tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52832492250433417782024-03-19T12:38:28.412+00:00Sharp edge trip'Sharp edge trip' is local authority speak for a pothole. There are many potholes in the road to increasing commuter/utility cycling levels and promoting active travel in Greater Manchester. This blog highlights some of the potholes and possible solutions.Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-3844875240531279842014-08-18T12:30:00.000+01:002014-08-20T11:37:51.555+01:00Park where you like? No Minister !<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicoja3lFLZ8yq5x5r9BUZsyYMK37YXzYU22wejg7Wz2nz1zLbW7FWn_SUcqpFTLjo-REOHY0VdWg_-KLYTBsW8GTxUwDiS1bq8KRrSqjHF4bMzhyUwAalJTW0oy4XPNcrvuGpkFJmfCbU/s1600/Pavemtns+are+for+People+-+DfT+and+COI+leaflet+cirac+1980s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicoja3lFLZ8yq5x5r9BUZsyYMK37YXzYU22wejg7Wz2nz1zLbW7FWn_SUcqpFTLjo-REOHY0VdWg_-KLYTBsW8GTxUwDiS1bq8KRrSqjHF4bMzhyUwAalJTW0oy4XPNcrvuGpkFJmfCbU/s1600/Pavemtns+are+for+People+-+DfT+and+COI+leaflet+cirac+1980s.jpg" height="400" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pavements are for People - DfT leaflet </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In July 2013, the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23488437" target="_blank">BBC</a> reported that sources close to the communities secretary Eric Pickles <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/10207364/Motorists-allowed-to-park-on-double-yellow-lines-to-help-save-high-streets.html">told the Daily Telegraph</a> that "over-aggressive" parking enforcement was one of the reasons why many High Streets were struggling. His proposed solution - let drivers park for up to 15 minutes on areas with yellow lines. Although a year later, it was <a href="http://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/public-sector-news/Page-250/dropping-double-yellow-line-grace-period-a-victory--lga" target="_blank">reported</a> that the idea had been quietly dropped. This followed the publication of a Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCkQFjAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fuploads%2Fsystem%2Fuploads%2Fattachment_data%2Ffile%2F322525%2Fresponse-parking-consultation.doc&ei=b9TxU9amPLDQ7Aa4tYDgCg&usg=AFQjCNGxSH0CgqFhB2dddTVyrVbc-vmqZA&sig2=SC44UI-ggajATpvmfPwZrA&bvm=bv.73231344,d.bGE&cad=rja" target="_blank">report</a> that found <span style="font-size: small;">that it could also "<b>encourage more anti-social and potentially dangerous parking </b>and also
lead to sequential parking in some popular areas where kerb space might
be continually occupied despite there being a restriction in place". (My emphasis)</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br />
This appears to be an all-too typical approach from the Communities Secretary, make a lot of noise on a supposedly populist policy announcement - only to quietly drop it when people realise the negative impacts. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
More seriously, than the public dog-whistle posturing of individual politicians - is the central direction of transport policy that this example highlights. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Need to increase "growth" ? Rush through plans to build more roads. Let's just ignore decades of <a href="http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/roads-nowhere/induced-traffic" target="_blank">evidence</a> that building more roads does not reduce congestion. In fact, they increase traffic levels.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<b>"An average road improvement, for which traffic growth due to
all other factors is forecast correctly, will see an additional [i.e.
induced] 10% of base traffic in the short term and 20% in the long
term."</b> (1994 SACTRA report 'Trunk Roads and the Generation of Traffic')</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Worried about the impact of increased CO2 emissions from more traffic? (on your newly built roads) -<a href="http://www.transport-network.co.uk/DfT-to-boost-road-building-by-removing-CO2-considerations/9848#.U_HZd2NUv1k" target="_blank"> remove CO2 emissions</a> from the grounds that local people can object to a road building proposal.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Pretending you are worried about the demise of the High Street as people shop at out-of-town retail parks due to the high cost of parking charges? Suggest that vehicles can park anywhere on yellow lines - despite evidence from your own department that this would increase danger to pedestrians and people cycling.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
How about changing the regulations that mean that large out-of-town retail centres do not pay business rates on the massive amounts of land taken up with "free" car parking places - whilst small High Street businesses have to pay business rates on the small number of car parking spaces that they provide. Level playing field anyone? (But this is a subject for a future blog post).</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
But back to the subject of vehicles being able to park anywhere....</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicr_1jGsC9lYpt_uUJBTNtC3psBigG87dfimAOjGE5xWyFe_X2j_j2P-A1S8iftVL6cAU_uxNbmOkq6UL81iGO6Wlqrz7FrsBiBWVS_eK98dNlaq_6ESZr_7P3v0exWDQMyMSBr5xDUWbJ/s1600/Pavements+are+for+people+-+Oxfordshire+County+Council.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicr_1jGsC9lYpt_uUJBTNtC3psBigG87dfimAOjGE5xWyFe_X2j_j2P-A1S8iftVL6cAU_uxNbmOkq6UL81iGO6Wlqrz7FrsBiBWVS_eK98dNlaq_6ESZr_7P3v0exWDQMyMSBr5xDUWbJ/s1600/Pavements+are+for+people+-+Oxfordshire+County+Council.jpg" height="200" width="136" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
In the 1980s the Department for Transport (DfT) and Central Office of Information (COI) produced the leaflet (see above) which was sent out with driving licences and politely reminded drivers not to park on the pavement. Unfortunately, the DfT and DVLA no longer seem to view this as a priority - although some <a href="http://www.oxford.gov.uk/Direct/PavementsareforPeopleFlyer.pdf" target="_blank">Councils</a> do. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
The government encourages local councils to apply to take over parking responsibilities from the police. This is called decriminalisation, because parking offences become civil matters, rather than criminal. In other areas where the local council has not applied to take charge, the police will still be responsible for enforcement. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
The
government encourages local councils to apply to take over parking
responsibilities from the police. This is called decriminalisation,
because parking offences become civil matters, rather than criminal. In
other areas where the local council has not applied to take charge, the
police will still be responsible for enforcement. - See more at:
http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/make-a-change/urgent-actions/pavement-parking#sthash.HxK2Reru.dpuf</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
The
government encourages local councils to apply to take over parking
responsibilities from the police. This is called decriminalisation,
because parking offences become civil matters, rather than criminal. In
other areas where the local council has not applied to take charge, the
police will still be responsible for enforcement. - See more at:
http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/make-a-change/urgent-actions/pavement-parking#sthash.HxK2Reru.dpuf</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicr_1jGsC9lYpt_uUJBTNtC3psBigG87dfimAOjGE5xWyFe_X2j_j2P-A1S8iftVL6cAU_uxNbmOkq6UL81iGO6Wlqrz7FrsBiBWVS_eK98dNlaq_6ESZr_7P3v0exWDQMyMSBr5xDUWbJ/s1600/Pavements+are+for+people+-+Oxfordshire+County+Council.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
The
government encourages local councils to apply to take over parking
responsibilities from the police. This is called decriminalisation,
because parking offences become civil matters, rather than criminal. In
other areas where the local council has not applied to take charge, the
police will still be responsible for enforcement. - See more at:
http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/make-a-change/urgent-actions/pavement-parking#sthash.HxK2Reru.dpuf</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
The Manchester City Council <a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/100011/roads_parking_and_transport/5368/hazards_in_the_road/2" target="_blank">website</a> states: </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
"Where there are parking restrictions in place, such as double yellow
lines or where the kerbs are lower to enable pedestrians to cross, we
can take action. However, the majority of instances happen where there are no parking
restrictions in place. If it presents an actual obstruction and
pedestrians, wheelchair users or pushchairs can't pass safety or a car
is parked across your driveway then contact the Police on 101 who can
take action." </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
The
government encourages local councils to apply to take over parking
responsibilities from the police. This is called decriminalisation,
because parking offences become civil matters, rather than criminal. In
other areas where the local council has not applied to take charge, the
police will still be responsible for enforcement. - See more at:
http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/make-a-change/urgent-actions/pavement-parking#sthash.HxK2Reru.dpuf</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
In a 2006 report, Manchester City Council stated that they did "not currently have the powers to introduce a city-wide ban on pavement parking due to no current legislation for enforcement outside London. The only way a total ban could be achieved would be to implement individual TRO’s and erect associated signage on every street within the city."</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
The report went on to explain how to do this on a road-by-road basis would be very expensive.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
However, in London, pavement parking is banned throughout the 32 London boroughs, and the City of London under the Greater London (General Purposes) Act 1974. The Highway Code states; <b>"You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in London". </b>All councils in London can and should enforce this law by issuing parking tickets to any vehicles parked on pavements, unless there is a sign there that specifically permits it. (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/waiting-and-parking/parking-239-to-247" target="_blank">Para 244</a>)<br />
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
Pavement
parking is banned throughout the 32 London boroughs, and the City of
London under the Greater London (General Purposes) Act 1974. The Highway
Code states; 'You MUST NOT park partially or wholly on the pavement in
London'. All councils in London can and should enforce this law by
issuing parking tickets to any vehicles parked on pavements, unless
there is a sign there that specifically permits it. - See more at:
http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/make-a-change/urgent-actions/pavement-parking#sthash.HxK2Reru.dpuf</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Manchester recently announced that <a href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/more-1000-streets-manchester-become-7609718" target="_blank">one-third of all the streets</a> (where people live) would have a 20mph speed limit. Reducing traffic speed and noise will help play a part in making our streets safer and nicer places to live, meet, play and cycle.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Reclaiming pavements for people (young and old) to walk and play on would be another great step. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Following a presentation at the Manchester Cycle Forum (March 2014) about enforcement by Manchester Community Enforcement officers of parking in cycle lanes and shared pavements - the MCC officers were asked whether it would be possible (legally, not necessarily politically) for Manchester to implement a similar regulation to the London Scheme. Eg all pavement parking is banned - apart from where it is allowed.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
A response was promised for the next Cycle Forum (June) but unfortunately was not forthcoming. Let's hope that an answer can be provided to the September <a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200102/cycling_and_walking/732/cycling_in_manchester/2" target="_blank">Cycle Forum</a>.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xxTN6PKy1kbd2mcOoXy7vubcr1ZFHni_47Q4tumo85tBmP7wCrSqo3DJdK5JBjjT12ABUm3RvOKP_vHnLVOw_gr8HXyK86El2pY3DGqIJ5VyB6cZga2ZtG3dxEcgnqhyNQiJ81A2sgll/s1600/Living+Streets+-+Please+park+with+Consideration+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xxTN6PKy1kbd2mcOoXy7vubcr1ZFHni_47Q4tumo85tBmP7wCrSqo3DJdK5JBjjT12ABUm3RvOKP_vHnLVOw_gr8HXyK86El2pY3DGqIJ5VyB6cZga2ZtG3dxEcgnqhyNQiJ81A2sgll/s1600/Living+Streets+-+Please+park+with+Consideration+1.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Meanwhile, you can support the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Living%20Streets%20calls%20for:%20%20%20%20%20%20UK%20Government%20to%20make%20pavement%20parking%20illegal%20throughout%20the%20UK%20%20%20%20%20Scottish%20Government%20to%20expand%20dropped%20kerb%20regulations%20into%20Scotland%20%20%20%20%20UK%20Government%20to%20lead%20a%20wider%20national%20%E2%80%9Cpavement%20education%E2%80%9D%20campaign%20on%20all%20aspects%20of%20using%20our%20pavements%20%E2%80%93%20including%20anti-social%20parking%20and%20cycling%20%20%20%20%20All%20local%20authorities%20to%20decriminalise%20and%20take%20on%20the%20civil%20enforcement%20of%20parking%20offences%20%20%20%20%20Where%20police%20are%20responsible%20for%20enforcement,%20to%20take%20the%20issue%20more%20seriously%20and%20enforce%20all%20instances%20of%20pavement%20parking." target="_blank">Living Streets campaign</a> on inconsiderate pavement parking. Living Streets calls for: </div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<ul>
<li>UK Government to make pavement parking illegal throughout the UK </li>
<li>UK Government to lead a wider national “pavement education” campaign on all aspects of using our pavements – including anti-social parking and cycling </li>
<li>All local authorities to decriminalise and take on the civil enforcement of parking offences </li>
<li>Where police are responsible for enforcement, to take the issue more seriously and enforce all instances of pavement parking.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
Living Streets calls for:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>UK Government to make pavement parking illegal throughout the UK</li>
<li>Scottish Government to expand dropped kerb regulations into Scotland</li>
<li>UK Government to lead a wider national “pavement education” campaign
on all aspects of using our pavements – including anti-social parking
and cycling</li>
<li>All local authorities to decriminalise and take on the civil enforcement of parking offences</li>
<li>Where police are responsible for enforcement, to take the issue more seriously and enforce all instances of pavement parking.</li>
</ul>
- See more at: http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/make-a-change/urgent-actions/pavement-parking#sthash.HxK2Reru.dpuf</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMUe_jXDmtVifEAhUzRwn5MV8AfBtxqgRMLnI_i3XXrkNrq2RdzdXwftCm2PtGg7XOXKYj_EPBKsiNQHhatrD4bzAg4EQIBkBZ0UwzaIPruj40F5_HP_urh5G0CBoyIfx4nRJEyHZshY_/s1600/Living+Streets+-+Please+park+with+Consideration+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMUe_jXDmtVifEAhUzRwn5MV8AfBtxqgRMLnI_i3XXrkNrq2RdzdXwftCm2PtGg7XOXKYj_EPBKsiNQHhatrD4bzAg4EQIBkBZ0UwzaIPruj40F5_HP_urh5G0CBoyIfx4nRJEyHZshY_/s1600/Living+Streets+-+Please+park+with+Consideration+2.jpg" height="320" width="223" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
Bury Council policy: <a href="http://www.bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3045" target="_blank">Safer parking</a><br />
<br />
We have a responsibility to keep the roads and footpaths safe to use.<br />
Illegally
parked vehicles cost us thousands of pounds a year due to damaged
paving, damaged grass verges. They also cause serious problems for
blind, disabled and older people.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<b>What action do we take against pavement parking?</b>If
there are waiting restrictions (yellow lines) on the highway adjacent
to the pavement then a Penalty Charge Notice would be issued, as a
vehicle parked in this manner is in contravention of the Traffic Order.
