Manchester meets Brompton Dock!

Well, its been a while coming... but finally Manchester will be getting the new Brompton Dock. Tuesday 27th March will see Norman Baker (Secretary of State for Transport) formally launch the Brompton Dock facility.

See previous Blog post (Brompton pods...coming to a train station near you) for more details of how the system works.

















The Brompton Dock unit is located by the pedestrian bridge that runs from Piccadilly Station Approach across London Road.

The scheme provides three hire tariffs to cater for different usuage levels.




Frequent Rider.
Annual Membership £50
Monthly hire £50 (£1.60/day)
Weekly hire £15 (£2/day)
Daily use  £4




Occasional Rider.
Annual Membership £30

Weekly hire £25 (£3.60/day)
Daily use  £5

Trial Riders.
7 days for £10.

More details from www.bromptondock.co.uk







There are instructions on how best to fold / unfold the Brompton bicycles..... it will be interesting to see how people manage to follow the instructions... although for the perplexed (and those with smart phones) there is also a link to a video demonstration....

Lets hope that the scheme proves to be popular and effective at encouraging people to combine cycling with  public transport.... after all the Brompton is one of the few bicycles that (when folded) can be taken on any of the public transport modes (yes even the Metrolink tram service !).

Maybe it will even help convince Transport for Greater Manchester to start following the lead of cities in Europe and North America and develop a truly integrated public transit network that allows (nay encourages) people to combine their bicycle and public transport journeys..... well we can but hope!

Details of the Brompton dock scheme are available here.

Public Service Announcement #5

This just in from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)....

Dear All,

I thought that some of your contacts would be interested in the free cycle check sessions being arranged during March. Please feel free to forward the information below to anyone who may be interested.

Transport for Greater Manchester is running drop-in sessions across Greater Manchester over the next few Saturdays to give your bike a helpful once-over.

Our experts will give your bike a health-check, including brakes, tyres, frame, steering, gears and chain. It’s not a service or an MOT for your bike but our technicians can make small adjustments on the spot, and give you a diagnosis for anything that needs a repair.

Thanks to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service we’ve been able to line up a series of sessions at fire stations around the area, so there should be one near you (please see the list below).

Just bring your bike between 10am – noon and 1pm – 3pm to the fire station below that best suits you.

Our free cycle checks are part of the TfGM commuter cycle programme, wholly funded by the Department for Transport.

For more details please check get in touch with the team on 0161 244 1264 or cycle@tfgm.com or visit www.tfgm.com/cycle .

Kind Regards

Tony Short

Project Support Officer

LSTF – Commuter Cycling Project

Transport for Greater Manchester

Tony.Short@tfgm.com

Bolton

3 March – Moor Lane, Bolton BL3 5DB

10 March – Crompton Way, Bolton BL1 8UP

17 March – Albert Road, Farnworth, Bolton BL4 9HF

Bury

3 March – The Rock, Bury BL9 5AH

10 March – Bury New Road, Whitefield M45 7SY

Manchester

3 March – Denhill Road, Manchester M15 5NR

10 March – Thompson Street, New Cross, Manchester M4 5FP

17 March – Rochdale Road, Blackley, Manchester M9 7EQ

17 March – Birch Street, West Gorton, Manchester M12 5NS

17 March – Wilmslow Road, Withington, Manchester M20 4AW

24 March –Brownley Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 5FG

24-March – Philips Park, Briscoe Lane, Manchester M40 2XG

Oldham

3 March – Lees Road, Oldham OL4 1JN

10 March – Broadway, Chadderton OL9 0JX

24 March – Hollins Road, Hollins OL8 3BD

               

Rochdale

3 March – Maclure Road, Rochdale OL11 1DN

10 March – Middleton Road, Heywood OL10 2LU

Salford

3 March – Liverpool Street, Salford M5 4LE

10 March – Bury New Road, Broughton, M7 4LE

17 March – Bolton Road, Pendlebury M27 8XS

24 March – Liverpool Road, Eccles M30 0RZ

               

