SPOKES Leaflet 86 Late 2003 and Richard Lochhead [SNP]
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POLITICIANS WE LIKE!! Following the Scottish Parliament election the Cross Party ESSENTIAL CONTACTS Cycle Group re-formed. Mark Ruskell [Green] is new Cycle training: 01505,614302 [email protected]. convener, with vice-conveners Bristow Muldoon [Uib] Traveline Scotland: rail, bus, ferry info [lo include cycle aspects SPOKES Leaflet 86 Late 2003 and Richard Lochhead [SNP]. Meetings are open to the and eyclemap lealleis?] 0870,608,2508 tvww.lraveline.org.uk. public. Details: [email protected]. Potholes, glass on cycleroutes, broken lights, etc anywhere SPOKES, The Lothian Cycle Campaign, St Martins Church, 232 Dairy Road, Edinburgh EHll 2JG ® 0131.313,2114 hIlD;//www,spokes,or£,uk/ /This is a mail address and answerphone - SPOKES is a voluntary organisation mtk nasiaffj Some 15 MSPs [below] signed up for Bike to Work day in Lothian [including Edinburgh], or Falkirk District: and/or joined the Bike Breakfast MSP ride 118.5.03.phoio]. [Use number oti nearesi lamp-posi lo report exact location]. Phone Lab: Sarah Boyack.KcnMcIniosh, PaulintMcNcill, B-Muldoiin 0800.232.123; Or see www.adinburfih.^ov.uk - Iransporl -Clarence. BIKE FUNDS THREAT Grn: Mark Ballard, Cliris Ballance, Robin Harper, Mark Ruskell Bad glass/dumping [Ed only]: Rapid Response 0808.100.3365 Despite two welcome government announcements which SNP: Richard Lochhead, Jim Mather SS/"; Rosie Kane Smoky commercial vehicles: 01506.445216. will assist smaller cycle projects, overall cycle project LibD: Tavish Scotl, Nora Radcliffe Con: Brian Monlcilh Drink-driving, speeding, driving whilst disqualified, and spending is set to fall drastically in less than two years. other road crime: Freephone Crimestoppers 0800.555.111. The annual Spokes local authority cycle expenditure survey ~ Emotional/practical victim support: RoadPeace020.8964.1021 [inside] shows convincingly that larger-scale projects will ' mostly disappearwilhout urgent government action [seep4]. We suspect that small and medium-scale public transport i SUSTRANS NEW UK HQ and integrated schemes are at similar risk. ^ Sustrans is promised £605,000 Millennium Commission Government has known about the impending crisis since ri grant to buy a new UK HQ if it raises matching donations. our 2002 survey. Letters have hinted at new arrangements • Its current (multi-site) premises cost £110,000p.a. in rent. for such projects - for example, "We hope to announce The proposed new building is in central Bristol, on sale at later this year how the Executive will support local only £1.2m because it has virtually zero car parking - a transport projects" [19,6.03] - but nothing has happened. For Car-Free day, we wrote to all Edinburgh councillors bargain for Sustrans, who practice what they preach! For Stirling's Deputy Provost Margaret Brisley shows her and all EdA-othian MPs/MSPs, asking them to sign up to... more info, or lo donate, email [email protected]. Fortuitously, new transport ,,^0811^^ enthusiasm for the Round-the-Forth project - see p3 "/ support Edinburgh's Car-Free Festival on Sep 21 and Minister Nicol Stephen attended In Scotland, current major Sustrans campaigns include... j^^^t/KKK^k European Car-Free Day on Sep 22. I would like to see more the Scottish Parliament Cross- Mt'" Inside: Pubffc Meeting p.2 Spokes Maps p.2 n Round-the-Forth route - see p3. car-free events by the council and the Scottish Executive." Party Cycle Group on September • Great Glen touring route, Inverness - Fort William. and 300+ Sheffield racks [Spokes 85,78]; and the upcoming Those below signed - and most also came to the Festival. 10"', allowing Spokes the chance iP^. '^^^ • If your MSP/councillor isn't here - ask them why not! Many • West Coast route, Cambelltown - Oban. £l.lm infirmary and Gyle access networks [Spokes 84]. to make the point forcibly - and -^V^ councillors who came were senior - their responsibilities are • Active travel project, funded by Scol Exec Health Dept. Mr Stephen promised to take it ^•j' The situation is due to the government abolishing the shown below. Spokes members are marked with *. • Publicity for existing routes - see p2 for new leaflets, up with his department. In his Public Transport Fund, without proper cognisance of all Labour: MP Mark Lazarowicz*. MSPs Brislow Muldoon n Improvements lo Edinburgh-Borders and -Aberdeen. the consequences. The above schemes are all PTF-funded. [Transport Citee convener], Sarah Boyack [Environment speech to the Group he had . :^'V. • Gretna - Glasgow route 74 completion. //PTF was still in place, councils would soon be hearing Ctlee], Councillors Dougie Kerr' [Older People], Ewan already re-stated the "formidable" ^^^^^^^F' •jh which 2004/05 project bids would be supported - but, Ailken [Education], Bob Caims [Environment], Kingsley To join, see wwwjsustrans.org.uk or tel 0117.926.8893. target to quadruple cycle use by ^^55^ Thomas [Social Work], Andrew Bums [Transport], Maureen Slop Press: Use of National Cycle Nelwork rises 18% in 2002, 2012, Encouragingly, he admitted that until recently "cycle instead, they have not even been asked to prepare bids. Child [Finance], Ricky Henderson [Leisure], Lawrence with 43% of bike trips for ulilily purposes, wivw.susirans.org. projects have been under-resourced and under-promoted," Thus already a year of planning is lost - and actual work Marshall, Gordon Munro, Chris Wigglesworth. although now we are at "record levels of investment." will soon wind down as current PTF projects end. Green MSPs: Mark Ballard, Robin Harper. NEW SCOTRAIL TRAINS Please ask Mr Stephen to ensure that these record levels Yet the Executive has a huge Integrated Transport Fund SNP MSP: Kenny MacAskill [Transport spokesperson]. continue - for they are set lo fall drastically, as we show. - with secret rules. They could issue Guidance inviting LIbDem councillor; Jenny Dawe. TheLabour/LibDemgovemment partnership agreement says council bids for larger cycle, walk and integrated schemes. The types of larger-scale project now underway, but In our local area, special kudos to MSPs Sarah Boyack "We will ensure ... cyclists are properly taken into account Please ask your MSP [see back page] to speak to the unlikely to be repeated if nothing is done, include... and Bristow Muldoon [Lab] and Mark Ballard [Green] in future rail and ferry franchises." A new development Transport Minister - and send us the reply. With the PTF gives hope that this is more than just words! • Argyll & Bute: long-distance routes from Helensburgh, for attending/supporting all three above events! abolished, what will government do to foster larger cycle n Dumfries & Gall / Borders: Sustainable-town initiatives Speaking at the Parliamentary Cross-Party Cycle Group schemes, integrated bus/cycle schemes, sustainable-town with major cycle facilities - Stranraer, Dumfries, Hawick. YOUR LOTHIAN MSPs [10.9.03], Transport Minister Nicol Stephen said that new initiatives, etc - like those above. Such projects may cost • Glasgow 1 Edinburgh 1 Perth: 'Quality bus corridors', Write to your area MSP or any Lothians List (i.e.!"'' vote) rolling stock this and next autumn will have double the bike several £m, with a cycle element of say £03m-£3.0m. capacity of existing Class 170 Glasgow-Edinburgh trains. like Leith-Southside-Bypass, with majorlntegrated cycle MSPs at: Scotlish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 ISP, or email: FUNDING SMALLER CYCLE SCHEMES & 20MPH The Scotlish Executive is paying for the trains, so has a elements - advanced stop lines, cycle and bus/cycle lanes [email protected]. For example, The Cycling, Walking, Safer Streets fund [CWSS] wiii [email protected] rliamcnl.uk. bigger say than usual in their design. We've been unable to continue with £8.2m in 04/05 and £8.65m in 05/06, divided LABOUR LIBDEM get more details, but if correct this is tremendous unexpected WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT SPOKES Sarah Boyack, Ed Central Mike Pringle, Ed South news - previous indications had been similar bike space to Some comments from letters and emails to Spokes... between ail Scottish Councils (SE 11.9.3 & see p4j. Thanks Susan Deacon, Ed East Margaret Smith, Ed West the existing. We especially thank members who wrote to <> "Your leaflet is packed full of good stuff" Graeme Cook, to Labour/LibDem .school-20mph manifesto commitments Malcolm Chisholm, Ed North GREEN MSPs and/or to ScotRaii as we had suggested [Spokes 84,85 j. Senior Transport Researcher, Scottish Partiamenl Info Centre. a new 20mph Fund has also been created [SE 26.9.3], with Mary Mulligan, Linlithgow Robin Harper, List a "We've had lots of interest generated by the Spokes £5m in 03/04 and £llm each in 04/05 and 05/06, [p3, Bristow Muldoon, Livingston Mark Ballard, List mailing - thank you" The Bike Station, Waveriey [p7], 20mph News]. Up to now, 20mph schemes were funded Rhona Brankin, Midlothian SNP Fiona Hyslop, List CLIMATE CAN'T AFFORD FORD <t "All you do is great, particularly giving us names and from Councils' own capital or CWSS. The welcome new John Home Robertson, E Lothian Kenny MacAskill, List The average US Ford vehicle now achieves 22.6mpg, with addresses to write about policies, so our voice is heard fund should mean more CWSS money freed up for cycle CONSERVATIVE INDEPENDENT the popular Explorer sports utility vehicle attaining I6mpg. in the rarified atmosphere of politics" Spokes member, projects - our survey shows they currently gel only 25%. David McLetchie, Pentlands Margo MacDonald, List Despite 100 years of 'technical advance' this compares to <t "The information from Spokesworker and the Spokes However, this enhanced funding will still not enable Lord James Douglas-Hamilton, List SSP Colin Fox, List 25mpg for the original Model-T Ford!! \www.carbus!ers.org]. leaflet greatly assists our campaigning efforts in the integrated cycle/public-transport and large-scale cycle Highlands" Member of Highland Cycle Campaign, projects, particularly in smaller and rural authorities. "I'm interested in joining SPOKES. Please send an application form, and recent issues of SPOKES" Post this to: SPOKES, StMartiDS Church, 232 Dairy Road, Edinburgh EHll 2JG.