Brighton & Hove Cycling Campaign www.bricycles.org.uk April - June 2016 No. 108 Carry on, cabbie! Nine points on his licence and two driving convicons but sll deemed ‘fit and proper’ to drive a taxi in a baffling legal judgement. The driver in queson was found guilty of careless driving and failing to stop following a collision with a female southbound cyclist on London Road at the juncon with Harrington Road (locaon above) in May 2014. The Council revoked his taxi licence but were told they were wrong to do so at an appeal on behalf of the driver in November 2015. At a further hearing on 10 February this year, a judge again rejected the Council’s case that the driver was not a fit and proper person to hold a licence. The driver retains his taxi licence. We have made strong representaon to the Council and we intend to follow this up with aendance at the next Council meeng with responsibility for Licensing where a relevant report will be presented. See page 10 Goodbye, Cyclists’ Touring Club Hello to “Cycling UK, Bricycles AGM th The cyclists’ champion”. Tuesday May 17 at 6.30 pm (New logo le ). The Fountainhead, No longer comfortable 102 North Rd, Brighton, with its cycle touring BN1 1YE roots, CTC has dropped Short meeng + social. the old name and logo, and is conducng a full corporate hp://bit.ly/1Qknarb rebrand and restructure of representaon. See page 30 Local Transport News The budget for Brighton and Hove’s Local Transport Plan has been approved. The Local Transport Plan (LTP4) includes a transport strategy up to 2030, and a 4- year delivery plan for maintaining, managing and improving the City’s transport and highway infrastructure. upgrades to the A270 Elm Grove traffic Brighton & Hove City Council’s signals, (above) the bus route on Eastern Environment Transport & Sustainability Road/Edward Street and the commiee (ETS) met on 15 Mar and development of proposals for Boundary referred the LTP budget to the Policy & Road/Staon Road, Portslade and future Resources Commiee who subsequently work on Church Road, Hove. approved it. The 2016/17 LTP capital programme budget is £4.274 million. A report to the The LTP 4 programme of works includes Budget Council noted that “the Safer Routes to Schools, Travel Planning, announced allocaons are lower than compleon of the East Street / Old Town previous years of £5.682m in 2015/16 scheme, improving access to parks, the and £7.479m in 2014/15.” countryside and the South Downs Naonal Park; development of the The LTP programme is at bit.ly/1p91RTs ‘Gateway to the Sea’ from Brighton Council decisions are at bit.ly/1XD4Xer Staon to the Seafront and the Valley Gardens scheme (Phases 1 & 2). Transport Operaonal policies A range of operaonal policies have Also listed is improved cycle parking at been approved e.g. on street works, Hove, Portslade, London Road and trees, bollards, obstrucons etc. Moulsecoomb train staons; the Bike including the new “Events-Permit Policy” Share project; local improvements on 20 and “Grass verge parking and vehicle mph limits, unspecified “high risk sites" overrun policy” aiming to prevent and "cycle facilies". muddy verges due to car parking. Technological assistance listed in the Open Spaces Strategy plan includes the Intelligent Transport There will be a consultaon on new ways Systems package (for improved traffic of managing parks in the light of limited signals and driver informaon), council resources. (Includes places like Traveline, JourneyOn and electric vehicle Preston Park Velodrome which has charging points (allocated £55,000). aracted funding from Brish Cycling.) Planned work on routes includes 2 Parking consultaons There will be consultaons in Preston Village / Surrenden and West Hove. Walking & Cycling Study Ditchling Gardens / Hollingbury Road Bricycles parcipated in a workshop parking plan will go forward because on 9 th Feb ’16 run by transport there have been no objecons. consultants Mo MacDonald, Hanover, Elm Grove and Craven Vale appointed by Brighton & Hove City Inial residents parking consultaon: Council to conduct a study about from 30 Mar - 6 May 16. walking and cycling improvements in East Brighton. The area is from the Old Bush Farm Drive Cllr Peter Atkinson (Lab, North Portslade) raised the issue of speeding motorists at Bush Farm Drive, Downs Park Estate, N. Portslade. Next ETS meeng: 28 Jun 2016 at 4.00pm ? ? ? Steine in the west, Arundel Road in Don’t miss out! Keep an eye on the east, Edward Street/Eastern Road consult.brighton-hove.gov.uk/portal/ to the north and the upper promenade to the south. Stanmer Park and Estate Plan Parcipants represented community, Heritage Loery funding available. resident, business, health, university Consultaon ended 25 April. Bricycles and bus/walking/cycling perspecves. put