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Comment by Kate Meakin on April 2, 2012 at 14:07

Hi everyone

I just wanted to let you all know about a free trianing opportunity for people who love cycling or walking and would like to see more every day journeys made by foot or bike:

Training available for London Transition groups
Transport is responsible for 28% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK, this along with the rising costs of fuel means we need to start changing the way we think about making our every day journeys. 50% of journeys are 5 miles or less, which means that choosing to cycle or walk instead of using the car, bus or tube could have a massive impact on the country's emissions (and this isn't to mention the health benefits of getting more active).

Sustrans is offering free training and support to volunteers who would like to champion cycling or walking in their local community, workplace, school or university. Active travel champions promote local cycling or walking options or they might organise lunch time walks or group bike rides. Some decide to campaign for change locally and push for better provisions to make cycling or walking options easier. Sustrans provides training, resources and support to help.

Sustrans provides the training free of charge. If there are 4 or more people in your group that are interested then we can come to you to run the training. In return we ask you to keep us updated with your active travel activities and to try and do something every month or two.

Now is a fantastic time to try and change the default transport choice as there's lots of energy and enthusiasm for cycling because of the Games 2012.

For more information visit: https://champions.sustrans.org.uk
Or contact Kate Meakin 0207 780 7201 kate.meakin@sustrans.org.uk

Comment by Jake on March 6, 2012 at 17:19

Hi, I just moved to the area after years of being in East London.  Problem is, my flat doesn't have any bike storage.  I don't know if this is the right place to ask...but does anyone know anywhere in the area that is safe or accommodating to lock up a bike overnight?  I know there is at least one car park, maybe they would let me?  Thanks - Jake

Comment by Rik Smith on April 17, 2011 at 12:26

Interesting Molly, but what's your point?

 

The compressed air car is just another electrically powered car (except the energy is stored as compressed air instead of a battery).

 

Do you have a comment on energy storage? perhaps that storing compressed air is cheaper than batteries? or maybe about actually compressed air is more dangerous in a collision / fire than batteries?

perhaps the convenient of 'refilling' in minutes rather than hours?

 

What about the complex heat exchangers required to maintain efficiency? or the inefficiently nature of compressing air - especially in 5 minutes. Many studies suggest the whole cycle is upto 10 times less efficient than an electric car.

 

I don't think we'll see these on the streets of London any time soon, perhaps they are best suited to Tata's home market.

Comment by Molly Fletcher on April 16, 2011 at 13:28

   Air Powered Car In  India
Tata  Motors is ready to introduce Air Car - Will it be the next big  thing?   Tata Motors is taking giant strides and making history for  itself.  First the Land Rover/Jaguar deal, then the  world's cheapest car, and now it is also set to introduce a car that runs on compressed  air.



India's largest automaker,  Tata Motors, is set to start producing the world's  first  commercial air-powered  vehicle.
 
The  Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy Negre  for  Luxembourg-based MDI, uses compressed air, as  opposed to the gas-and-oxygen explosions of  internal-combustion models, to push its engine's  pistons.  Some 6000 zero-emissions Air Cars  are  scheduled to hit Indian streets by August 2011. 
 
The Air Car, called the "MiniCAT" could cost  around Rs. 3,475,225  ($8,177.00) in India and would have  a range of around 300 km between refuels.   The cost of a refill   would be about Rs. 85 ($2.00)

The MiniCAT, is a simple, light urban car, with a tubular  chassis that is glued,  not  welded,  and a body of fiberglass powered by compressed   air.  Microcontrollers are used in every device in the  car,  so one tiny radio transmitter sends instructions to  the lights,  indicators, etc.

There  are no keys - just  an access card which can be read by  the car from your  pocket.  According to the  designers, it costs less than 50  rupees per 100 Km  (about a tenth that of a petrol car).   Its mileage  is about double that of the most advanced electric  car  (200 to 300 km or 10 hours of driving), a factor which  makes  a perfect choice in cities where 80% of motorists  drive at less  than 60 Km.  The car has a top speed  of 105 Kmph.

Refilling the car will, once the  market develops, take place at adapted petrol stations to  administer compressed air.  In two or three minutes, and  at a cost of approximately 100 rupees, the car will be ready  to go another 200-300 kilometers.

