Supporting The Actively Courteous Cyclist (STACC)

Cycling continues to get a lot of coverage in the press, mostly positive - charity rides, more cycling parking added at City Station, etc.  But there are still letters critical of cyclists week after week, mainly caused by a few people riding selfishly and aggressively.  STACC calls on all members and supporters to make a special effort to be courteous when riding.  Not only will you enjoy your ride more, as you get to smile at people and they usually respond in kind, but you will help the cause of better cycling and provision for cycling.
I am sure we all think we are already fairly considerate, but still, we can all benefit from a review and a refresh of our skills and knowledge.
Here are some links to really good guidance to help you maintain a high standard of courtesy and riding skills.

Sustrans, the civil-engineering charity that has created the National Cycle Network, has a code of conduct for cycling on shared paths, it can be found on-line at http://www.sustrans.org.uk/change-your-travel/get-cycling/cycling-code-conduct-shared-use-paths

 

The British Horse Society has produced an excellent Code of Conduct for Horse Riders and Cyclists, which can be found on their website http://www.bhs.org.uk/~/media/BHS/Files/PDF%20Documents/Safety%20leaflets/Cycling%20Guidance%20leaflet.ashx

 

“We want to see more people cycling, and there is more that unites cyclists and pedestrians than divides them” says Living Streets.  Living Streets Policy Briefing reference 03/09, available online at http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/sites/default/files/content/library/Policy_briefings/pb0309pedcycle.pdf addresses the problems that anti-social cycling brings.

More bike racks for Westminster Lodge?

Westminster Lodge bike racks half full on a cold Sunday afternoon | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

It's a cold Sunday morning in St Albans and people are out and about in Verulamium Park. The new car park at Westminster Lodge isn't yet complete so parking is tricky. Despite the chilly weather people ate riding their bikes and the bike.racks outside the pool are half full. This is excellent, but it tells me that come summer it may be difficult to find space to park your bike at the Lodge. STACC have already contacted Beric Read at St Albans council last year to ask about more bike racks, a quick prod is going in their direction to see what's happening.

In the park

Cycling is now permitted in Verulamium Park.  The two routes where cycling is permitted are the main cross routes:
- from Westminster Lodge to the 'cross road' and along past the basketball and the playground to the car park
-from Abbey Mill Lane (The Fighting Cocks) to King Harry Lane
If going from Wetsminster Lodge to Abbey Mill Lane, or vice versa, you can take the nearer fork.

Cyclists must give priority to pedestrians.

Simple? But controversial, many people are not happy about cycling in the park, and with good reason.  As always, a few selfish morons give the majority a bad name.
So it behoves all of us to behave with exceptional courtesy and consideration to restore the balance.  Go to it, stick to the permitted routes, ting your bell, get off and walk if it's busy, smile! and happy cycling.

Verulamium Park - Consultation Continues

The exhibition of the proposals for the lottery bid & the consultation process continue through the week (from 5th November) in the Verulamium Museum foyer - but will not be manned.
You will still be able to leave more comments on Post-It notes - you are not limited to one note.

Notes will be collected once per day.
Opening times will be those of the museum
Monday - Saturday 10.00am - 5.30pm
Sunday 2.00pm - 5.30pm
Visit as many times as you like - with all those afterthoughts.

The exhibition also appears on-line from Monday 5th Nov &
continues for at least a week. It is [HERE] .

There is also be a Discussion Forum where you can leave more comments, it is located [HERE] .


New Readers catch-up: See earlier post [HERE]

Verulamium Park - View Plan - On-line or on 3rd November

Information on the master plan for a lottery bid for Ver Park is currently available on line
[HERE]

It will also be available from 12noon until 7.30pm on Saturday, 3 November in the foyer of Verulamium Museum.
I would encourage all those who wish to see cycling in the park to make sure their views are heard.

STACC member Gwen says...
I have just read the press release on the SADC website,'Ver Park Plan goes
live'. I am concerned not to find a single reference to cycling, in
amongst the herons and chalk stream, is it being hidden in the proposed
path round the edge of the park? Another reason for visiting the
exhibition on Sat.