Stockport

3 March – Whitehill Street West, Stockport SK4 1NR

10 March – King Street West, Stockport, Cheshire SK3 0DT

17 March – Turves Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire SK8 6AY

24 March – Lisburn Lane, Stockport SK2 5NP

               

Tameside

3 March – Slate Lane, Off Ashton Moss Way, Audenshaw M34 5FS

10 March – Ramsbottom Street, Stalybridge SK15 1RF

17 March – Railway Street, Hyde SK14 1DF

               

Trafford

3 March – Park Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 8RJ

10 March – Cranleigh Drive, Sale, Manchester M33 7NT

17 March – 43 Manchester Road, Broadheath, Altrincham WA14 4RQ

               

Wigan

3 March – Robin Park Road, Newtown, Wigan WN5 0UU

10 March – Gloucester Street, Atherton M46 0JT

17 March – St Helens Road, Leigh WN7 3PA

Private sector better?... not necessarily when it comes to cycle parking!

Previous posts on this blog have highlighted the need for much better provision of secure cycle parking across Greater Manchester - at both public and private sector locations.  See for example Park that Bike and Cycle parking?... my Kingdom for some cycle parking amongst others!


In the "Greater Manchester - Cycling Progress Report" (GMTU Report 1637) published in January 2011 it was noted that whilst analysis of "cycle trips into most key centres and cycle carriage on trains suggest that there is a continuing increase in cycle usage within Greater Manchester, with the exception of cycle parking in key locations where a slight decrease has occurred since 2008." (See Table 20 above). Trafford came second from bottom in the cycle parking locations rankings.  A poor record that Trafford Council disputes and they have initiated a Borough-wide "cycle parking audit" (of which more in subsequent blog postings).

As part of this cycle parking audit I (re)visited the B&Q facility on Great Stone Road in Old Trafford and was reminded that there is still no cycle parking facilities for customers, although there are over 105 car parking spaces!

I had previously raised the lack of cycle parking at this B&Q store nearly 2 years ago and had pointed out that the B&Q website stated that they "actively promote sustainable transport to our staff and customers" and had introduced Travel Plans which promote "more sustainable travel and transport choices such as cycling, car sharing, walking and using public transport."

A B&Q public relations person responded in February 2010 that "in regards to your query, this store is not one of B&Q’s travel plans stores however it does have a responsible travel guide which promotes similar activities as a travel plan"and "Unfortunately there are no immediate plans to install cycle parking in this store" but that "I have forwarded your request to our Property department to highlight your need as a customer."

When I asked if it was possible to see a copy of the "responsible travel guide" I was informed that this was an internal B&Q document and not publicly available. However, the "One Planet Living at B&Q : Progress against targets in 2009" report stated that responsible travel guides had been "rolled out to all stores to encourage alternatives to private car use".


But it seems unlikely that people will be encouraged to choose alternative travel modes, such as cycling, to visit B&Q stores if there is a total lack of secure and easy to use cycle parking facilities. 

One of the few places where people can lock their bicycles at this B&Q store are the barriers around the shopping trolley area (see photo below). But this is far from ideal as it is awkward to do, can interfere with access to the trolleys, risks damage to your bicycle and does not provide properly secure locking.

 B&Q are certainly not alone within the retail and private sector in failing to provide adequate (any) cycle parking facilities for customers or visitors. There are also questions about what cycle parking requirements (if any) were included in the planning permission granted by Trafford Council and whether such planning requirements are adequately enforced.

(Future blog postings will look at some of the other private sector companies in Trafford that are failing to 'walk the walk' when it comes to encouraging sustainable and active travel. 

Meanwhile if you are a B&Q customer and would like to have proper cycle parking facilities at the Great Stone Road store (or a potential customer who would like to cycle there) then perhaps you would like to drop a (polite) email to: travelplans@b-and-q.co.uk  and let them know your thoughts.

Christmas Crackers!

Ho ho ho... now I know this is supposed to be the season of goodwill and all that...... but this short stretch of cycle lane seems to be even more crackers than normal....


It is to be found on national cycle route 85 at the entrance to Painswick Park in Wythenshawe (see photo below). 