Waiting restrictions cover the highway from the centre of the highway to
back of the footpath.<br />
If there are no waiting restrictions on the
highway adjacent to the pavement, then we have no powers to take action
and this should be taken up with the Police as it constitutes
obstruction.<br />
<br />
<br />
Trafford Council. <a href="http://www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/transport-and-streets/parking/pavement-parking.aspx" target="_blank">What action do we take against pavement parking?</a><br />
<br />
If there are waiting restrictions (yellow lines) on the
highway adjacent to the pavement then a Parking Fine would be issued
since a vehicle parked in this manner is in contravention of the traffic
order.
<br />
Waiting restrictions cover the highway from centre of highway to back of footpath.
<br />
If there are no waiting restrictions on the highway
adjacent to the pavement, then we have no powers to take action and this
should be taken up with the Police since it constitutes an obstruction.
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-8890931021076895192014-05-27T20:05:00.000+01:002014-05-27T20:06:43.004+01:00How fast can your granny run?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oaCqLFGjiD8kLmWnX9fDnxojBw6vQPbJ_wS75arMrd01-G2uxl9lhSlgWzh7rH0x8uYC67JaUDolXR1EE4PL18BEc3AMRrewn-ZhXZR0gBCpDxYtUVhPojWFPy50bkcZvYCpnthUkjWm/s1600/Living+Streets+3+more+seconds+-+give+me+time+to+cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9oaCqLFGjiD8kLmWnX9fDnxojBw6vQPbJ_wS75arMrd01-G2uxl9lhSlgWzh7rH0x8uYC67JaUDolXR1EE4PL18BEc3AMRrewn-ZhXZR0gBCpDxYtUVhPojWFPy50bkcZvYCpnthUkjWm/s1600/Living+Streets+3+more+seconds+-+give+me+time+to+cross.jpg" height="400" width="282" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In April, the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27201484" target="_blank">BBC reported</a> that Manchester had become the UK's first city to be recognised as age-friendly by the World Health Organisation. More accurately, Manchester has become the first UK city to become a member of the WHO <a href="http://www.who.int/ageing/age_friendly_cities_q_and_a/en/" target="_blank">Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities</a> (GNAFCC).<br /><br />As a network member, Manchester has committed to “undertake a process of continually assessing and improving their age-friendliness” and will ensure that “older residents are involved in a meaningful way throughout the process.”<br /><br />If Manchester is serious about becoming age-friendly as well as improving the walkability of the City then one practical measure that the Council, and the other GM local authorities, could implement is to change the crossing times at pedestrian crossings.<br /><br /><b>How fast can YOUR granny run?</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/older-people-need-3-more-seconds-to-cross-road-says-living-streets" target="_blank">Research for Living Streets</a> found that most people over the age of 65 walk much slower than the current assumed walking speed of 1.2 metres per second, on which the “green man” time allowed to cross is based, meaning they have insufficient time to safely reach the opposite kerb.<br /><br />Or, put another way, the “green man” crossing time is not enough for 85% of women and 76% of men aged 65 and over.<br /><br />The current crossing time guidance dates from the 1950s when levels of car ownership and traffic were much less than today. Living Streets is calling for the assumed walking speed to be changed to 0.8m/s which would add just 3 more seconds onto the green man crossing time on an average width road.</span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3 seconds might not sound like much, but for older people, people with mobility issues and parents with children it can really have a big impact.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">3 more seconds could help make Manchester a better place to walk. Increasing the number of people walking might encourage more people to leave the car at home for shorter trips to their local shops and neighbourhoods. Making Manchester a nicer place to walk would also be fairer to the 45% of Manchester households who do not own (or have access to) a car. (<a href="http://neweconomymanchester.com/stories/1749-presentations" target="_blank">Census 2011</a>)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Increasing walking levels and reducing car traffic volumes (and speeds) could also encourage more people to cycle – you never know we might catch up with the Dutch where people over 65 make 24% of all their trips by bicycle.(<a href="http://www.engr.scu.edu/~emaurer/bike/docs/PUCHERMakingCyclingIrresistibleJune2008.pdf" target="_blank">Page 504</a>)<br /><br />You can find out more information and support the Living Streets “Give me time to cross” campaign on the <a href="http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/make-a-change/urgent-actions/smarter-crossings/give-us-time-to-cross" target="_blank">website</a>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">PS Shortly after this blog article was first drafted, the Manchester Evening News reported that the <a href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/manchesters-traffic-lights-could-stay-7171306" target="_blank">Government was reviewing road-crossing times</a>. The article quoted Transport for Greater Manchester as saying: </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ac7e5BEgLJixM5fMXqhTYAZgFEfcUSGpqEP6MVkNWuOfnLpCevHnIp4147lCRwlBAb5T81-6BU0G5nUYEnLz7ds_0VvKiKxLefsI-idk7yUgpOXbnZXQ_gtzyCk291l91VdWnDywfG1B/s1600/Manchesters+Traffic+lights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ac7e5BEgLJixM5fMXqhTYAZgFEfcUSGpqEP6MVkNWuOfnLpCevHnIp4147lCRwlBAb5T81-6BU0G5nUYEnLz7ds_0VvKiKxLefsI-idk7yUgpOXbnZXQ_gtzyCk291l91VdWnDywfG1B/s1600/Manchesters+Traffic+lights.jpg" height="138" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“At signalised junctions with pedestrian facilities, <a href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/manchester">Greater Manchester</a> follows the standard Department for Transport guidance of 1.2 metres per second walking speed.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“If a longer crossing time is required we do review this on an individual basis along with local authority engineers.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“We’re
aware of this ministerial proposal and will follow developments with
interest. If the guidance from the Department for Transport changed to
assume a lower speed then we would change all our crossing speeds
accordingly.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Stay tuned to see what comes of this review.</span></span><br />
<br />Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-30206855127787872802014-03-07T13:15:00.000+00:002014-03-07T13:15:03.569+00:00No, protected cycling infrastructure is probably not too expensive for your city to build....<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here in Greater Manchester, the successful "<a href="http://cycling.tfgm.com/velocity/Velocity2025_vision.pdf">Vélocity 2025 : A cycling plan for 2025 and beyond</a>" bid for Cycling City Ambition Grant (CCAG) funding committed the conurbation to providing total funding over a 12 year period that would see "between £150 and £200 million invested on a range of cycling infrastructure, interventions and culture shift of which £20 million will be from the Cycle City Ambition Grant, £20 million from the LSTF and the remainder from a range of local and national, public and private sources through to 2025."</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The current CCAG funding runs until March 2015 and as yet, neither the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) or Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have publicly identified where the next 10 years of funding will come from, or how much funding will be provided. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The current CCAG
funding level is £10 per person but only covers 1 million people - so on a
GM wide basis this translates as £3.70 per person. The All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group report "<a href="http://allpartycycling.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/get-britain-cycling1.pdf" target="_blank">Get Britain Cycling</a>" recommended that national / local government should support cycling with funding levels of £10 per person - across the whole of Greater Manchester this would work out at £27 million per year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the many argument(s) that will no doubt be made against providing funding for cycle infrastructure will be "but it will cost too much". To put these arguments into context it is worth taking a look at a recent report by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition which is a "<a href="http://www.sfbike.org/main/biking-by-the-numbers/">brief exploration"</a>
of what they called the "myth" that "there's no way we can keep spending
so much on bike lanes with so many other pressing needs in San
Francisco."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
To make their point that dramatically improving biking and walking in a
city costs almost nothing compared to many other transportation
projects — in San Francisco, one of the bike-friendliest cities in the
country, bike projects take up less than 1 percent of the municipal
transportation budget — they listed some typical cost figures. The lovely people </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">at the <a href="http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/no-protected-bike-lanes-are-not-too-expensive-chart" target="_blank">Green Lane Project</a> created the chart below from those figures. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Future blog posts will return to this theme and explore the arguments and evidence of the economic benefits of increasing cycling levels - as well as the
lobbying arguments that will be needed throughout the coming year(s) to secure the funding needed to build a safe, convenient and coherent
cycle network across Greater Manchester. (Note: th</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">e budget discussions for 2015-16 will start in October this year) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Meanwhile, enjoy the graphic. Click <a href="http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/no-protected-bike-lanes-are-not-too-expensive-chart" target="_blank">here</a> for the original graphic.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2n3A3r4xK2xp2vALNDWmtJAqi1KG27mwA8RBaxM53ZcsR4LRDsLrNHLgri2A9PJ3f2XBnyukJKJ4tl294rlZTX_QLIGFmD0UVUBJV89rQPINwz959Y2zPQSqICYAly-xZeOSAsB_E-bVK/s1600/Cost+of+SF+Transportation+Projects.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2n3A3r4xK2xp2vALNDWmtJAqi1KG27mwA8RBaxM53ZcsR4LRDsLrNHLgri2A9PJ3f2XBnyukJKJ4tl294rlZTX_QLIGFmD0UVUBJV89rQPINwz959Y2zPQSqICYAly-xZeOSAsB_E-bVK/s1600/Cost+of+SF+Transportation+Projects.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-4614100779077662992014-01-16T12:24:00.000+00:002014-01-16T12:24:16.399+00:00Somebody please tell the University to "Wake up and smell the coffee!"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyn212MaADP1h54D5sUioRlIm-tgOsZgIoa8MQMje57qGWehk37dVDn1lBVIb7DBPo1x-1jmzwPW-zjMm3eCgzBkxlJJ0uuR-uGJSYkBQsahFYtIDA8-wfMiHRbvM61pecW3h7N_62E2kT/s1600/Coffee+Cranks+stationary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyn212MaADP1h54D5sUioRlIm-tgOsZgIoa8MQMje57qGWehk37dVDn1lBVIb7DBPo1x-1jmzwPW-zjMm3eCgzBkxlJJ0uuR-uGJSYkBQsahFYtIDA8-wfMiHRbvM61pecW3h7N_62E2kT/s1600/Coffee+Cranks+stationary.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh dear.. what is it with Manchester and cycling? Last December we had Manchester City Council's website listing "cycling safety" information under the heading <a href="http://sharpedgetrip.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/manchester-cycling-safety-advice-file.html" target="_blank">Crime, Anti-social behaviour and nuisance</a> (thankfully now amended!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now we have the mighty University of Manchester and "<a href="http://www.corridormanchester.com/" target="_blank">Corridor Manchester</a>" objecting to an application from the <a href="http://coffeecrankscoop.org.uk/" target="_blank">Coffee Cranks Cooperative</a> for a Street Trading licence to sell coffee from their beautifully adapted cargo bike outside the Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative shop opposite Withworth Park and on Dover Street (off Oxford Road).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The miserable objection letters from the <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/w4ibvgutze84m1q/158151%20LOC2%20BUS%202.pdf" target="_blank">University of Manchester</a> and <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/q6aty9g993m2rsr/158151%20LOC1%20BUS1.pdf">Corridor Manchester</a> are available online if you would like read them yourself. They are almost identical and contain such gems as the </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"presence of a street trader, the congestion it would bring, the visual appearance of the vehicle, and the likelihood of increased litter conflicts with the University’s vision for the area." </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">and claims that the University "<b>believes that granting the licence would create real safety concerns, be detrimental to its ambitions</b> and, as the contribution to the City’s economy and vibrancy though the success of the University cannot be overstated, we hope that the City Council would reject the applica</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">tion." (Ed - wonder if these "safety concerns" are the same as led Manchester City Council to file "cycling" under crime, antisocial behaviour and nuisance" !) </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span><span><span><span>Coffee Cranks Coop is a workers' coop
