Ealing Cycling News

EALING CYCLING NEWS The LCC newsletter for Acton, Ealing, Greenford, Hanwell, Northolt, Perivale and Southall Autumn 2017 BIKE HUB SAVED! AUTUMN SOCIAL RIDES he landmark cycle parking struc- All rides start from Ealing Town Tture opposite Ealing Broadway Hall. Meet at 9.45am for a station has been spared the axe, 10am departure on the first thanks to a decision from the Planning Sunday of each month. Inspectorate released 3 August 2017. Ealing Council built the Cycle Hub 1 Oct: Koestler Exhibition on Haven Green in 2012, bringing or- Our popular annual ride to the der to a situation that at the time had South Bank to see the Koestler Found- bicycles chained to any available Inspector Alan Beckett heard all ation Exhibition which showcases lamppost or bit of railing people could available evidence and directed that stunning art produced in the UK's find. One section of the popular cycle the common land designation be prisons, secure hospitals, and deten- parking structure sits on an area that removed from the area covered by the tion centres. had been designated as common land Cycle Hub, via an Order of Deregistra- Artist Antony Gormley is this year’s in 1968. Although the Friends of tion. His conclusion reads as follows: curator. The theme of the exhibition Haven Green originally worked to en- is ‘Inside’, and it aims to get people sure the facility's attractive design fit The circumstances ofthis case are per- talking about the UK’s criminal justice the landscape when it was built, they haps unique in that the land at issue is system. We will be given a unique free later filed a court challenge to demand both at the centre ofa built up area in tour of the exhibition from an ex-pris- it be torn down. west London and opposite a major com- oner. You will not be disappointed: Ealing Council made two alternate muter station which is likely to see an “Art way better than any Tracey Em- applications to try to save the Cycle increase in passenger traffic with the in” said one ECC member! Hub: one asked the Inspector to rule it introduction ofCrossrail. The benefits Return 4.30pm. Bring lights and a an appropriate public amenity for the which would accrue to the public and decent lock. Plenty to eat at the South common, and the other was to “dere- the neighbourhood in terms ofan Bank! gister” the tiny portion of the common improvement in air quality and a shift where it stands. towards sustainable means oftransport 5 Nov: Ealing Garden Suburbs Ealing Cycling Campaign provided lead me to conclude that this is an ex- A local ride exploring the social and expert evidence at the public inquiry, ceptional case ofthe type envisaged in architectural history of Bedford Park and we reached out to supporters this the published policy, where consent for and Ealing Village. Sir John Betjeman past Spring. Many of you wrote to the deregistration should be granted described Bedford Park as "the most Planning Inspectorate, asking them to without the offer ofreplacement land significant suburb built in the last save the Cycle Hub. These supportive being made. Therefore I conclude that century, probably in the western comments made up over 90% of the the application should be granted and world". Learn the history of the public response, and we thank each an Order ofDeregistration should be garden suburb movement and the and every one of you who wrote in. given. area's development. Nick Moffitt We will see the house designed and built by the Arts & Crafts architect A40 BARRIERS UNBLOCKED Charles Voysey on South Parade, then ast year ECC sent a report to pairs of barriers were installed at each move on to the distinctive 1930s Dutch LTransport for London (TfL) ex- subway, probably to discourage mo- Colonial architecture of Ealing Village. plaining the difficulties experienced torcyclists who were then a problem. Return by 3.30-4pm. by cyclists using the subways under Unfortunately this also rendered the the A40 in Ealing. Many years ago subways unusable for cyclists with lar- 3 Dec: Northala Fields/Osterley ger non-standard cycles including We end the year with a familiar cargo bikes, and disabled cyclists. local route, heading up through Pit- Ealing Council supported ECC’s pleas, shanger and Perivale to reach but could not themselves remove the Northala Fields, then down to the barriers because the A40 is a TfL road. Grand Union Canal at Southall, turning Since the publication of the 2014 off through Heston to reach Osterley London Cycling Design Standards, Park for refreshments at the Stables pairs of barriers at subways are now café. Then it’s a short ride home via actively discouraged. Where there