A box of lovely veggie mince pies to anyone who can tell us:

• what purpose this cycle serves

• when it was installed, and

• how much it cost?

.... and may you all have a happy festive season!

More DIY publicity - clean messages!

In June, this blog highlighted some interesting DIY bike publicity that was literally hitting the streets in Australia, United States and elsewhere. 

Now, via those lovely people at Copenhagenize.com, comes a lovely video from Brazil that illustrates how using a simple stencil and cleaning away the dirt on a range of vehicles can leave a powerful message.

Or as the Copenhagenize website puts it: " Fantastic, simple activism from Brazil. The stencil reads, simply, "Bike - not as dirty".

Such stencils are easy and cheap to make with materials that are readily available from your lovely local craft or DIY store or even found in recycling bins!

Whether cleaning the dirt away or using temporary flour and water pastes your campaign messages can be distributed in imaginative and highly visible locations.

This stencil image was created by Manchester Friends of the Earth to help publicise Car-Free day events in September.

The next Car-Free day is on 22nd September 2012... now where did we put those stencil cutters.....

Public Service Announcement #4: Calling All Cycle Mechanics

This just in from Transport for Greater Manchester....

 

Calling All Cycle Mechanics

Dear Sir/Madam,

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), on behalf of Greater Manchester partners, submitted a Key Component bid and was awarded £4.9m from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF).  For more information about the LSTF Commuter Cycling Project please follow this link.

TfGM is now tendering for bike maintenance courses and sessions, as part of this project and we would like to make you aware of how you (or your contacts) can get involved in the delivery of these services.

TfGM wishes to establish a Preferred Supplier List for the provision of:-

- Dr Bike sessions (throughout Greater Manchester)

- Basic Bicycle Maintenance Training carried out at locations throughout Greater Manchester

- Basic Bicycle Maintenance Training carried out at the tenderers’ own premises.

If you are interested in applying for this tender you must;

1.  Register (for free) on the ProContract website   (see link on right hand side of this website to register)

2. When you are sent your log in details, log on to ProContract and use the search facility to find the ‘Dr Bike and Cycle Maintenance Training’ tender and register your interest – you will then have access to the Invitation to Tender (ITT)

3. Complete and return the Invitation to Tender (ITT) – the closing date 12 noon, 16th January 2012

We would be grateful if you could forward this email to any of your contacts who you think may be interested in applying.

If you or your contacts have any further queries or would like to discuss in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact either:-

Indi Lall, Procurement, 

Transport for Greater Manchester, 2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG

Direct line 0161 2441137, Indi.lall@tfgm.com

Or

Anne-Louise Black, Greater Manchester Walking and Cycling Officer

Transport for Greater Manchester, Transport Strategy

2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG

Direct line  0161 244 1616, Anne-Louise.Black@TfGM.com

New E-book: Roads Were Not Built For Cars

Advance notice of a new Ebook by Carlton Reid, due to be released in April 2012.  The promo blurb explains how:

"Many motorists assume roads were built for them; that asphalt is a relatively recent creation designed to speed them along; and that non-motorised road users have lesser rights. None of this is true.

Motorists are the johny-come-latelies of highway history. This fact is explored at length in ‘Roads Were Not Built For Cars’, an exploration of the fascinating history of roads and the part that cyclists helped in saving them. The coming of the railways killed off the coaching trade and almost all rural roads reverted to low-level local use. Cyclists were the first group in a generation to use roads and were the first to push for high-quality sealed surfaces and were the first to lobby for national funding and leadership for roads. Without cyclists, motorists wouldn’t have hit the ground running when it came to places to drive this new form of transport.

‘Roads Were Not Built for Cars’ is a history book, focussing on the 1880s and 1890s, a time when cyclists had political clout, in the UK and especially in America. The book researches the Road Improvements Association – a lobbying group created by the CTC in the 1880s – and the Good Roads movement organised by the League of American Wheelmen in the same period."

Visit the website if you would like to receive notification by email when the E-book is released.

[Disclaimer: This blogger has no connection to the author or publishers of this (e)book and receives no payment for publicising it !  In case anyone was wondering.]