selling ethically sourced coffee, tea and snacks from a cargo bike
designed and constructed by members of the initiative in the summer of
2013. Their</span></span></span></span></span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">objectives are to " <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">bring
positive change to our communities while selling delicious and
ethically sourced coffee, tea and snacks from our purpose built cargo
bike." </span></span><span><span><span><span>The core ethos of the coop is based upon a grand vision of helping
transform Manchester into a cycling city of the future. This extends
beyond cycling; we seek to support other social projects focused on
transport, the environment and sustainability.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Sterile laboratories not sterile streets.</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Corridor Manchester Strategic Vision to 2020 document proudly claims that <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Corridor Manchester's long-term vision is that, globally and locally, people will recognise the
Corridor as a place that is original, creative and smart, where
knowledge is put to work." (Page 4, <a href="http://www.corridormanchester.com/_filestore/corridormanchester/cm-strategic-vision-2020-pdf/original/CM_strategic_vision_2020.pdf" target="_blank">Executive Summary</a>)</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other smart cities have recognised that people like to live in places that have developed </span></span></span>good cycling infrastructure as well as </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"original,
creative and smart" social and street culture that is different to the bland "same as everywhere else" multinational chains.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxgZuwLDTSjwtb0wKI7OJT6tnI78c13YcCEFitCB_GY0VmDATGliJChH2OyO79rRfcJ08gfZNfBTUjkPAG0S8mkc9fL4Nq-QZpe_cm1bP72uRoc9McpDco-Co8W_b4moY02HAz5mTNQ41/s1600/Coffee+Cranks+on+Bike+Friday+May+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxgZuwLDTSjwtb0wKI7OJT6tnI78c13YcCEFitCB_GY0VmDATGliJChH2OyO79rRfcJ08gfZNfBTUjkPAG0S8mkc9fL4Nq-QZpe_cm1bP72uRoc9McpDco-Co8W_b4moY02HAz5mTNQ41/s1600/Coffee+Cranks+on+Bike+Friday+May+2013.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Time to 'wake up and smell the coffee'</span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Developing a vibrant cycling culture (and street culture) is about much more than just counting the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/Manchester%20City%20Council%20Annual%20Statement%20of%20Accounts%202011/12%20%20http://www.manchester.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/20109/manchester_city_council_annual_statement_of_accounts_2011-12" target="_blank">number of people cycling</a>.* </span>Manchester City Council has recognised the need </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"undertake major public realm and junction improvements to support street life and commercial activity" in other areas of the City such as the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/City%20Fringe%20Spatial%20Development%20Framework,%20Economy,%20Employment%20&%20Skills%20Overview%20and%20Scrutiny%20Committee%20%E2%80%93%203%20February%202010.%20%20http://www.manchester.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/9108/8_city_fringe_spatial_development_framework" target="_blank">Great Ancoats Street Corridor</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is time for the University of Manchester and Corridor Manchester to 'wake up and smell the coffee'.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Please sign the Coffee Cranks <a href="https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/university-of-manchester-socialresponuom-and-corridor-manchester-corridormcr-withdraw-objections-to-coffee-cranks-coop-s-trading-licence-application?share_id=ZeLdUDxKgj&utm_campaign=mailto_link&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition" target="_blank">petition</a> calling on the University of Manchester and Corridor Manchester to withdraw their objections.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And if you would like to - please tweet the following message (or your own variant): </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">University of Manchester
(@SocialResponUoM) and Corridor Manchester (@corridormcr): withdraw
objections to Coffee Cranks Coop's trading licence application.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(*) </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"The number of cycle trips has more than doubled – continued evidence of a growing cycling culture."</span> </span></span></span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-85452579915500966432014-01-09T13:13:00.000+00:002014-01-09T13:13:07.265+00:00Greater Peak District Cycle Strategy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLXN1Eb0uNcQKnrhCaXbUK7V2aH65Dbd5CrE02ZrBWNWNaJWWcPprbOSZpm5y_l8woPeVE8YMEFzyNVlpwsUIXRKTBtfwbv057HSJEiLvU8svek9sk0_dBjU6HUcd_wCJ1Tz1WS7BzdxF/s1600/Peak+District.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLXN1Eb0uNcQKnrhCaXbUK7V2aH65Dbd5CrE02ZrBWNWNaJWWcPprbOSZpm5y_l8woPeVE8YMEFzyNVlpwsUIXRKTBtfwbv057HSJEiLvU8svek9sk0_dBjU6HUcd_wCJ1Tz1WS7BzdxF/s1600/Peak+District.jpg" height="131" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Peak District National Park Authority are currently developing a cycle strategy for the Greater Peak
District*. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The consultation will start on the 17th February
and last for 5 weeks. If you would to comment on the cycle strategy please contact </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Emily Fox, Transport Policy Manager, Peak District National Park Authority. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:Emily.Fox@peakdistrict.gov.uk">Emily.Fox@peakdistrict.gov.uk</a></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
Peak District National Park Authority, Aldern House, Baslow Road, Bakewell, DE45 1AE </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tel: 01629 816200</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
*For clarification, the Greater Peak District is the National Park and
surrounding urban areas, for example, Sheffield, Nottingham, Manchester
and Derby.</span> </span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-31792671868304868682013-12-20T16:30:00.001+00:002014-01-06T11:28:05.953+00:00Manchester cycling safety advice - file under Crime, antisocial behaviour and nuisance !<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyAA_AdsPVbOCyQ4hTgZ4q50lhu5Mofty3yWEgt92xxSfdDbdb3WrnkjEUy9JrbqMZ4UtOwPw1XCR_1uBXkF360vjZhPm7Z6l0SfQFEfH6PWKaYZadXv81QrFo2J5Omi4DCvs97oBDmND/s1600/MCC+Cycling+safety+file+under+Crime,+antisocial+behaviour+and+nuisance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQyAA_AdsPVbOCyQ4hTgZ4q50lhu5Mofty3yWEgt92xxSfdDbdb3WrnkjEUy9JrbqMZ4UtOwPw1XCR_1uBXkF360vjZhPm7Z6l0SfQFEfH6PWKaYZadXv81QrFo2J5Omi4DCvs97oBDmND/s400/MCC+Cycling+safety+file+under+Crime,+antisocial+behaviour+and+nuisance.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
The Cycling Safety advice on the <a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500210/student_safety/4844/cycling_safety" target="_blank">MCC website</a> contains fairly standard road safety-esque cycling safety advice.<br />
<br />
What is a tad disheartening (although arguably also a fairly standard road safety-esque view of cycling) is the category under which the information is held. <br />
<br />
It would appear that Manchester City Council chooses to place "cycling safety" issues under the heading "Crime, antisocial behaviour & nuisance" ! Is this truly how Manchester City Council view cycling?<br />
<br />
Could this be the view of the same Manchester City Council which proudly announced in June 2012 that it wanted to become <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3437777.ece" target="_blank">Britain's No1 city for cycling by 2017</a>.<br />
<br />
The webpage does have a <a class="showInfo" href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/#">Was this information helpful?</a> section (see bottom of the page) perhaps people would like to take the opportunity to leave appropriate (polite!) responses.<br />
<br />
Happy Solstice ! <br />
<br />
<b><u>Update: January 2014. </u></b><br />
<br />
Following a little prodding via Twitter and email the Manchester City Council webmeisters have shifted the webpage to the slightly more appropriate heading(s) below.....<br />
<ul style="background-color: #d54056; color: #222222; font-family: fedra, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica; font-size: 13px; line-height: 24px; list-style: none none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0.4em;">
<li style="display: inline-block; margin-right: 0.5em;"><a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/100011/roads_parking_and_transport" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; border-bottom-style: none; color: white; margin-right: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.00392157) 1px 1px 1px; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; word-wrap: break-word;">Roads, parking & transport</a></li>
<li style="display: inline-block; margin-right: 0.5em;"><a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200102/walking_and_cycling" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; -webkit-transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; border-bottom-style: none; color: white; margin-right: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 1px; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.00392157) 1px 1px 1px; transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out; word-wrap: break-word;">Walking & cycling</a></li>
<li style="display: inline-block; margin-right: 0.5em;">Cycling safety</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-62567837034391658012013-11-19T15:19:00.002+00:002013-11-19T15:19:25.979+00:00Question time: What would you like to ask Baroness Kramer (the new Transport Minister) ?<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJ8Vv5-vkAJTFa0x1CXNJjQLqO4JkaibHjYEnR81KjmEDph73Ju-1GTAo9mMsPb3dhXYyBao5Nmycahd1LedcrSkwFF_bc2qZQfggohSxvdxQ70ouStsI0JXdwGZDjALOse7vh7Oba_v1/s1600/Mainstreaming+Smarter+Travel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDJ8Vv5-vkAJTFa0x1CXNJjQLqO4JkaibHjYEnR81KjmEDph73Ju-1GTAo9mMsPb3dhXYyBao5Nmycahd1LedcrSkwFF_bc2qZQfggohSxvdxQ70ouStsI0JXdwGZDjALOse7vh7Oba_v1/s400/Mainstreaming+Smarter+Travel.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Somehow, I find myself invited to the Mainstreaming Smarter Travel event on 3rd / 4th December in Manchester Town Hall. This is described in the publicity as an "annual event where representatives and stakeholders from all Local
Sustainable Travel Fund (LSTF) awarded regions come together to share
knowledge, good practice and discuss effective implementation of
projects."<br />
(Programme details available <a href="http://www.landor.co.uk/smartertravel/home.php" target="_blank">here</a>)<br />
<br />
One of the sessions on Wednesday 4th December,<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 115%;">there
will be what is describde as "an extended interview and discussion with the new Transport
Minister with responsibility for LSTF, Baroness Susan Kramer, Cllr.
Andrew Fender, Chair of TfGMC and Mike Blackburn, Chair of Greater
Manchester LEP and BT regional director for the North West." </span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
I have received an email asking me what my top questions would be for the three interviewees (see below). Deadline is 12noon, Friday 22nd November. So if you have any burning questions you would liked asked - why not send them in to the email address below or leave a comment on this blog.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: yellow; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">A message from Lynn Sloman, Director of Transport for Quality of Life, Plenary Chair for Mainstreaming Smarter Travel Day 2</span></b><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On
the second day of the Mainstreaming Smarter Travel conference, there
will be an extended interview and discussion with the new Transport
Minister with responsibility for LSTF, Baroness Susan Kramer, Cllr.