Amended 8 Nov
See later Post [HERE]

St Albans Review - On-Line Comments - Looks Useful

If you read the local free paper St Albans Review, as well as the letters page you will have seen the page and a half of comments which readers have made on line.

It occurs to me that this is a handy way to plug STACC and the cycling message, and has more chance of being printed than a letter.

The more comments on a subject, the higher ranking it seems to get.

Just go to HERE and get typing, anytime you see a relevant article, but it appears that you can only add on-line comment to the 'Most Read' articles listed. (Add a comment to this post if you find out how to comment on any article or reader's letter, not listed as 'Most Read'.)

ALSO: added 26 Oct
The Review's website is not a static version of the printed paper, it is constantly changing with new stories added - and further chances for comment. So you need to keep a regular eye on things.

PS: added 25 Oct
There's currently an article running on line, with opportunity to comment....
Bright ideas for Verulamium Park [HERE]
It's about young people's ideas for the park (but they forgot to say cycling).
Moreover the article says the park is a "haven for ..... cyclists ...." - bit of scope for comment?

Updated 10 April 2008 adding text in green italics

Verulamium Park Lottery Funding Bid - ACT to SUPPORT CYCLING

Read about Verulamium Park & its future at http://www.verpark.stalbans.gov.uk/

Part of the funding bid process is public consultation. Deadline 15th October.

You should give your views on-line at http://www.smart-survey.co.uk/v.asp?i=2798todqy
It is important to give a little write-up of the reasons you support cycling, in the text box at section 8 of the survey form.
(See below for STACC's view from which you can pick & mix.)

You can also vote to indicate your preference for cycling at...
http://www.verpark.stalbans.gov.uk/polls/shopping_list
The rate of voting is low (at the time of writing 65 votes cast in all categories)
Leading categories are :-
"More of the buried Roman remains" 49% of the vote
"The opportunity to cycle" 34% of the vote
so it would not take much to put cycling into the lead.

STACC's view in support of cycling in the park:-
Cycling Though Verulamium Park (E/W & N/S Pathways)

Background

The question of cycling through the Park has now been debated for some years.

• 7 December 2000 Community Services Committee was told of the public consultation in which 73% of respondents had favoured cycling through the Park.
• 28 February 2001 Council refused funding for cycle route through Park – the proposed scheme was expensive and over engineered.
• 18 January 2005 Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed that work should be done to draw up further proposals for cycling through the Park.

Why is Cycling through the Park necessary?
School children, commuters, shoppers and tourists, as well as motorists would benefit if cycling were permitted through the Park.

• The Park is a quiet and beautiful place, and any scheme should be simple and both sympathetically and economically engineered. Cycling would only be permitted on the N/S and E/W pathways and not at all around the lakeside. (The 2 proposed routes are from The Fighting Cocks to King Harry Lane and from Holywell Hill to St Michael’s carpark).
• There are seven schools on the boundaries of the Park. Cycling through the Park would give children safety and independence, and would improve fitness and reduce obesity. One headmaster wrote, “We remain firmly convinced that cycling should be permitted through the Park.” The Government requires Local Authorities to provide Safer Routes to Schools and opening these pathways to cyclists would considerably advance this target as well as easing school-run congestion. Alternative routes such as St Stephen’s Hill, Holywell Hill and Bluehouse Hill are congested and hazardous for cyclists, especially children.
• The Park provides a safe commuting, shopping and leisure route from the Verulam estate and South St Albans to the centre of the city, Westminster Lodge and the Abbey Station and gives easy access to the Alban Way for commuters to and from Hatfield and Welwyn. It is also a destination in its own right - to meet friends, visit the museum, the café etc.

• Cyclists co-exist with pedestrians in many rural parks in the UK.
• Cycling is positively encouraged in London’s Royal Parks. At least five Royal Parks provide paths shared by pedestrians. (Initial fears proved groundless and plans to permit cycling in Kensington Gardens were made permanent after a successful trial period of one year.)
• STACC strongly requests a trial period of 1 year, as proposed and agreed by the Community Services Committee in Dec 2000.

Liz Rutherford and STACC committee March 2006