in a response. There will be a Many excellent points were made separate later consultaon on parking. about routes, crossings, parking, bus Public Spaces Protecon Orders stops, one way streets, and an PSPOs aim to stop an -social behaviour improved public realm. in a park / public space and last for 3 The consultants had already years. Issues include driving on grass, researched the area. They were aware the occupaon of land by people in of one-way streets issues and referred caravans, vehicles or tents, fly pping, to Brussels where it’s compulsory to lighng fires or defecang/urinang. allow contraflow cycling unless road Whilst useful, there are civil liberes width or similar issues prohibit it. The concerns about the criminalisaon of project is funded by the Local otherwise non-criminal acts. Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) for Consultaon ended 27 April. 2015/2016. See page 4 “Council bid” 3 Brighton Staon suspends cycle parking The sign said: “Temporary closure of cycle storage facilies. From Monday 18 April 2016. Dear passenger, from Monday 18 April, these storage facilies will be unavailable die to relocaon and servicing of these racks. If you wish to leave your bike at the staon, why not use the Cycle Hub, which is a free storage facility. All you need is a Southern key card, for which you can register online at southernrailway.com/the key It takes only a few minutes to register and the card will be sent to you by post within five days. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this will cause.” See www.southernrailway.com/ckets -and-fares/the-key-smartcard/ Road Safety budget Bricycles supports The area includes the Cllr. Phélim Mac Cafferty, Lewes Road and Valley Council bid Gardens (Steine Gardens convenor of the Green group Brighton and Hove City etc.) and east to include has expressed concern over Council is seeking Whitehawk. the £40,000 reducon to the addional funding for The aims of the fund are Road Safety educaon budget projects for 2016/17 to support the local proposed by Labour-led under the Sustainable economy, reduce carbon Brighton and Hove City Travel Transion Fund emissions, improve Council. This was one of many which is aimed to access to employment, cuts made in response to the connue funding for a educaon and services) reducon in local authority previously funded and increase physical funding by central government. scheme. acvity. City Plan Bricycles has wrien a The Council will also seek leer of support, to assist On 24 March, Brighton & Hove funding from the “Access the bid to the City Council adopted the City Fund ”. Department for The full bid is at Plan (Part 1) as part of its Transport. development plan for the City. bit.ly/1WaXrZl Cllr. Gill Mitchell, Lead Member for Environment, Cars turn verges into a muddy mess! Transport & Sustainability Some councillors are calling for an end to wrote “The City Plan includes vehicles parking on verges. At present, parking policies that promote wardens integrated and sustainable can only transport systems to reduce issue a the negave and unhealthy cket in impact of traffic congeson on both a local and sub-regional some basis.” Read more at: areas of hp://bit.ly/1VdPiEw the city. 4 Lewes Road crash In this incident on Tuesday 12 April, the cyclist was reportedly riding southbound with a bendy bus on his outside going in the same direcon. He was hit by a no. 48 bus which turns right across the road here into the Highway to Lower Bevendean (locaon in photo right). The bus company has launched an invesgaon. The cyclist was taken to hospital and later discharged. Cyclist/car crash at Gyratory Reports say that the cyclist was heading for Bear Road when hit by a car on Friday 29 April. She was taken to hospital and discharged a few hours later. We will be closely following both cases and looking for improvements to reduce risk for cyclists. Views? Informaon? [email protected] Preston Park cycle track progress A new fence has been installed around the whole cycle track (le ). This does not look hugely remarkable but apparently the top of the barrier helps prevent riders going over the fence. Also, if you hit it side-on you are more likely to slide along and avoid your handlebars geng caught on the fence i.e. more chance of staying upright if you go into the fence. (Thanks to Rupert Rive on Facebook for the explanaon!). The roof on the grandstand has been removed (le ) and will not be replaced. This will help to deter an -social uses of the area (we were informed by the workmen.) Contact Rupert Rive on [email protected] and see hp://www.facebook.com/saveprestonparkcycletrack Next phase is fundraising for lights at the track. 5 1 2 1 3 4 5 6 1. Heart bike parking: Sydney Street Instantly adopted for rough sleeping 2.