Andrew Fender, Chair of TfGMC and Mike Blackburn, Chair of Greater
Manchester LEP and BT regional director for the North West. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’d
like to know your top questions for our three interviewees. We’ll
endeavour to cover as many of them as possible – and certainly to
address all the most popular topics.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Baroness
Kramer was famed for her indefatigable pavement-pounding when she was
the Lib Dem candidate for the London mayoral election in 2000, pledging
to walk every high street in the capital city. So you might want to ask
her what options she sees from her Ministerial hot seat to boost active
travel. Or you might want to know what ideas Mike Blackburn and his
fellow LEP Chairs have got for capital investment in sustainable travel
post-2015.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Please send your questions by <b><span style="background: yellow;">12pm FRIDAY 22<sup>nd</sup> NOVEMBER</span></b> to <a href="mailto:rory.mcmullan@landor.co.uk" target="_blank">rory.mcmullan@landor.co.uk</a>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: yellow; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mark your email </span><u><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: yellow; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">‘LSTF Question Time’</span></u><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: yellow; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">.</span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="background: yellow; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-30541654652846556862013-11-18T12:36:00.000+00:002013-11-18T12:36:37.194+00:00Sustainable travel grants for business / organisations in Greater Manchester<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgRpkC07lDVJSE_xCtDezzN_6SsT_SjL1-ffUhNWV8_sKwuM_bAAavqHgA5Sj843P57MiMXM44AkZwB5Pf-YH40xalwR1CcktVCDiDm7vwY5TIQIQlclNqUX6croJGtNhOGri90wZmolq/s1600/Travel+Choices+for+Business.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgRpkC07lDVJSE_xCtDezzN_6SsT_SjL1-ffUhNWV8_sKwuM_bAAavqHgA5Sj843P57MiMXM44AkZwB5Pf-YH40xalwR1CcktVCDiDm7vwY5TIQIQlclNqUX6croJGtNhOGri90wZmolq/s400/Travel+Choices+for+Business.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Details available on the Transport for Greater Manchester website (links below):</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Travel Choices is offering grants to businesses for schemes which encourage employees to make sustainable travel choices.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whether you want to build bike storage facilities at your
premises so staff can cycle to work, put in an electric vehicle charging
point or run an event to promote sustainable travel to staff, you can
apply for up to £10,000* to make it happen.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The application process is simple, and our team of expert
travel advisors are here to help you through each step. To get the ball
rolling this is what you need to do:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Join our <a href="http://www.tfgm.com/travelchoices/Pages/business-signup.html">Business Travel Network</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tick the option for information on grants</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One of the Travel Choices team will come back to you to begin your application </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here’s what a Sustainable Travel Grant could fund for your business:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Capital schemes</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cycling/walking facilities e.g. showers, changing facilities, drying room</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pool bikes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">CCTV/improved security for cycle storage</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Electric car charging points</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Car park alterations for designated car sharing spaces</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On site modifications to improve access to walking and cycling routes</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Revenue schemes</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Internal communications promoting sustainable travel</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">A reward or incentive scheme for sustainable travellers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Events to raise awareness of sustainable travel choices amongst employees</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Public transport taster tickets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Seed funding for a shuttle bus service/ contribution towards subsidised bus route</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Corporate car club membership</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Specialist sustainable transport advice</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* Eligibility conditions apply</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For more information, visit: <a href="http://www.tfgm.com/travelchoices/Pages/business-grants.html" target="_blank">www.tfgm.com/travelchoices/Pages/business-grants.html</a> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfVHnBEWHknjTgssPlwwPSTXdqKFcRDE6U9meByk37U_KCRLktubCX_qmGJyBFM_nH4shf8_NuBnSXq-Rth5hXd23PTQ-M_tADtnKuZ_ZAmu7IBU1DEcwGeJN8uZMrh-D7cv29_-cw8iG/s1600/Travel+Choices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="85" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfVHnBEWHknjTgssPlwwPSTXdqKFcRDE6U9meByk37U_KCRLktubCX_qmGJyBFM_nH4shf8_NuBnSXq-Rth5hXd23PTQ-M_tADtnKuZ_ZAmu7IBU1DEcwGeJN8uZMrh-D7cv29_-cw8iG/s400/Travel+Choices.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-31028485925692482902013-11-12T15:14:00.001+00:002013-11-12T15:14:19.939+00:00Transport and Health - Transport Planning Society meeting (26th November 2013)<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcOfXhqhc9sA_Q6uzX7sGqUd_2YyXL2jkydmah9DWBPGYh9I5BSgVMpp4RPrztZs1M3Z4wmkHTut6B6tnQcT78Jb7lyFnE39XLXpcVWjC07BHwezQHuinHZdCEfbgx-RJsxnx2X0klGya/s1600/Transport+and+Health+-+TPS+event.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFcOfXhqhc9sA_Q6uzX7sGqUd_2YyXL2jkydmah9DWBPGYh9I5BSgVMpp4RPrztZs1M3Z4wmkHTut6B6tnQcT78Jb7lyFnE39XLXpcVWjC07BHwezQHuinHZdCEfbgx-RJsxnx2X0klGya/s400/Transport+and+Health+-+TPS+event.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Overview: The NHS in England is currently undergoing one of the
largest reorganisations since its creation. Changes cover budgetary
management, new clinical commissioning groups, greater local authority
involvement, and so on.<img alt="" class="mceWPmore mceItemNoResize" data-mce-src="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" src="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" title="More..." /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
changes raise new opportunities for the transport and health sectors to
enable achievement of mutually beneficial aims. Stronger links between
the two sectors can help us to achieve improved health of the
population, reduced levels of obesity, and a reduced resultant strain on
NHS budgets through embedding active travel into the population’s daily
lives. This event will provide an opportunity to identify the support
both health and transport professionals can call on, to assist with
development and delivery of complementary programmes now and in the
future.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Speakers: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Eleanor Roaf (Sustrans NW Regional Director)<br /> Colin Cox (Public Health Consultant, Manchester City Council)<br /> Nick Vaughan (Head of Transport Planning and Solutions – TfGM)<br /> Dan Cassell (Transport and Access Manager – GM NHS)<br /> NICE will also be represented</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The presentations will be followed by a question and answer session.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We look forward to seeing you there – members and non-members welcome.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This event is free to attend for TPS/IHT/ILT/ICE/RTPI members (please bring your membership card with you); <strong>a £5 charge will be made for non-members</strong>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">TPS require that all attendees register for the event in advance (places are limited). Please reserve your place <a href="http://www.ice.org.uk/Event?ID=2228" target="_blank">online</a> or contact cheryl.maund@ice.org.uk if you have any difficulty. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For all other event enquiries please contact Stacey.Silverman@jmp.co.uk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lunch will be provided.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When: 12pm arrival for a 12:15pm start (duration: 2 hours approx.), Tuesday 26th November.<br />Location: Red Room One, City Tower, New York St, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, M1 4BT</span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-5889834501725876102013-09-16T11:17:00.001+01:002013-09-16T11:17:51.873+01:00Plant an Idea: PARK(ing) Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtuiaeOCKRNVUAkGR-pD8ss6tBFLzrT0CB_UopICGtWIflwrhNnfta9rKNCHOm44SjsEy68Pa-4e6oxA4RUH-q3__ClASjOx-23Ct_SAiwkgrYz2gmO1Nt1CaU6TWAGe9CoYAuUN9ZO8s/s1600/Parking-Day-20th-Sept-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtuiaeOCKRNVUAkGR-pD8ss6tBFLzrT0CB_UopICGtWIflwrhNnfta9rKNCHOm44SjsEy68Pa-4e6oxA4RUH-q3__ClASjOx-23Ct_SAiwkgrYz2gmO1Nt1CaU6TWAGe9CoYAuUN9ZO8s/s400/Parking-Day-20th-Sept-2013.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Friday 20th September is International PARK(ing) Day where creative cities look to the future. Manchester Friends of the Earth is inviting people to join with citizens in cities around the world who will be transforming metered parking spaces into public parks and other social spaces, as part of international “PARK(ing) Day”.<br /><br />Once again, <a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/events/event/plant-an-idea-parking-day/" target="_blank">Manchester Friends of the Earth </a>members will be redesigning car parking spaces in Manchester city centre into picnic parks complete with “grass”, plants, deckchairs, tea, cupcakes and sparkling conversation.<br /><br />This year we’re going to be making connections with Manchester Friends of the Earth’s recent campaigning to highlight the importance of biodiversity in cities. We’ll be in the Northern Quarter again and hopefully near the famous bee hotel. We will be offering hot drinks and lovely cupcakes.<br /><br />Over the last fifty years our cities have been developed to make more and more space for the car. Supermarkets and malls, with massive car parks, have often <a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/www.sustrans.com/webfiles/liveable%20neighbourhoods/Traffic%20restraint%20and%20retail%20vitality.pdf" target="_blank">overpowered local businesses in city locations</a>. At the same time our streets have become noisy, polluted and unpleasant. These policies have high costs in terms of<a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/www.sd-commission.org.uk/data/files/publications/fairness_car_dependant.pdf" target="_blank"> air pollution, congestion and health</a>. PARK(ing) Day highlights the need to make our streets more attractive for residents and visitors, and improve the environment for businesses<br /><br />Imagine if our cities had fewer spaces for cars and more room for people. We are inviting people to help us make parking spaces more sociable, fun and colourful. Join us on the day for coffee, cake and a chat or send us a photo of how people can help make cities greener.<br /><br />PARK(ing) Day is an annual open-source global worldwide event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spots into “PARK(ing) spaces: temporary public places.<br /><br />The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!<br /><br />If you would like to help out on the day please contact: <a href="mailto:pete@manchesterfoe.org.uk">pete@manchesterfoe.org.uk</a><br /><br /><b>When</b>: Friday 20th September, 9am till 5pm<br /><b>Where</b>: Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester City Centre</span></span><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<div id="stcpDiv">
Friday
20th September is International PARK(ing) Day where creative cities
look to the future. Manchester Friends of the Earth is inviting people
to join with citizens in cities around the world who will be
transforming metered parking spaces into public parks and other social
spaces, as part of international “<em>PARK(ing) Day”.<span id="more-9809"></span></em><br />
<em></em><a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Parking-Day-20th-Sept-2013.jpg"><img alt="Park(ing) Day 20th Sept 2013" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-9811" height="353" src="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Parking-Day-20th-Sept-2013.jpg" width="250" /></a><br />
Once again, Manchester Friends of the Earth members will be
redesigning car parking spaces in Manchester city centre into picnic
parks complete with “grass”, plants, deckchairs, tea, cupcakes and
sparkling conversation.<br />
This year we’re going to be making connections with Manchester
Friends of the Earth’s recent campaigning to highlight the importance of
biodiversity in cities. We’ll be in the Northern Quarter again and
hopefully near the famous bee hotel. We will be offering hot drinks and
lovely cupcakes.<br />
<div id="stcpDiv">
Over the last fifty years our cities have been developed
to make more and more space for the car. Supermarkets and malls, with
massive car parks, have often overpowered <a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/www.sustrans.com/webfiles/liveable%20neighbourhoods/Traffic%20restraint%20and%20retail%20vitality.pdf" target="_blank">local businesses in city locations</a>. At the same time our streets have become noisy, polluted and unpleasant. These policies have high costs in terms of <a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/www.sd-commission.org.uk/data/files/publications/fairness_car_dependant.pdf" target="_blank">air pollution, congestion and health</a>.
PARK(ing) Day highlights the need to make our streets more attractive
for residents and visitors, and improve the environment for businesses</div>
<div>
<div id="stcpDiv">
Imagine if our cities had fewer spaces for cars and more
room for people. We are inviting people to help us make parking spaces
more sociable, fun and colourful. Join us on the day for coffee, cake
and a chat or send us a photo of how people can help make cities
greener.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="stcpDiv">
<a href="http://parkingday.org/" target="_blank">PARK(ing) Day</a>
is an annual open-source global worldwide event where citizens, artists
and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking
spots into “PARK(ing) spaces: temporary public places.</div>
The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for
more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public
space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban
human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!<br />
If you would like to help out on the day please contact: <a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/pete@manchesterfoe.org.uk" target="_blank">pete@manchesterfoe.org.uk </a><br />
<strong>When</strong>: Friday 20th September, 9am till 5pm<br />
<strong>Where</strong>: Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester City Centre.<br />
- See more at: http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/events/event/plant-an-idea-parking-day/#sthash.Bbdfsq4x.dpuf</div>
<div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">
<div id="stcpDiv">
Friday
20th September is International PARK(ing) Day where creative cities
look to the future. Manchester Friends of the Earth is inviting people
to join with citizens in cities around the world who will be
transforming metered parking spaces into public parks and other social
spaces, as part of international “<em>PARK(ing) Day”.<span id="more-9809"></span></em><br />
<em></em><a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Parking-Day-20th-Sept-2013.jpg"><img alt="Park(ing) Day 20th Sept 2013" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-9811" height="353" src="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Parking-Day-20th-Sept-2013.jpg" width="250" /></a><br />
Once again, Manchester Friends of the Earth members will be
redesigning car parking spaces in Manchester city centre into picnic
parks complete with “grass”, plants, deckchairs, tea, cupcakes and
sparkling conversation.<br />
This year we’re going to be making connections with Manchester
Friends of the Earth’s recent campaigning to highlight the importance of
biodiversity in cities. We’ll be in the Northern Quarter again and
hopefully near the famous bee hotel. We will be offering hot drinks and
lovely cupcakes.<br />
<div id="stcpDiv">
Over the last fifty years our cities have been developed
to make more and more space for the car. Supermarkets and malls, with
massive car parks, have often overpowered <a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/www.sustrans.com/webfiles/liveable%20neighbourhoods/Traffic%20restraint%20and%20retail%20vitality.pdf" target="_blank">local businesses in city locations</a>. At the same time our streets have become noisy, polluted and unpleasant. These policies have high costs in terms of <a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/www.sd-commission.org.uk/data/files/publications/fairness_car_dependant.pdf" target="_blank">air pollution, congestion and health</a>.