As  a viable alternative, the car carries a small compressor which  can be connected to the mains (220V or 380V) and refill the  tank in 3-4 hours.  Due to the absence of combustion and,  consequently, of residues, changing the oil (1 liter of   vegetable oil) is necessary only every 50,000  Km).
The temperature of the clean air expelled by  the exhaust pipe is between 0-15 degrees below zero, which  makes it suitable for use by the internal air conditioning  system with no need for gases or loss of  power.

Comment by Jennifer Rea on March 20, 2011 at 16:20

2 bikes have been dumped at the bottom of st julians road near the recycle bins. I'm not sure if they'll be useful for Cycletastic. I don't have room to store them in my tiny flat so they're still outside. Can anyone from the group store them before they get taken away?

Comment by Julie Thomas on November 10, 2010 at 9:16

CALLING ALL CYCLISTS!
London Cycling Campaign are running a campaign called No More Lethal Lorries to try to increase awareness amongst both lorry drivers and cyclists about the sometimes hidden dangers of cycling close to lorries http://www.no-more-lethal-lorries.org.uk/ . There is also information for cyclists about how to keep safe around lorries http://www.no-more-lethal-lorries.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=16 . Please take a few minutes to read this if you are not already aware... there is also a petition to sign calling for lorry driver cyclist awareness training . So far only 3 (Lambeth, Hammersmith and Fulham and Southwark) out of the 33 London Boroughs have implemented the training. Sadly Brent is not amongst them. If any of you have any influence within the Council then I would be really grateful if you could lobby for this.

Comment by josie warshaw on November 5, 2010 at 16:01

There has been an e mail discussion going about trying to get Lonsdale Road opened to cyclists in the area and beyond - thought people may like to read the conversation -Josie
Mike Evans is the Sustainable transport Officer in Brent
I started this conversation knowing the good news that Bike Ability Training is coming very soon to the children at Salusbury Primary School. Bike Ability Training has also begun already for mums affiliated to Salusbury World . Any unwanted bikes would bemuch appreciated for this project and to star a Salusbury bike club . Contact Sarah Reynolds at Salusbury World if you have one you no longer use . Cycletastic are supporting this work to help service bikes and help to make this happen.

--Original Message-----
From: Josie Warshaw Sent: 03 November 2010 15:23
To: Smith, Paul; Evans, Mike; Sisodiya, Paul; Pigott, Adrian;
kulver.ranger@london.gov.uk; Michael Stuart; Ian Saville; Ben
Tansley; Rosie Tharp; Marguerite Reinig
Subject: Lonsdale road leading to Salusbury School

Hello again Paul

There is a lot of cycling activity about to and presently starting up
at Salusbury Primary school NW6.
The safest and most direst bike route through for young and older
riders from the 11 streets area and beyond to get to school would be
to come up Lonsdale Road but this has been made a no entry road wihin
the "Streets for People" work carried out and one way for car drivers
only .

Please would you let us all know when it is gong to be possible to
put an EXCEPT BIKES sign on the no entry signs at the Tennyson Road
end of Lonsdale Road so that everyone can cy legally and more safely
CYCLE up this road ?
Would it also be possible to increase the Bike Parking at the top of
Lonsdale Road with colleagues at Brent Council within the bike
parking planning department ?

Many Thanks for any help you can give us on this
Josie Warshaw

--


-----Original Message-----
From: Smith, Paul
Sent: 04 November 2010 09:17
To: 'Josie Warshaw'; Evans, Mike; Sisodiya, Paul; Pigott, Adrian;
'kulver.ranger@london.gov.uk'; 'Michael Stuart'; 'Ian Saville'; 'Ben
Tansley'; 'Rosie Tharp'; 'Marguerite Reinig'
Cc: Plumridge, Jared; Francis, Robert; Boddy, Peter
Subject: RE: Lonsdale road leading to Salusbury School

Hi Josie,

Just to clarify, Lonsdale Road was not made one-way as part of the
Streets for People scheme, it was a separate scheme that was carried
out after the Streets for People scheme was completed. I was not
involved in this scheme.

