycling Campaigns presentation. The Sustrans presentation is part of a training package and a link isn't possible. b) Presentation by Northumbria University design students: AC hadn't been able to obtain a link for the website and this will not be pursued further. c) Cycling budgets: Details of the spend for 2013-2014 and a revised budget for 2014- 2015 have just been placed on the website. d) Acorn Road: Options were to be available later this week but due to a council election taking place in the Ward on 28 August this has needed to be deferred until after the election. e) Update on the Strategic Cycle Routes: Jon Higgins had provided an update as follows: Gosforth High Street & Salters Road junction: A report will be issued to councillors by the end of August for consideration by Cabinet. It is expected to contain significant support for cycling. Gosforth – Cycle Safety Scheme: The legal process is complete for much of the scheme and construction is well under way. Procurement of the ORCA separator has been completed and the section from Broadway to Church Road via Alwinton Terrace should be completed by the Autumn half term. Gosforth – Moor Road: The council has considered responses to the survey and technical consultations and is ready to issue its recommendations which will be brought to a TAG meeting. Some work needs to be done with Sustrans prior to this and the scheme will need to be presented to residents. The final proposal meets the needs of a safe cycling corridor in that it is intended to reduce both the volume and speed of motor vehicles, providing some space for cycling in streetscape improvements. Shields Road: The first public information and design event is planned during the Shields Road summer fete on Saturday 2 August. Further work is anticipated up to October with a view to starting works on site in February.

4. Feedback from Velsen & Haarlem trip The trip for 20+ councillors and officers had been arranged by Sustrans. BD's presentation highlighted:  the width of many roads (originally 6 lanes), which allowed for high quality cycle facilities  the closure of through routes except to cyclists  good signage  no cars parked outside schools at school run times  an underground cycle park for 4,000 cycles at a railway station  cycle priority around a roundabout  good surfaces with no potholes  shared space in Haarlem centre Those taking part in the visit intend to meet up in 6 months and review actions taken AC since the visit. The presentation will also be put on the website.

MT raised the importance of changing the way new developments are designed and policies to achieve this need to be included in local authority Core Strategy's.

SP suggested that small businesses, perhaps through their Federation or Traders Association be shown photos of the number of cycles parked in motor free areas. Providing them with the presentation from the Go Dutch Conference on the Economic Benefits of cycling could also be beneficial. The presentation is on the Cycling Campaigns website.

SF wondered if more people in Holland lived near to where they worked and if their children all went to a local school, which reduced the need to use a car. CP had visited Holland 2 years ago and was happy to share photos etc from that visit. She commented that children cycled up to 20 mpd but generally on direct, flat and safe routes.

5. Cycling - monitoring and the Bicycle Account GG gave a presentation on the Bicycle Account, and a link will be placed on the website. Newcastle is one of 7 UK cities taking part, and Sustrans now needed the City to sign a Memorandum of Understanding. Baseline data is urgently needed as the first review on progress will take place next year.

The 2011 census results hadn't included origin and destination data which previous census had and a means of capturing this information was now needed. As well as the current cycle counters, other methods of counting cyclists were discussed including Map my Ride, engaging with cyclists through the cycling organisations, and the development of apps. Sustrans Monitoring Unit may also be able to assist. The Cycling Campaign are also happy to share the information they hold. BD agreed to oversee a small working group to progress this, and further details will be circulated via the E- AC newsletter.

A new person in the Transport Development Team is to do a full review of all cycling infrastructure and catalogue this, in order that future increases can be measured.

6. Let's talk transport paper & the NE Local Growth Deal MT referred to the Let's talk transport-Re-Newcastle paper (a link had been included in the E-newsletter). This asked council Cabinet to approve funding to undertake further work to develop proposals for transport across and within the city centre, including a major engagement and consultation exercise. This had been passed by Cabinet on 23 July, but the proposals have not yet been ratified.

The paper also contains a proposal for a renewal of cycling governance to encompass all funding streams within the same governance. The Forum is referenced and is a key part of this. The paper also lists the major schemes that recently secured funding through the North East Local Growth Deal e.g. Haddricks Mill, Blue House.

CP was disappointed that the Strategic Cycle Routes weren't included in the paper and she felt this was a missed opportunity. GG responded that as governance sits across all funding issues they were included.

GG then gave a presentation that made reference to some of the Local Growth Deal schemes, and he also showed how road space could be re-allocated to assist pedestrians and cyclists in the City Centre e.g. at Barras Bridge. As these are just concepts, this information can't be placed on the website. Once ratified, the paper will be discussed at a future Forum meeting.

7. Terms of reference and the role of the Cycling Forum MT suggested that the terms of reference were now out of date as there had been structural changes within the council departments. Examples of where this is the case and the changes needed will be brought to the next Forum meeting.

7. CCAF progress PC circulated a Progress Summary and a Progress Report as at June 2014. These will AC be placed on the website.

MT reported that following representations from the Core Cities Partnership to the DfT, the DfT had agreed to extend the deadline for the spending of CCAF monies from March 2015 to September 2015. PC was confident that 90/95% of the infrastructure works would be in place by then. CP felt there was a need to review the programme and reprofile the work and the spend. The Cycling Campaign had also asked to make a presentation about this to the CCAF Board. PC responded that he was constantly reviewing budgets, and it wasn't practical to do this as part of an open discussion. MT suggested that the Cycling Campaign contact Cllr Bell, the CCAF Portfolio Holder about making a presentation to the Board. However, Sustrans already attend Board meetings where they have the role of monitoring the spend.

PM felt that at the Brandling public engagement event he had been given the impression that there was no opportunity for changes to be made to the scheme as displayed. MT responded that it wasn't possible to start with a blank sheet and the scheme put forward for engagement had gone through the TAG group, but that all comments are considered. PM stated that a note wasn't made of his comments and PC will investigate. 8. AOB a) Outer West routes: SF commented that the CCAF proposals did nothing to benefit outer west residents. Routes tended to stop at the A1, which is difficult to cross by cyclists as there are steps rather than ramps. Agreed he speak to Officers at the end of the meeting. b) Sky Ride: This is to take place on 2 August, start 10am. c) Talk at the City Library on Health, Transport & Air Quality: AC will try and obtain a AC link for this presentation, which was felt to have been very informative. d) Roles and responsibilities of Officers: GG gave details of changes. As part of the revamp of cycling it had been decided not to have just one officer covering cycling. Cycling is now the responsibility of all of the Transport Development Team, which will consist of 9 officers, and which he heads. Anne Clark has held the position of Cycling Officer for 3½ years and she was thanked for the work she had done for cyclists over this period. A presentation was made to her, for which she offered her thanks. She will still be a member of the team but in future enquiries on cycling provision should be sent to GG. AL offered to give more information on her engagement role at the next meeting.

9. Next meeting Thursday, 4 September 2014.