PARK(ing) Day highlights the need to make our streets more attractive
for residents and visitors, and improve the environment for businesses</div>
<div>
<div id="stcpDiv">
Imagine if our cities had fewer spaces for cars and more
room for people. We are inviting people to help us make parking spaces
more sociable, fun and colourful. Join us on the day for coffee, cake
and a chat or send us a photo of how people can help make cities
greener.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div id="stcpDiv">
<a href="http://parkingday.org/" target="_blank">PARK(ing) Day</a>
is an annual open-source global worldwide event where citizens, artists
and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking
spots into “PARK(ing) spaces: temporary public places.</div>
The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for
more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public
space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban
human habitat … at least until the meter runs out!<br />
If you would like to help out on the day please contact: <a href="http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/pete@manchesterfoe.org.uk" target="_blank">pete@manchesterfoe.org.uk </a><br />
<strong>When</strong>: Friday 20th September, 9am till 5pm<br />
<strong>Where</strong>: Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester City Centre.<br />
- See more at: http://www.manchesterfoe.org.uk/events/event/plant-an-idea-parking-day/#sthash.Bbdfsq4x.dpuf</div>
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-41285781190672427122013-08-31T13:47:00.000+01:002013-08-31T13:47:30.101+01:00Join Freedom from Torture on a Cycle ride from Chorlton to Lymm <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Cr-wrod8nLcroQRm8vjX3aB-AWISZIw6bXNkcesb6bXftbOL2YOr3BThX8OXz2IDqU0HFG1vAWhKJa3SqXY2HxwCgQTZaFnQ3fQifmZG6RYIyLZ1h9KT-2t2AqpTrbEsv0T8-Sb8XvNn/s1600/Freedom+from+Torture+-+Cycle+ride+from+Chorlton+to+Lymm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Cr-wrod8nLcroQRm8vjX3aB-AWISZIw6bXNkcesb6bXftbOL2YOr3BThX8OXz2IDqU0HFG1vAWhKJa3SqXY2HxwCgQTZaFnQ3fQifmZG6RYIyLZ1h9KT-2t2AqpTrbEsv0T8-Sb8XvNn/s400/Freedom+from+Torture+-+Cycle+ride+from+Chorlton+to+Lymm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Join us on this <b>scenic</b>, 95% <b>traffic-free</b>
ride to support </span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Freedom from Torture, <b>dedicated to working with torture survivors</b> to help them to re-build their lives.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Find out more details <a href="http://bit.ly/lymmride2013">here</a>. </span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.64cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b>Starting
Point </b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">-
Chorlton Water Park, 10.30am</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.64cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b>End
Point </b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">–
Jackson’s Boat, 3.30pm</span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b>Distance
</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">-
27.28 miles roundtrip (out and back)</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b>Qualified
Bike Leaders </b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">will
lead the ride</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><b>Surfaces
</b></span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">-
Gravel, dirt, shale and tarmac</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Not
recommended for narrow tyres. Hybrid bikes ideal.</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Contact: Alice Nicolay, Tel: 0161 236
5744, <a href="mailto:anicolay@freedomfromtorture.org">anicolay@freedomfromtorture.org</a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-61395458896309049882013-08-22T10:19:00.001+01:002013-08-22T10:19:26.426+01:00Greater Manchester Road Safety Summit (17th September 2013)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_oIhul_NvREl1R44Ns_YybUxGAhgnbyNPv7cEWoM9hLWPIXUcWrye-bO36T_raEP9Ay7L9JJMhqEKfsay6ty7wOEyXfGbz4ARwHge_hg4XGitfPptV45RHFSsRpa92kKMC7SXdDCF5-Go/s400/Drive+for+Momentum.jpg" width="343" /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Dr
Jon Lamonte, Chief Executive of Transport for Greater Manchester,
personally invites you to the first Greater Manchester Road Safety
Summit - <a href="http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/Pages/Road-Safety-Summit-Email.html">Drive for Momentum</a>.</strong></span>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
summit will provide key decision makers with information about
initiatives and progress to date; an overview of future opportunities;
and hold a workshop on a future local road safety strategy.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Your
influence will be vital in shaping the future direction of road safety
and casualty reduction interventions in Greater Manchester.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #662d91;">The programme will include:</span></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">National policy, local progress and initiatives</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Future measures</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Partnership working and overcoming funding challenges</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Protecting Vulnerable Road Users (Pedestrians, Cyclists, Motorcyclists and Young Drivers)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The role of the emergency services</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">GM Road Safety Strategy Workshop</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Mini-exhibition</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Register via roadsafety@tfgm.com or phone 0161 244 1721</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(PS. Perhaps someone would like to suggest a better title than "Drive for Momentum")</span><br />
<br />
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-9742116570491692852013-08-22T10:06:00.003+01:002013-08-22T10:06:50.397+01:00Simply Cycling: Job Opportunity - Cycle Club Coach/Assistant <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuaDzNxjX0CYUJIx4ySLC39xC24YOlltTDLXPuRi0bx3kh6YGb6zxEugSr92CkdsH7dEp42FBgUXPjULwJaQtwYj5A6yO4uuMg7u92SNIntSxwZ8LsaJGjh5kFUjghHAutbXukH8GdXaz/s1600/Simply+Cycling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuuaDzNxjX0CYUJIx4ySLC39xC24YOlltTDLXPuRi0bx3kh6YGb6zxEugSr92CkdsH7dEp42FBgUXPjULwJaQtwYj5A6yO4uuMg7u92SNIntSxwZ8LsaJGjh5kFUjghHAutbXukH8GdXaz/s400/Simply+Cycling.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong><span lang="EN-US">Simply Cycling: Cycle Club Coach/Assistant – Job Description</span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">*Minimum 24 hours per week</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">*Could be split into two posts: a) minimum 9 hours weekend and one
evening, b)15 hours minimum weekday hours (and occasional weekend cover)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To assist/lead club sessions which are open to the public in both
Wythenshawe and Longford Parks as well as public venues such as schools,
colleges, local parks, trails and youth clubs. This will involve:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Dealing directly with children, vulnerable adults and their
parents, carers and siblings as well as members of the general public.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Assisting with the setting up and clearing up involved in each session.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Assisting in the safe delivery of sessions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Proactive involvement in all the activities of the club (see
website for information on the activities we are currently involved in)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Recording, Monitoring and evaluation of attendance and participation figures and feedback.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Involvement in forward planning of further activities to extend the impact of the club within our local communities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Some administrative involvement such as publicity flyers, press
releases, website/twitter/facebook updates, filing reports, accounts
etc. depending on skills and abilities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Commitment to relevant training</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Commitment to providing all activities to a high standard and with
due diligence and regard for Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities and
with attention to our very positive ‘can do’ approach.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>The Person appointed will</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Be interested in Cycling</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Be able to drive</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Be capable of the physical demands involved in the moving and storing of our fleet of bikes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Be available for some weekend work and occasional evening activities, as well as weekday times</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Have some understanding/experience of, or commitment to develop, working with people of all abilities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Have a degree of flexibility in working arrangements including supporting some of our two day cycling holidays</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Undertake an enhanced CRB (DBS) Disclosure</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Be aware that most of our work is undertaken outdoors and all year round.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Be able to provide two references, one being from the most recent employer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">- Be aware that this is a 20 month fixed term contract.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div _mce_style="margin-left: 24px;" style="margin-left: 24px;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
application process is by letter referencing your interest and
suitability for the post and stating the hours you are interested in as
well as the names and contact information of your two referees. An
attached CV would be advantageous. Please send to: <strong>Simply Cycling, 37 Cherington Close, Manchester M23 0FE or by e.mail to: </strong><a _mce_href="mailto:Sueblaylock2708@aol.com" href="mailto:Sueblaylock2708@aol.com"><strong>Sueblaylock2708@aol.com</strong></a><strong> </strong>before 31<sup>st</sup> August 2013
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-50887811592238674692013-08-15T11:18:00.000+01:002013-08-15T11:18:38.164+01:00Amsterdam Rewards Safe Car Drivers With Money For The Neighborhood<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Courtesy of the <a href="http://popupcity.net/urbanism/amsterdam-rewards-safe-car-drivers-with-money-for-the-neighborhood/">Pop-up City website</a> comes this lovely idea to encourage drivers to drive below the 30kmh (20mph) speed limit...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2haBu4HhxnTAbjLdqhqQsmRO7Y4OYAsWz-0BvPvrh3pCfvVbJvWupQ6fBHJ2uXH0c6FimeVzxJ6EUC5OqbG-3ubXJlVOqjnb4BSeaUCY45MTfceIOxq7_Z1BdUff_EtQd39AYB3SxnT3/s1600/Speedometer-Spaarndammerstraat-Amsterdam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2haBu4HhxnTAbjLdqhqQsmRO7Y4OYAsWz-0BvPvrh3pCfvVbJvWupQ6fBHJ2uXH0c6FimeVzxJ6EUC5OqbG-3ubXJlVOqjnb4BSeaUCY45MTfceIOxq7_Z1BdUff_EtQd39AYB3SxnT3/s400/Speedometer-Spaarndammerstraat-Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"Spotted in <a href="http://www.at5.nl/artikelen/107189/zachtrijder-krijgt-beloning-in-spaarndammerstraat" target="_blank">Spaarndammerstraat</a>
in Amsterdam: A speedometer that indicates your speed and additionally
gives you a money counter. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What’s the deal? Each car that passes and
stays below the speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour raises €0,03 for
the neighborhood.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The money is paid out by the city of Amsterdam and is meant to be
used in local community projects. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The city’s slogan: “Max 30 — Save for
the Neighborhood”. An interesting take on conditioning local residents
to bring forth good citizenship instead of punishing car drivers for
breaking minor traffic laws when being slightly over the speed limit."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now wouldn't that be nice in Manchester......</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-72822151354182615622013-08-13T10:21:00.003+01:002013-08-13T10:36:21.217+01:00When the going gets tough, the tough go...on holiday?<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It seems to have been a bad August so far for the Metrolink service - leading to a <a href="http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_centre/Pages/News.aspx?articleId=290">public apology</a> from Peter Cushing, the new Metrolink Director and a furious<a href="http://openlettertometrolink.blogspot.co.uk/"> response</a> from the NewsManc editor.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">See below for some of the headline stories:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1st August</b>: <a href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/ashes-fans-fury-after-bury-5429660">Ashes fans fury after Bury Metrolink trams suspended due to overhead cable fault.</a> No trams are running between Bury and Manchester city centre
- after a cable was seen dangling low above the track at Crumpsall
station.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1st August</b>:<a href="http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/81778/pensioner-killed-in-metrolink-accident-on-rochdalemanchester-line"> </a><a href="http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/81778/pensioner-killed-in-metrolink-accident-on-rochdalemanchester-line">Pensioner killed in Metrolink accident on Rochdale-Manchester line</a>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_centre/Pages/News.aspx?articleId=290"></a></span></span></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>3rd August</b>: <a href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/metrolink-tram-derails-blocking-line-5582994">Metrolink tram derails blocking the line to Bury from Manchester Victoria</a>.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The tram with no passengers on was on its way into the
Queens Road depot when it derailed near Woodlands Road and Victoria
Station on Saturday afternoon.</span></span></div>
<div class="lead-text">
</div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>5th August</b>: <a href="http://www.tfgm.com/Corporate/media_centre/Pages/News.aspx?articleId=290">An apology from Metrolink director, Peter Cushing.</a></span></span></div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>7th August</b>: <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/manchesters-metrolink-tram-service-slammed-2136778">Manchester's Metrolink tram service slammed in open letter after derailment leads to Ashes travel chaos.</a></span></span></div>
<div class="">
<br /></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>13th August</b>: <a href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/triple-whammy-put-wythenshawe-residents-5712677">‘Triple whammy’ has put Wythenshawe residents on the road to chaos</a> </span></span></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As acknowledged by Peter Cushing, </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"It has been an incredibly challenging period and, at times, we failed to rise to that challenge."</span></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This coming Friday (16th August) should have seen a <a href="http://www.transportforgreatermanchestercommittee.gov.uk/tfgmc/info/314/2013_2014/139/transport_for_greater_manchester_committee_2013_14">Transport for Greater Manchester Committee meeting</a> where perhaps the latest travails of Metrolink (and other Greater Manchester public transport services) could have been considered and strategies to improve services discussed.</span></span></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_UwscvPiTE8PS5qzKLUvs-myu14xPD4XKXF3iMT1_iXyMcCUZq4hdGAFa_U91r1WWaV9hyQO2esBfsXlLs7sBzrWptErZzNGgfOboElCOzoHxU3o8RdD2L61XJs0jMT4urFlaESZOyb6/s1600/TfGM+Committee+cancelled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_UwscvPiTE8PS5qzKLUvs-myu14xPD4XKXF3iMT1_iXyMcCUZq4hdGAFa_U91r1WWaV9hyQO2esBfsXlLs7sBzrWptErZzNGgfOboElCOzoHxU3o8RdD2L61XJs0jMT4urFlaESZOyb6/s640/TfGM+Committee+cancelled.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh well, they will have to wait till September....</span></span></div>
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-19008199000012390722013-07-09T12:22:00.001+01:002013-08-13T10:23:29.299+01:00A 'cycling Tsar' for Greater Manchester? Not quite yet... but it's a start!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHxCIb87QLMHkUsaFnMWCskpmvJPDqRt026orikFcODZStzcwDO7LrHGSK_QOtQ3zlF8SABxbRW7vmDaNp1Ls8enQZwxjV0CZCrtJMS1bZUyTeoJci-9-tk8iXDCniFMhpt_6SSM0E9Yr/s1600/TfGM+Committee+-+Cycling+Champion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHxCIb87QLMHkUsaFnMWCskpmvJPDqRt026orikFcODZStzcwDO7LrHGSK_QOtQ3zlF8SABxbRW7vmDaNp1Ls8enQZwxjV0CZCrtJMS1bZUyTeoJci-9-tk8iXDCniFMhpt_6SSM0E9Yr/s320/TfGM+Committee+-+Cycling+Champion.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In a fairly sparse agenda, one interesting item has popped up for discussion at the Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) Committee meeting (Friday 12th July). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The 33 committee members (assuming that all the Councillors turn up) will be deciding who to appoint from their midst to take on the responsibilities of becoming the very first TfGMC Cycling Champion.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to the <a href="http://www.transportforgreatermanchestercommittee.gov.uk/tfgmc/downloads/file/4639/item_07_tfgmc_cycling_champion"> Report for Resolution</a> the TfGMC Cycling Champion will undertake to:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />2.1 To assist the Committee in undertaking its responsibilities in relation to Active Travel, the TfGMC member nominated by the Committee to serve as Cycling Champion will undertake:</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To work to promote the long-term aim, as set out in LTP 3, to make cycling a genuine, attractive choice for journeys to work, for leisure and for fitness, and to oversee an increase the number of people cycling to work and education;</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To ensure the Committee consider cycling as a key mode within an overall, integrated transport system; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To promote the Committee’s Active Travel Policy Priority in relation to cycling to key partners including, for example, district and public health authorities, transport operators, the business community and the voluntary and community sector, and;</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To act as the Committee’s key contact in relation to the further development of cycling policy and GM-wide cycling initiatives and measures.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We wait with hushed expectancy to see which of the TfGM committee members will be stepping up to the plate. You can check out the likely (or unlikely) candidates <a href="http://www.transportforgreatermanchestercommittee.gov.uk/tfgmc/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=1&documentID=33">here</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It will be interesting to see what progress the newly appointed Cycling Champion will make with their Committee colleagues on cycling related issues, given that they </span>have been more used to discussing the finer points of bus, tram and train provision.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyone expecting Greater Manchester to follow in London's footsteps (or wheel tracks) and create a funded cycling advocacy post may be dissapointed. Andrew Gilligan, London's recently appointed 'Cycling Tsar' is <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/meet-andrew-gilligan-boriss-cycling-czar-we-want-people-cycling-slowly-without-helmets-or-highvis-minihollands-in-the-suburbs-and-quietways-in-the-city-8524050.html">reported</a> to be paid £38,000 for the two-days a week post, whilst the TfGM Cycling Champion position "will not attract a Special Responsibility Allowance." [2.2]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Update</span></b></u><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The TfGM Committee agreed to select Councillor Chris Paul (Withington) as the TfGMC Cycling Champion. Details of how to contact Chris Paul are available on the Manchester City Council <a href="http://www.manchester.gov.uk/councillors/250/">website</a>.</span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-17038368094343861592013-05-17T16:24:00.002+01:002013-05-17T16:24:31.238+01:00United Kingdom a little short sighted on drivers eyesight !<div data-canvas-width="462.41601378107055" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 238.627px; top: 692.413px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.906698, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How many times have you heard the refrain "sorry mate, I didn't see you" (<a href="http://www.stop-smidsy.org.uk/">See Stop SMIDSY</a>) from a driver who has just performed a manouvre which has caused inconvenience, concern or white<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>knuckle braking and avoidance tactics when you have been out cycling.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oftentimes we think it is down to lack of awareness of how much space to give to people who are cycling, poor concentration or sometimes irresponsible or aggressive drivers.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, it may literally be that UK drivers' eyesight is so poor that they are a hazard to any other road users. A 2011 report on <a href="http://www.ecoo.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ReportonDriverVisionScreeninginEurope.pdf">Driver Vision </a><a href="http://www.ecoo.info/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ReportonDriverVisionScreeninginEurope.pdf">Screening in Europe</a> highlights how the eyesight testing regime for drivers in the United Kingdom is substandard when compared to most of the other EU and non-EU countries in Europe.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div data-canvas-width="415.520012383461" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 96.032px; top: 804.733px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.917263, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whilst, some people will argue that an association of optometrists, opticians, contact lenses and glasses