With regards to putting up 'except cycles' signs, this is not
currently possible. The Traffic Signs Regulations and General
Directions 2002 (TSRGD 2002) prescribes what traffic signs can be
legally erected on the public highway and it currently does not allow
the 'No entry' sign and 'except cycles' sign to be used in
conjunction with one another. Any sign that is not within this
document requires site specific Department for Transport (DfT)
approval.

Certain boroughs are trialling the 'No entry' sign and 'except
cycles' sign with approval from DfT and Brent will be looking to
follow the recommendations made from these trials.

With regards to additional cycle parking on Lonsdale Road, there is
no longer a budget specifically allocated to cycle parking however,
my colleague Robert Francis is currently working on a Neighbourhood
scheme nearby and may be able to provide some cycle parking as part
of this. I will ask him to liaise directly with you on this.

Kind regards,

Paul Smith
Senior Traffic Engineer

Office: +44 (0) 20 8937 5143
 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8937 5129
Address: Highway and Transport Delivery Service Unit, Brent House,
349-357 High Road, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 6BZ


Dear Paul

I had a discussion with people at Salusbury Road School the other day. Is it true that Lonsdale Road is unadopted? If so, do DfT regulations apply?

Also, in Camden (West Hampstead, b/t West End Lane and Swiss Cottage) there are numerous roads with counterflow, simply designated by white lining and a cycle+arrow going in the counterflow direction. Would these have been site-specific approvals. Perhaps we could check what they did there?

I remember this discussion from a while ago, and it does seem to me that the current set-up doesn't seem to support cycling (for the STP and local cycling groups active at the school).

If on the other hand, Lonsdale Road is actually private, then there are opportunities to revisit the idea of installing secure cycle parking on the highway?

I'd be happy to be involved in this discussion further.

Mike Evans

-----Original Message-----
From: Smith, Paul
Sent: 04 November 2010 09:17
To: 'Josie Warshaw'; Evans, Mike; Sisodiya, Paul; Pigott, Adrian; 'kulver.ranger@london.gov.uk'; 'Michael Stuart'; 'Ian Saville'; 'Ben Tansley'; 'Rosie Tharp'; 'Marguerite Reinig'
Cc: Plumridge, Jared; Francis, Robert; Boddy, Peter
Subject: RE: Lonsdale road leading to Salusbury School

From: tansley@bentansley.com
Subject: RE: Lonsdale road leading to Salusbury School
Date: 4 November 2010 12:04:48 GMT
To: Mike.Evans@brent.gov.uk, Paul.Smith@brent.gov.uk, josiewarshaw@aol.com, Paul.Sisodiya@brent.gov.uk, Adrian.Pigott@brent.gov.uk, kulver.ranger@london.gov.uk, michael.stuart6@googlemail.com, ian@redmagic.org.uk, rosiet@lcc.org.uk, mags@lcc.org.uk
Cc: Jared.Plumridge@brent.gov.uk, Robert.Francis@brent.gov.uk, Peter.Boddy@brent.gov.uk

Dear Josie, Paul, Mike et al,

Paul is quite right that the combination of a no-entry sign with "except cycles" requires special approval. But as Mike says, there are ways to produce the desired effect with existing signing. The DfT's "Contraflow Cycling" http://www.dft.gov.uk/adobepdf/165240/244921/244924/contraflowcycling documents them and they're also covered in Chapter 3 of the "Traffic Signs Manual" http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tss/tsmanual/tsmchapter3.pdf , sections 17.24 - 17.30.

The commonest in our general area is the "false one-way", which can be seen in Brent, in Camden and even in Barnet. This uses a small traffic island with a cycles-only lane on one side. Beyond it the street can be two-way without any cycle lane at all, though simple cycle symbols on the carriageway can remind drivers of the situation. Brent has a highly-developed one at the entry into Bathurst Gardens from College Road, Barnet a group of simpler ones between Cricklewood Broadway and Cricklewood Lane, on Ash Grove, Elm Grove and Yew Grove. Camden has them with and without cycle lanes on the roads thus sectioned off. The route Mike mentions running south down Fairhazel Gardens has a green contraflow cycle lane, but possibly the most dramatic effect on traffic is the prevention of rat-running on Gloucester Avenue and King Henry's Road. This is achieved simply by two islands, one preventing motor vehicles entering King Henry's Road eastbound from Primrose Hill, the other at the junction of Regents Park Road and Gloucester Avenue (at Cecil Sharp House) blocking northbound motor traffic on Gloucester Avenue. These two simple strokes calm an entire neighbourhood without any further road markings, humps, cushions, tables or even signage.