is a the Hanwell Locks. Return by 3pm. see “A40 Barriers (continued)" overleaf Helen Hayes A40 BARRIERS (CONTINUED) FREECYCLE 2017 corner within a subway that results in he Prudential RideLondon Free- poor visibility, there may still be a Tcycle event has become a well-es- need for something to keep people tablished fixture in the annual away from the wall as they approach calendar of cycling activities. An the corner, but a single bollard (or one eight-mile circuit of central London is of a previously installed pair of barri- closed to traffic, creating a family- ers) will usually suffice. friendly cycle route around the major BREEZE sights of the city. Along the way, there reeze is a British Cycling initiative are several locations with stalls offer- B to promote women cycling, ing cycle-related activities and through the provision of community products, as well as refreshments and based bike rides led by women volun- entertainment. It’s all part of the teers trained as Breeze Champions. Festival of Cycling, promoting cycling Earlier in the year, I was one of several in London. women from Ealing and neighbouring boroughs to train as a Breeze Champi- on. Our local Breeze group, West London Breeze, held its first ride in Barriers were removed from two of June, a short trip around Hanwell and the subways (Lynwood Road and Med- Osterley Park. way Parade) later in 2016, but the re- Two women came along, accom- moval programme then stalled. In panied by another Champion as well as May this year ECC were told work was myself. From this small beginning, unlikely to re-commence before May our Breeze group has grown over the Ealing Cycling Campaign again or- 2018. ECC pointed out that an angle summer, with several rides visiting ganised a feeder ride into central grinder could be bought from the popular West London locations- London, enabling local cyclists to ac- Screwfix store next to the Park Royal Northala Fields, Hampton Court, Rich- cess the event by riding in a group subway, and the work done in a couple mond Park, Barnes and Chiswick, with an experienced leader and a team of hours. This comment, plus timely Ruislip Lido. The women attending of marshals to guide them around a intervention by the mayor’s cycling have reflected a wide range of ages, well-planned route from Ealing Town commissioner Will Norman, seems to backgrounds, and levels of cycling Hall to Hyde Park Corner. Our morn- have spurred TfL into action and they confidence and experience. The rides ing ride saw us take around 120 people removed the offending barriers from are easy-going, friendly, and focused into town, and in the afternoon we Park Royal and Allan Way subways in on encouraging women to gain confid- brought 90 back home again. June and July 2017. ence, discover quiet cycle-friendly This is a big undertaking for ECC, Remedial works like this cost very routes, and have a sociable time to- and many thanks are due to Nick little and can make a big difference to gether. Manthorpe for leading the ride and cyclists. TfL are still planning to carry the team of marshals who supported out more comprehensive upgrades at it. A lot of planning and preparation the subways in due course, but at least goes into this ride, and it benefits from they are now usable by riders of all the accumulated experience of the ECC types of cycle. volunteers who have done this many Peter Mynors times now. Alas, the one thing that we can’t organise is the good old British I hope that women will continue to weather, which on this occasion was engage with Breeze into the autumn. not kind to us on the return trip, rain- EALING As the days shorten and the weather ing almost non-stop the whole way CYCLING becomes less conducive to long rides, I back. So it really is “well done” to all CAMPAIGN will be developing more short rides, the riders who stuck it out in such not only locally but also taking the good humour. Here’s hoping for bet- All are welcome to our meetings at train into central London to explore ter weather next year! 7:30pm on the first Wednesday of different areas, using the Cycle Super every month. The next dates are: Highways and Quiet Ways. I do hope Helen Hayes 4th October and 1st November. that more women will get involved as Our regular venue, Café Grove, is Breeze becomes better known. Here closing soon, so check our Web site are the links to our webpage and Face- for each month's location: book page; do sign up to get informa- 65 The Grove, W5 5LL tion on our rides. @EalingCyclists [email protected] letsride.co.uk/groups/west-london-breeze www.ealingcycling.org.uk facebook.com/breezeealing/ Registered Charity #1115789 Helen Hayes