manufacturers (*) has a vested interest in promoting eye tests, the report highlights how poor the United Kingdom is in terms of testing eyesight both before and after a driving license is issued when compared to most other European countries. In some cases, it would appear that the UK is not meeting the requirements cntained in the EC directives.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The EC Directives on Driving Licences should be implemented in all the EU Member States. The goal is to harmonise the underlying standards and systems of driver licensing across the EU. The 2006 Directive set a deadline of January 2011 for Member States to report their plan for implementation to the European Commission. The 2009 Directive updated the minimum visual requirements that drivers should meet in order to drive safely, and set a deadline of August 2010 for implementation. The test categories hi<span style="font-size: small;">ghlighted <span style="font-size: small;">in the report </span></span>included:</span></span><br />
<br />
<div data-canvas-width="3.326720099143982" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 396.893px; top: 46.4px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.83168, 1);">
</div>
<div data-canvas-width="3.326720099143982" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 400.573px; top: 1006.85px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.83168, 1);">
</div>
<div data-canvas-width="3.326720099143982" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 96.032px; top: 1040.77px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.83168, 1);">
</div>
<div data-canvas-width="234.03744697485925" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 96.032px; top: 94.8801px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(1.00878, 1);">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Initial Eyesight Assessment</span></span></b></div>
<div data-canvas-width="4.118400122737884" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 330.147px; top: 94.8801px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.82368, 1);">
</div>
<div data-canvas-width="161.39200480985642" data-font-name="g_font_p0_10" dir="ltr" style="left: 274.787px; top: 187.707px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.996247, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Directive 2009/113/EC specifies that Group 1 applicants for a first driving licence should have an ‘appropriate investigation of vision to ensure they have adequate visual acuity for driving’ and ‘where there is reason to doubt an applicant’s vision is adequate, he or she will be examined by a competent medical authority’. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszAvyRnhsh04wjBh0evIxW9e7Ny5oDJlKlij26Ws-gwTR1Hw9qmGZ_d9VyAG5ZjwAEke73fCo3hSG_qQQJ9aY3sMB-ay3AxFLOSu77ai8Z2SwfdHA0APv_IruIZA1THDkrqbC6_aCb8D-/s1600/Initial+Eyesight+Assessment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszAvyRnhsh04wjBh0evIxW9e7Ny5oDJlKlij26Ws-gwTR1Hw9qmGZ_d9VyAG5ZjwAEke73fCo3hSG_qQQJ9aY3sMB-ay3AxFLOSu77ai8Z2SwfdHA0APv_IruIZA1THDkrqbC6_aCb8D-/s400/Initial+Eyesight+Assessment.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div data-canvas-width="53.088001582145694" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 603.973px; top: 288.987px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(1.04094, 1);">
Initial Eyesight Assessment for Group 1</div>
<div data-canvas-width="3.520000104904175" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 657.093px; top: 288.987px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.88, 1);">
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Five European countries rely on the Licence Plate Test as their sole assessment of vision. ECOO,EUROM and EUROMCONTACT believe this practice is unacceptable as the Licence Plate Test is not performed under controlled conditions, and the results are not directly comparable with the underlying European standards which specify an assessment of visual acuity.</span></span></div>
<div data-canvas-width="3.616000107765198" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 179.707px; top: 324.027px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.904, 1);">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div data-canvas-width="403.02289201101763" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 96.032px; top: 359.587px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(1.00006, 1);">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Who Performs the Initial Eyesight Assessment?</span></span></b></div>
<div data-canvas-width="4.118400122737884" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 499.133px; top: 359.587px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.82368, 1);">
</div>
<div data-canvas-width="195.10400581455227" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 96.032px; top: 407.427px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(1.00053, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The EC Directive states that the assessment of visual acuity (Group 1)should be performed by a competent authority. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzn8HnrxIB9j_RnnYaMdLnY2bMeHlyacSJT3D0EnARyvC2im_pRgrEjgCl19M-LneKK9ImJqN0xIR4innQze8TzI3SpuP9GuhFLyZ1UCjc1VeUX5qptTyFtcpjxKlxytLTbcW1kDG_1D2I/s1600/Who+Performs+the+Initial+Eyesight+Assessment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzn8HnrxIB9j_RnnYaMdLnY2bMeHlyacSJT3D0EnARyvC2im_pRgrEjgCl19M-LneKK9ImJqN0xIR4innQze8TzI3SpuP9GuhFLyZ1UCjc1VeUX5qptTyFtcpjxKlxytLTbcW1kDG_1D2I/s400/Who+Performs+the+Initial+Eyesight+Assessment.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div data-canvas-width="337.8560100688934" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 158.747px; top: 501.347px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(1.06244, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Who Performs the Initial Eyesight Assessment (Group 1)</span></span></div>
<div data-canvas-width="3.520000104904175" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 496.893px; top: 501.347px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.88, 1);">
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">F</span>ive countries reported that the assessment of vision is performed by a driving test centre employee, who performs the Licence Plate Test.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div data-canvas-width="36.728641094598764" data-font-name="g_font_p0_2" dir="ltr" style="left: 305.347px; top: 301.467px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.94176, 1);">
<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reassessment of Drivers’ Vision</span></span></b></div>
<div data-canvas-width="3.616000107765198" data-font-name="g_font_p0_2" dir="ltr" style="left: 341.987px; top: 304.187px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.904, 1);">
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Vision regularly changes with age. Many drivers do not notice a gradual change in their visual status and can therefore be unaware that they fall below the required standard. The erport highlights concerns that there is no requirement in the EC Directives for ongoing assessment of Group 1 drivers' vision on renewal. This is in contrast with Group 2 licence holders who require an assessment to be performed every five years when renewing their licence. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">But the distinction between Group 1 and Group 2 drivers has blurred in the modern economy. Couriers, taxi drivers, and many sales people all effectively drive for a living, and there has been a significant rise in long-distance commuting. These are all classified as Group 1 drivers, yet many spend at least as much time driving as those classified as Group 2 (or traditionally vocational drivers), and should therefore be subject to similar assessments of vision. A majority of Member States already require a further assessment of vision by a competent professional.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY1fISXaB_uECMZbCyqp6DLyhb-7ZFEVn4AJaFz3xHUq_2HQwRm0kJr_emTPvT4qKiQCT8U6xJvwJNz-7MS5Dv8icjQbAHfQb_BN4Y9HGT4GWFKNU8BWLz8-jOL8zz-njjEVmymNxFJV-/s1600/Reassessments+of+Vision+Later+in+Driving+Career.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJY1fISXaB_uECMZbCyqp6DLyhb-7ZFEVn4AJaFz3xHUq_2HQwRm0kJr_emTPvT4qKiQCT8U6xJvwJNz-7MS5Dv8icjQbAHfQb_BN4Y9HGT4GWFKNU8BWLz8-jOL8zz-njjEVmymNxFJV-/s640/Reassessments+of+Vision+Later+in+Driving+Career.jpg" width="404" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div data-canvas-width="263.328" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 119.06px; top: 71.28px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.978914, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Reassessments of Vision Later in Driving Career</span></span></div>
<div data-canvas-width="2.64" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 382.51px; top: 71.28px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.88, 1);">
</div>
<div data-canvas-width="29.003999999999998" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 437.02px; top: 71.28px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(1.11554, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(Group 1)</span></span></div>
<div data-canvas-width="2.64" data-font-name="g_font_p0_5" dir="ltr" style="left: 466.06px; top: 71.28px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.88, 1);">
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">However, there is no requirement for a further assessment of vision for Group 1in Austria, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK. In the UK drivers are expected to self-assess that their vision meets the standards, and to state that they meet the standards at three-year intervals from the age of 70.</span></span><br />
<div data-canvas-width="8.352" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 136.1px; top: 432.05px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.928, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It is not very encouraging that the United Kingdom is in the bottom league in each of the eyesight test tables. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps i<span style="font-size: small;">t is time that the Department for Transpo<span style="font-size: small;">rt had their eyes tested so that they can read the small print </span></span>of the EC Directives and <span style="font-size: small;">introduce policies to <span style="font-size: small;">make sure <span style="font-size: small;">British drivers <span style="font-size: small;">can actually see where they are going<span style="font-size: small;">!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br /><div data-canvas-width="604.7520180230141" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 96.032px; top: 930.373px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.905317, 1);">
</div>
<div data-canvas-width="604.7520180230141" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 96.032px; top: 930.373px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.905317, 1);">
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(*) The European Council of Optometry and Optics (ECOO) represents the 75,000 optometrists, opticians and optical retail outlets.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
<div data-canvas-width="604.7520180230141" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 96.032px; top: 930.373px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.905317, 1);">
<div data-canvas-width="320.1440095410347" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 372.253px; top: 117.627px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.947172, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">EUROM I represents the national associations of manufacturers of corrective lenses, frames, and instruments for opticians (700 companies).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div data-canvas-width="7.3600002193450935" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 697.92px; top: 117.627px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.92, 1);">
</div>
<div data-canvas-width="604.8480180258751" data-font-name="g_font_p0_1" dir="ltr" style="left: 96.032px; top: 140.187px; transform-origin: 0% 0% 0px; transform: scale(0.952517, 1);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">EUROMCONTACT represents the national associations and the international manufacturers </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">of contact lenses and contact lens care products. </span></span></div>
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-30846830236092411992013-05-08T21:02:00.001+01:002013-05-08T21:02:51.591+01:00The Ticket to Kyoto Annual Conference - Mobilising to reduce CO2 emissions in public transport <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqIdBmWUCT-PvAqKB8lhjbqeI7t6ry7NvbsoYP_z5EfNMshtRTCALXdIcXNmhmwke7LmgBgVg3JBXn2DxteyRFPbCJA4XzjVmgYtWXMhcgHDf6XecG_lq7SJVhkHFk0Ypy8bNrVBUMJtK/s1600/Ticket+to+Kyoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqIdBmWUCT-PvAqKB8lhjbqeI7t6ry7NvbsoYP_z5EfNMshtRTCALXdIcXNmhmwke7LmgBgVg3JBXn2DxteyRFPbCJA4XzjVmgYtWXMhcgHDf6XecG_lq7SJVhkHFk0Ypy8bNrVBUMJtK/s400/Ticket+to+Kyoto.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Ticket to Kyoto project is working towards its paramount destination: reducing CO2 emissions in European public transport.<br /><br />On behalf of all T2K partners, TfGM will be hosting the 2013 Annual Conference in Manchester which will include a speech by Professor Colin Hughes, Associate Vice President for Sustainability at the University of Manchester. There will also be presentations from partners, interactive workshops, and group discussions. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Conference will highlight where we're up to and you can help shape sustainable transport in the future. </span><br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 600px;"><tbody>
<tr><td width="40"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" />
</td>
<td style="color: #96be0f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;" width="520">
<a href="http://mailman.prophethost.be/t/r-l-odkdua-jddduhhuty-j/" style="color: #96be0f; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Programme</a>
</td>
<td width="40">
<img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" />
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
<td height="20" width="520"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
<td width="40"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="40">
<img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" />
</td>
<td width="520">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eaeaea" height="30" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="140">09.30 - 10.00</td>
<td bgcolor="#eaeaea" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="380"><a href="http://mailman.prophethost.be/t/r-l-odkdua-jddduhhuty-t/" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Welcome and introductions</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="5" width="140"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
<td width="380"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="30" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="140">10.00 - 10.45</td>
<td style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="380">
<a href="http://mailman.prophethost.be/t/r-l-odkdua-jddduhhuty-i/" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Professor Colin Hughes, Associate Vice President for Sustainability</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="5" width="140"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
<td width="380"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eaeaea" height="30" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="140">10.45 - 11.00</td>
<td bgcolor="#eaeaea" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="380"><a href="http://mailman.prophethost.be/t/r-l-odkdua-jddduhhuty-d/" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Coffee & tea break</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="5" width="140"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
<td width="380"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="30" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="140">11.00 - 13.00</td>
<td style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="380">
<a href="http://mailman.prophethost.be/t/r-l-odkdua-jddduhhuty-h/" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Ticket to Kyoto project, on the path to develop and deliver a Carbon Strategy</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="5" width="140"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
<td width="380"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eaeaea" height="30" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="140">13.00 - 14.00</td>
<td bgcolor="#eaeaea" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="380"><a href="http://mailman.prophethost.be/t/r-l-odkdua-jddduhhuty-k/" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Lunch and Networking</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="5" width="140"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
<td width="380"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="30" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="140">14.00 - 17.00</td>
<td style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="380">Workshops.<br />
<a href="http://mailman.prophethost.be/t/r-l-odkdua-jddduhhuty-u/" style="color: #96be0f; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Discover the workshops</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td height="5" width="140"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
<td width="380"><img alt="" height="1" src="http://i5.cmail1.com/ei/r/E1/3FA/848/194932/img/img/spacer.gif" style="display: block;" width="1" /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eaeaea" height="30" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="140">17.00 - 18.00 </td>
<td bgcolor="#eaeaea" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" width="380">
<a href="http://mailman.prophethost.be/t/r-l-odkdua-jddduhhuty-o/" style="color: #666666; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Networking</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tickettokyoto.eu/en/invitation-manchester/register?utm_source=invitation&utm_medium=email&utm_term=english&utm_content=register&utm_campaign=Manchester"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Register here.</span></span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>When</b>: Thursday June 20th from 9am till 5pm<br /><b>Where</b>: Manchester Conference Centre, Weston Building, Sackville St, Manchester M1 3BB</span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Workshop 1 | Energy Production and Energy Efficiency</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How should the transport sector manage energy? What
opportunities are there for energy production and energy efficiency?