But those DfT documents also discuss the use of no-motor-vehicles signage (#619) with or without segregation at entry or exit. This allows a particularly low-cost solution, requiring two no-motor-vehicles #619 signs, one cycle-facility #967 sign and a very short carriageway marking.

With such solutions we could permit cyclists to use Lonsdale Road in both directions. What's more, if entry into Tennyson Road from Willesden Lane was similarly permitted, we would have not only direct cycle access into Brent 11 Streets but also complete an extremely valuable two-way cycle route between Willesden Lane and Brondesbury Road, parallel to the most congested part of Kilburn High Road.

Best regards,
Ben

Ben Tansley
Brent Cyclists







-----Original Message-----
From: Evans, Mike [mailto:Mike.Evans@brent.gov.uk]
Sent: 04 November 2010 10:21
To: Paul.Smith@brent.gov.uk; josiewarshaw@aol.com;
Paul.Sisodiya@brent.gov.uk; Adrian.Pigott@brent.gov.uk;
kulver.ranger@london.gov.uk; michael.stuart6@googlemail.com;
ian@redmagic.org.uk; tansley@bentansley.com; rosiet@lcc.org.uk;
mags@lcc.org.uk
Cc: Jared.Plumridge@brent.gov.uk; Robert.Francis@brent.gov.uk;
Peter.Boddy@brent.gov.uk
Subject: RE: Lonsdale road leading to Salusbury School

Dear Paul

I had a discussion with people at Salusbury Road School the other
day. Is it true that Lonsdale Road is unadopted? If so, do DfT
regulations apply?

Also, in Camden (West Hampstead, b/t West End Lane and Swiss Cottage)
there are numerous roads with counterflow, simply designated by white
lining and a cycle+arrow going in the counterflow direction. Would
these have been site-specific approvals. Perhaps we could check what
they did there?

I remember this discussion from a while ago, and it does seem to me
that the current set-up doesn't seem to support cycling (for the STP
and local cycling groups active at the school).

If on the other hand, Lonsdale Road is actually private, then there
are opportunities to revisit the idea of installing secure cycle
parking on the highway?

I'd be happy to be involved in this discussion further.

Mike Evans

Comment by josie warshaw on September 21, 2010 at 23:24

Cycletastic have local Saturday afternoon bike maintenance workshops coming up over Autumn and Winter. The basic workshops are for bike owning beginners that want to learn how to mend a puncture and replace their brake blocks . Sessions are for 3 hours and are being held at the Charteris Sports Centre NW6 - indoors in the warm! If you would like to book a place please email info@cycletastic.org.uk. The concessionary rate is £10 and £30 for employed Saturday October 23rd and repeats on Saturday 27th November. Bring your own bike . Check out the Cycletastic web site for more courses to take intermediate and advanced level workshops in November and January 2011

Comment by josie warshaw on September 21, 2010 at 23:13

If anyone would like to try bike or bike trailer during the morning of the Harvest Festival day at Salusbury Primary School on the 2nd October I will be bringing both bikes and trailers dow. There will also be opportunity to find out what it is like pulling a loaded trailer out on the road . The bike workshops will start at around 12-12.30 in the school playground and are FREE to take part . They will continue according to demand on the day. Bring your bike if you have one whatever your age to join in these bike ability sessions.

Comment by FNM on July 28, 2010 at 23:07

ATTENTION, ATTENTION!

FNM here on the noise problem in Chamberlayne Road.

The page I have set up on Facebook is "Kensal Rise Against Nuisance Noise (KRAAN)" and not “Say No to Noisy Buses in Kensal Rise”. Have a look and give us your support as we need it to deal with TFL!

Thanking you in advance, FNM

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