Join the discussion on this topic. We’ll talk about the most effective
measures for energy production and energy efficiency, but also about
funding opportunities, maximizing the return on investment and obtaining
institutional support.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Facilitator: Kevin Leather, Regional Manager - North of England, Mott MacDonald</span><br />
<br />
<div class="description">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Workshop 2 | Collaborating to Achieve Carbon Reduction</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How can transport organisations work together across
different geographical areas and themes to reduce carbon? How can we
develop delivery models that include multiple organisations and
stakeholders? We will use the Greater Manchester Low Carbon Hub as an
example. Come and learn how to deliver carbon reductions across
different geographical areas and environmental themes, and how we have
developed links with government departments.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Facilitator: Mark Atherton, Director General, Environment, Greater Manchester Low Carbon Hub</span><br />
<br />
<div class="description">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Workshop 3 | Reducing Carbon by Encouraging More Sustainable Transport Choices</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Learn how to encourage populations to switch to
walking, cycling and public transport to reduce carbon footprint and
improve health. This discussion will tackle several related topics such
as increasing the appeal of public transport and how to translate
environmental awareness into behaviour change.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Facilitator: Lee Parker, Director, Parose Projects, London</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="description">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Workshop 4 | Achieving Economic Benefits through more Sustainable Public Transport</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How can we identify the overall economic benefits of a
better and more sustainable transport system? We’ll discuss job
creation and training, housing accessibility and proximity to employment
and how we can engage the private sector and stimulate inward
investment.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Facilitator: Simon Warburton, Head of Policy and Research, TfGM</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-43265810383333115502013-05-07T22:15:00.000+01:002013-05-07T22:15:41.275+01:00Public service announcement #6: Carlton Reid calling all bicycle shops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeaj4civb3SWmhncsUg7re4Iz40GGd_iKCS86VRl-EszBT0OtgRvu1udFWivsKH08iLliZdUV-tIDpTJTO0A4x18RctbZfVpK8uOoZH2S2ndcm5YLUJps_Xe1zc3-usi3ohfPBG34Mdw9/s1600/Roads+for+Prosperity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeaj4civb3SWmhncsUg7re4Iz40GGd_iKCS86VRl-EszBT0OtgRvu1udFWivsKH08iLliZdUV-tIDpTJTO0A4x18RctbZfVpK8uOoZH2S2ndcm5YLUJps_Xe1zc3-usi3ohfPBG34Mdw9/s320/Roads+for+Prosperity.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">An interesting <a href="http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/what-s-more-important-to-your-shop-cars-or-bicycles/014774">blog</a> from Carlton Reid in BikeBiz is asking bike shops their on store car parking. "A necessary evil? A vital business tool? Or surplus to requirements?"</span><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The blog recounts his experience at a recent roundtable discussion in Birmingham, organised by the Surveyor magazine, with a of integrated transport experts.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Carlton Reid comments that "reducing road space for cars, and increasing it for pedestrians and
cyclists, could create more cyclists (and more pedestrians) yet bike
shops are not shouting for this from the rooftops. And I don't tend to
hear about bike shops calling for a reduction in car parking spaces. I
can imagine Rutland Cycling would not be in favour of reduced car
parking but city centre bike shops don't seem to be in favour of it
either. Most (correct me if I'm wrong) want to have ample parking
outside their shops because it's believed customers, in the main, arrive
by car."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">He asks the question: "But how many bike shops have conducted travel surveys to find out how
customers actually get to their stores? Customers who arrive by car are
noticeable, cars are big. Customers who arrive on foot or by bike are
less visually arresting. I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on
store car parking and how vital it is to your business. I'd also like to
hear from you if you've, say, partnered with your local authority to
get rid of a parking space and replaced it with a bike parking stand."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Will be fascinating to hear from Greater Manchester bike stores. You can leave your comments on the <a href="http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/what-s-more-important-to-your-shop-cars-or-bicycles/014774">BikeBiz article</a> or <a href="http://www.twitter.com/carltonreid" target="_blank">@ me on Twitter</a> and add <a href="http://www.twitter.com/bikebizonline" target="_blank">@bikebizonline</a> to the conversation. </span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-35782684725633485232013-05-07T20:55:00.001+01:002013-05-07T20:55:34.340+01:00And the winners are..... Top 20 Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities (Copenhagenize Index 2013)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43Ebg6VRs17ZHSrElVe5SxSWvpXMDj44oEJgtDTMfD9hxPKhhVpG5YLmlAC-zA5sE-XvEGDIsFlY5R-65RckEF4M4cGW5PudfN7DFO6gvHFE1_ifvwGwH78c4EjAVZax2dt-A-g2ryPQw/s1600/The+Copenhagenize+Index+2013++Bicycle+Friendly+cities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg43Ebg6VRs17ZHSrElVe5SxSWvpXMDj44oEJgtDTMfD9hxPKhhVpG5YLmlAC-zA5sE-XvEGDIsFlY5R-65RckEF4M4cGW5PudfN7DFO6gvHFE1_ifvwGwH78c4EjAVZax2dt-A-g2ryPQw/s400/The+Copenhagenize+Index+2013++Bicycle+Friendly+cities.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Copenhagenize Design Co (*) has released the <a href="http://copenhagenize.eu/index/2013/Press_Release_Copenhagenize_Index_2013.pdf">2013 Copenhagenize Index</a> - the Top 20 most bicycle-friendly cities.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Index has been compiled by researching 150 cities around the world and awarding 0 to 4 points across 13 categories, including facilities (e.g. bike racks), infrastructure, sharing schemes, the balance of male to female cyclists, and increase in "modal share" since 2006. It then gives bonus points for "particularly impressive efforts or results," and converts the results to give a score out of 100. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Top 20 Most Bicycle-Friendly Cities Index for 2013 (with their 2011 ranking in brackets) are listed below:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />1. Amsterdam (1)<br />2. Copenhagen (2)<br />3. Utrecht (new)<br />4. Seville (new)<br />4. Bordeaux (new)<br />5. Nantes (new)<br />5. Antwerp (new)<br />6. Eindhoven (new)<br />7. Malmö (new)<br />8. Berlin (5)<br />9. Dublin (9)<br />10. Tokyo (4)<br />11. Munich (6)<br />11. Montreal (8)<br />11. Nagoya (new)<br />12. Rio de Janeiro<br />13. Barcelona (3)<br />13. Budapest (10)<br />13. Paris (7)<br />14. Hamburg (13)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Not a single British city is placed in the Top 20. I wonder what ranking Manchester would have. </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Using the point system below, what score would you give Manchester? Answers on a postcard or comment on this blog....</b> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Cities were given between 0 and 4 points in 13 different index categories, with a potential for 12 bonus points awarded for particularly impressive efforts or results. In short, a maximum of 64 points could be awarded. The final score is then altered to be out of 100. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The 13 Parameters that each city is ranked by are:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />Advocacy</b>: How is the city’s (or region/country) advocacy NGO regarded and what level of<br />influence does it have?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><b>Bicycle Culture</b>: Has the bicycle reestablished itself as transport among regular citizens or only sub-cultures?<br /><b>Bicycle Facilities</b>: Are there readily accessible bike racks, ramps on stairs, space allocated on trains and buses and well-designed wayfinding, etc?<br /><b>Bicycle Infrastructure</b>: How does the city’s bicycle infrastructure rate?<br /><b>Bike Share Programme</b>: Does the city have a comprehensive and well-used bike-sharing programme?<br /><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Gender Split</b>: What percentage of the city’s cyclists are male and female?<br /><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Modal Share For Bicycles</b>: What percentage of modal share is made up by cyclists?<br />Modal Share Increase Since 2006: What has the increase in modal share been since 2006 - the year that urban cycling started to kick off?<br /><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Perception of Safety</b>: Is the perception of safety of the cyclists in the city, reflected in helmet-wearing rates, positive or are cyclists riding scared due to helmet promotion and scare campaigns?<br /><b>Politics</b>: What is the political climate regarding urban cycling?<br /><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Social Acceptance</b>: How do drivers and the community at large regard urban cyclists?<br /><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Urban Planning</b>: How much emphasis do the city’s planners place on bicycle infrastructure - and are they well-informed about international best practice?<br /><b> </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Traffic Calming</b>: What efforts have been made to lower speed limits in and generally calm traffic in order to provide greater safety to pedestrians and cyclists?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* Copenhagenize Design Co. is an urban planning consultancy specialising in bicycle planning, infrastructure and communications. We consider the bicycle to be the most effective tool in our urban toolbox for rebuilding our liveable cities for the new century.</span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></h2>
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-62165692353403210552013-05-02T09:54:00.003+01:002013-05-02T11:30:27.096+01:00Competition time.... what is the best noun for a multiplicity of potholes?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHge05AEuPpQ9GdyuIav4iIyy6e2Lo-iOrBPBkzuN0_8_C7I_C3kc3vJ6WF93jRpV-W_Osoxlnz5k5DLQ6hLVoTLhzd3Px6mvc_1va5MuZ_SKpQHBPuQk8NvlBkg6Mzf2O7BcsLHjibkb_/s1600/Oxford+Place+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHge05AEuPpQ9GdyuIav4iIyy6e2Lo-iOrBPBkzuN0_8_C7I_C3kc3vJ6WF93jRpV-W_Osoxlnz5k5DLQ6hLVoTLhzd3Px6mvc_1va5MuZ_SKpQHBPuQk8NvlBkg6Mzf2O7BcsLHjibkb_/s400/Oxford+Place+(1).jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oxford Place, Rusholme. Street art or obstacle course?</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It has long been claimed that some of the UK's roads are a series of holes held together by strips of tarmac!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Whilst cycling over or, more accurately, around this stretch of holes on Oxford Place in Rusholme it struck me that the singular term 'pothole' doesn't really do justice to so many holes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, here's the challenge..... what is the best noun for a series, collection, multiplicity of potholes? and no prizes for saying 'roads' !</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Any prizes will depend on the creativity of responses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Remember... you can report all potholes, caves etc on roads in the Manchester City Council area to "Environment on Call". Email: <a href="mailto:contact@manchester.gov.uk">contact@manchester.gov.uk</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Include your name and address in the email (they will only email asking you for this before logging the pothole). A photo always helps as well. See previous blog "<a href="http://sharpedgetrip.blogspot.co.uk/2009/03/when-is-pothole-actionable.html">When is a pothole actionable</a>" for details of how big the pothole has to be before your Council will class it as a pothole requiring action.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Contacts for other GM councils are in the list of 'useful contacts' on this blog site or you can use the CTC's <a href="http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/%E2%80%8E">Fill that Hole</a> website.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Good luck and may your wheels never wobble :)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<u><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Competition entries:</span></b></u><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">@ChorltonVelo A mob [of potholes]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/i/redirect?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FChorltonVelo%2Fstatus%2F329904014697312257%3Frefsrc%3Demail&sig=2a0adf000779910582911a74048fe9d470fa2550&uid=951835428&iid=5632a216-ba52-443b-be6c-0b8b7b3ca3f6&nid=27+233&t=1" style="border: none; color: #0084b4; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #999999; direction: ltr; font-size: 14px;"></span></a> </span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-74391089428975594362013-05-01T21:52:00.000+01:002013-05-01T21:52:07.542+01:00Imagine Cycling (in Greater Manchester) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmoNY0rxJxURpgIp7w2TL6otC3D2xGIXUUVsxmo7L6oJlGSjoFKU_nwcDh80lhg5Hur5WpZgYzUX5KYJ3ps7vdYyqpfYeGIQ86gkP3phuebm4TGypdBcKpcVFBBh1umK_72PNXFWEn3eH/s1600/Imagine+Cycling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmoNY0rxJxURpgIp7w2TL6otC3D2xGIXUUVsxmo7L6oJlGSjoFKU_nwcDh80lhg5Hur5WpZgYzUX5KYJ3ps7vdYyqpfYeGIQ86gkP3phuebm4TGypdBcKpcVFBBh1umK_72PNXFWEn3eH/s320/Imagine+Cycling.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Just imagine! It's 2020 and many more people are cycling, safely, and cycling more often. But how did we manage to achieve that? <a href="http://www.gmcc.org.uk/%E2%80%8E">Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign </a>is 22 years old. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We've decided to stop for some refreshment, by holding an Appreciative Inquiry* in May. Assisted by two experienced AI practitioners, we will use the power of our imaginations to map our route to 2020 (and cycling heaven).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />If you are positive about trying to turn your cycling dreams into reality, please join in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The session on the 13th May
will begin by looking at our strengths and what we can achieve when we
get it right. We will then look ahead at what we want to achieve by 2014
and then move into planning what needs to happen, who can make it
happen and by when. The session will be structured to maximise
everyone's involvement and opportunity to have a real say and commit to
actions to create a better cycling future in Greater Manchester. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">RSVP to the Campaign's Secretary on <a href="mailto:richard@gmcc.org.uk">richard@gmcc.org.uk</a> 07913 420 943, or call 07973 538 556 to discuss</span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>When</b>: Monday 13th May. </span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Refreshments & buffet supper from 6pm. Start 6:30pm. Finish 9pm.</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Where</b>: Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Manchester </span></span>(behind Central Reference Library).</span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">* Appreciative Inquiry: for more detail on this organisational development technique see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appreciative_inquiry">Wikipedia page</a>.</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></span>Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-82185709675146526832013-05-01T10:45:00.002+01:002013-05-01T10:49:23.623+01:00Take the 'Chair you left behind' challenge and Walk to Work Week: 13-17 May 2013<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW13vYhQcxfgt_s-rHnowHEUaROenIRiIFimk7mddVx9TIs8ka8-nJvB0h13khD2pC_5ivd_2-rvnbg8k5a9rSKnvEuOvl6fwAVMblmptjDjdBLAuqQQKnpL-LGw0u4qwaGBUGoaW-L0O-/s1600/WTWW-banner.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW13vYhQcxfgt_s-rHnowHEUaROenIRiIFimk7mddVx9TIs8ka8-nJvB0h13khD2pC_5ivd_2-rvnbg8k5a9rSKnvEuOvl6fwAVMblmptjDjdBLAuqQQKnpL-LGw0u4qwaGBUGoaW-L0O-/s400/WTWW-banner.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Get your workplace walking this May and get closer to more than just a destination</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Team spirit</b> - compete with your colleagues and walk together</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Better shape</b> - burn calories and get fitter</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Clearer head</b> - blow away the cobwebs and relieve stress</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Fatter wallet</b> - save your bus fare and walk instead</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Hidden treasures</b> - make new discoveries in your area</span></li>
</ul>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How it works</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">During <b>Walk to Work Week</b>, you and your colleagues can:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">see how many miles you walk, calories you burn and carbon you save with our online walking calculator</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">count all walking, whether it’s to work, at lunch or for a meeting</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">set up teams to compete with colleagues</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">achieve a walking feat - either simple individual feats or more extravagant team-feats</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-with-us/national-walking-month/fundraising-during-national-walking-month">raise money for your favourite charity</a> – perhaps your charity of the year or a local community charity project.</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Walk to Work week <a href="http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-with-us/national-walking-month-may-2013#.UX-xY6AYux0.twitter">webpage</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-TqAZVDdL7nx_pAfYE8hMQjk1XweWpeyR50P_zOZ3T_d16XihsLGz-ztb7DRzR9tNU07WsWblVvF2WG0WDVgEqijjeHqABZ0t0WSrSj9oMAa1wyTLm0haepDazQDC40aXZgzKDk1FGR10/s1600/Better_Shape_x.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-TqAZVDdL7nx_pAfYE8hMQjk1XweWpeyR50P_zOZ3T_d16XihsLGz-ztb7DRzR9tNU07WsWblVvF2WG0WDVgEqijjeHqABZ0t0WSrSj9oMAa1wyTLm0haepDazQDC40aXZgzKDk1FGR10/s320/Better_Shape_x.gif" width="206" /></a></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The chair you left behind</span></h2>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Walk yourself into better shape this May.</b></span></span>
<br />
<div class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are lots of daily activities we do sitting down – listening to music, eating lunch at our desks</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<h2 class="ListParagraphCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To take our <span style="color: #53af31;">Better shape</span> feat choose one you can do while you walk - and send us a photograph of the chair you left behind</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="ListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Simply get up, stand up and do it on
the move. Go for a walk during your lunch break. Hold a walking book
group. Go for a walk in the park with friends (and take a flask of
coffee!).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div class="ListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And from <b>1 May</b>, you
will be able to share your success by uploading a picture of your empty
chair (or car seat, or bike saddle, or favourite stool at your local
cafe...). Or by simply telling us about it.</span></span></div>
<div class="ListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="ListParagraphCxSpLast">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sign up to take the <a href="http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/challenge/the-chair-you-left-behind">Chair you left behind challenge</a>. </span></span></div>
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-80428876065287776832013-05-01T10:22:00.000+01:002013-05-01T10:22:49.928+01:00Slower Speeds for Safer Streets (UN Global Road Safety week: 6th - 12th May)<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyeMpgjiPrVMsdwKq3v-iFSfl4YjdsE5jp-PlLlnsOCPbfQ898mwgPQb3ssQPBI-SxG3cDzClxKvTdhAGRZLWD6NjpXJgeQpU0RK0ochCX-9A832v0ii8guwwmoqj1BJBih-cjktscbQQ/s1600/20mph+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyeMpgjiPrVMsdwKq3v-iFSfl4YjdsE5jp-PlLlnsOCPbfQ898mwgPQb3ssQPBI-SxG3cDzClxKvTdhAGRZLWD6NjpXJgeQpU0RK0ochCX-9A832v0ii8guwwmoqj1BJBih-cjktscbQQ/s320/20mph+logo.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Road Safety Week runs from 6th to 12th May 2013 and is dedicated to pedestrian safety around the world. One of the key recommendations in UN <a href="http://www.who.int/entity/roadsafety/projects/manuals/pedestrian/en/index.html" target="_blank">report on pedestrian safety</a> is for 20mph (30kmh) speed limits in residential areas and those areas with large numbers of vulnerable road users.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/">20's Plenty for Us</a> campaign is urging people across Europe to call on Europe's leading politicians to make 20mph the normal residential speed. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Please sign the <span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.20mph4.eu/">petition</a></b></span> and ask your friends, family and neighbours to sign up too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Let's build a 20,000 strong voice to EU leaders now. <i><a href="http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/ECI/ECI_Road_Safety_Week.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></span></a></i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><b>Why this is important.</b> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.20splentyforus.org.uk/30kmh_making_streets_liveable.htm" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span></span></span></a><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span>Thousands of people have died or been injured in avoidable collisions on residential streets. Road crash is the top cause of avoidable death for our 5-30 year olds. We say “20’s Plenty where people live”. The European Union could make lower residential speed limits normal and protect us from avoidable danger and suffering. Road Safety Week spotlights this crisis, making it crucial to sign up now.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><br />Everyone, whatever age or level of health, should be able to walk along their home street without fear. Up to third of United Kingdom local councils are implementing 20mph limits, or seriously considering it. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span>But it’s a postcode lottery. April saw a cross party committee of MPs insist that 20mph limits for residential roads is essential to Get Britain Cycling. Experts and European politicians are calling for immediate action. Speed is greed when it prevents the vulnerable from getting around. If we build a huge petition now, we can push the European Commission to put our health and environment first before the selfish drivers and road lobby and prevent rat running.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><b>We know our voices count!</b> Over 11million people in the UK already live in places committed to 20mph limits without humps. We need <b>20,000 signatures in a week to persuade the EU to help us defend our rights to slower speeds where people live</b>. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #003572;"><span style="color: #003572; text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span>Now the <b>issue is coming to a boil.</b>
EU politicians are stepping up pressure on the European Commission to
push new laws on slower speeds. We can offer them the public support
they need against the powerful roads lobby. <b>Sign this urgent<span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.20mph4.eu/">petition</a></span> to Europe’s leaders, then ask your friends, family and neighbours to support this call.</b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #003572;"><span style="color: #003572; text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span><b> </b></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">PS. Here is a short (68 second) video on the </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">European Citizens Initiative for 20mph urban limits </span>and how you can sign the
petition .</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #003572;"><span style="color: #003572; text-decoration: none;"><span><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: #003572;"><span style="color: #003572; text-decoration: none;"><span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/57390305" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe></span><br /></span></span></span>
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5283249225043341778.post-28450505684432899872013-04-30T14:36:00.001+01:002013-04-30T14:50:01.369+01:00Vélocity 2025 - A cycling plan for 2025 and beyond... Greater Manchester bids for £20 million<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCDRTrt1LWIqsOtjJxbzGDbMvLnXNXzmMQJDKYK4ouv3MnTpow39YC_semBqr80IqYgxtgI2yeJoxWVCfle2hGB7LGoFxvMU01lDaeIVR0qttAhaSibr3ve3Tixsz65bktH0KoCQhxxY6i/s1600/Velocity+2025+map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCDRTrt1LWIqsOtjJxbzGDbMvLnXNXzmMQJDKYK4ouv3MnTpow39YC_semBqr80IqYgxtgI2yeJoxWVCfle2hGB7LGoFxvMU01lDaeIVR0qttAhaSibr3ve3Tixsz65bktH0KoCQhxxY6i/s400/Velocity+2025+map.jpg" width="280" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Our new network for cycling across Greater<br />Manchester will connect all 2.7 million<br />residents with high-quality cycling routes,<br />segregated wherever possible, that will<br />connect across the city region in a wellsigned<br />and easy to use European-style network.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today (30th April) was the deadline for all the cities bidding for the Cycling City Ambition Grant funding. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Velocity 2025 programme outlines the targets - which include: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"The outcome of
our Vélocity 2025 programme – our target – is to secure at least a 300%
increase in the levels of cycling across Greater Manchester by 2025.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><b>We
want to see the proportion of trips by bicycle increase to 10% over the
next 12 years</b>, which we believe is achievable alongside additional
Government funding. We aim to double, and double again the proportion of
trips made by bicycle, whether that’s commuting, utility or
recreational cycling, through an unprecedented, long range programme of
investment in cycling infrastructure for the city. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
vision we set out for Vélocity 2025 supports the targets in the All
Party Parliamentary Cycling Group ‘Get Britain Cycling’. The CCAG
funding, supported by local funding, will help us,<br />by 2015:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Deliver 56km of largely segregated cycle route across Greater Manchester </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Generate 26,800 new cycle trips per day on these routes </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Improve the health and wellbeing to the value of £7.3m per year</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Provide business financial savings by reducing absenteeism of 1,000 days per year </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Remove 1.7m traffic kms per year from Greater Manchester’s roads reducing congestion and accidents. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Velocity video is available below:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/65068005" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/erwlbix0xg0p4l0/Greater%20manchester%20Cycling%20City%20Ambition%20Grant.pdf">bid document</a> explains that: "Greater Manchester is bidding for the funding needed to deliver a generational shift in levels of cycling across the city region. The catalyst we seek is £20 million and if we are successful, this grant will unlock up to ten times that amount over the next decade or so as the city region delivers a remarkable strategic programme of change.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Central government funding will be matched by £10 million from Greater Manchester partners by 2015. The Cycle City Ambition Grant (CCAG) will deliver £10 per capita investment per year for two years across the core of the city region (one million residents). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Greater Manchester will then seek to commit future funding, through public and private sector sources, for a further ten years (giving a consistent twelve year programme) and across the rest of Greater Manchester (a further 1.7 million residents).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />In total our Vélocity 2025 programme would see between £150 and £200 million invested on a range of cycling infrastructure, interventions and culture shift of which £20 million will be from the Cycle City Ambition Grant, £20 million from the LSTF and the remainder from a range of local and national, public and private sources through to 2025."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Greater Manchester bid is supported by Love Your Bike and other Greater Manchester cyclign groups. You can show your support (assuming you do) on the Love Your Bike <a href="https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/transport-for-greater-manchester-tfgm-commit-to-bold-targets-sustained-funding-in-cycling-city-ambition-bid">petition</a> on Change.org.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
Bicycle Petehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06947964778549879111noreply@blogger.com1