On Saturday 22^nd September 2001 (following a successful pilot Car Free Day event in Dundonald Road Wimbledon in Sept 2000) Merton Council and Transport for London closed off Morden High Street (A24 London Road) to cars and lorries for the whole day.

One side of the dual carriageway was used to carry buses in both directions, the other side was a street party including a rollerblade rink, antiques fair; Friends of the Earth stall; MCC stall; Children's bouncy castle; Heart FM Radio presence; Music; 3 special buses on display; Going for Green; Mike’s Bikes Surgery; Powabike...

MCC members, together with local FoE and the council, conducted an opinion poll on Car Free Day, which yielded the following results:

• 91% of respondents thought CFD was a good idea
• 62% of respondents want CFD at least once a quarter (34% at least once a week!)
• 69% of respondents thought CFD made the street a friendlier place
• 85% of respondents find the amount of car traffic in London a problem and agree that car use must be limited
• 89% of respondents agree that public transport must be improved, even if that means motorists have less space
• 54% of respondents were car drivers

… very popular with our customers and staff … we would support this as an annual event. Top to Toe Beauty Salon, Morden

The event was a great success - let's do it every week! We saw lots of people in the town we had never seen before. Woods Jewellers, Morden

MCC fully supports this bold experiment and looks forward to the day when our high streets can permanently become safe and peaceful places to spend the day. Morden has been in decline for years - perhaps traffic reduction is just what we need here? After all, some of UK's most successful shopping centres are pedestrianised, some not too far from home and in direct competition with Morden, e.g. Sutton and Croydon.

Car Free Day is about testing schemes that could one day be permanent. Given the popularity of Morden CFD 2001, and the successful traffic diversions, there are good grounds to explore the possibility of a permanently car free Morden High Street.  As on Car Free Day, one carriageway would be for buses in both directions, the other would be pedestrianised. This of will only happen with the consent of local residents and traders, and Transport for London who own the road. Merton Cycling Campaign intends to be at the heart of discussions along these lines.

Car Free Day 2002 will be on Sunday September 22nd. We have suggested making it a car free weekend.  The following possibilities are being considered:

• Wimbledon village
• Morden High Street again, possibly for the whole weekend.
• Worple Road, Wimbledon, between Raymond Road and Wimbledon Hill Road

MCC has written to Roger Casale MP to ask him to rejoin the all party

parliamentary cycling group.  He was a member during the last parliament and gave strong backing for our radical and visionary cycle parking plans for Wimbledon Station.  As MCC News goes to press, we await a response...

Following a fatal incident where a cyclist was trapped on the inside of a large left-turning lorry, LBM has begun short/medium term measures to improve junction safety. MCC has been consulted on two schemes: an outer on road cycle track or extended islands with marked crossing points (benefiting cyclists and pedestrians) plus a cut off path on the offending corner. Please let us know if you have any ideas on how cyclists’ safety could be improved at this junction

 2001

Wed 12 Dec, monthly meeting, 8pm, 88 Aylward Road, Merton Park, SW20

Fri 14 Dec, Xmas drinks, 8.30pm, Sultan pub, Norman Road, SW19

Sun 16 Dec, Xmas lunch ride, starts from Wimbledon Station 10.30am

Sun 30 Dec, ppp ride, starts from Wimbledon Station 10.30am

 2002

Wed 16 Jan, monthly meeting, 8pm, 88 Aylward Road, Merton Park, SW20

Sun 27 Jan, ppp ride, starts from Wimbledon Station 10.30am

Wed 13 Feb, monthly meeting, 8pm, 88 Aylward Road, Merton Park, SW20

Sun 24 Feb, ppp ride, starts from Wimbledon Station 10.30am

The MCC AGM will be at 7.30pm on Friday 3rd May 2002 at South Wimbledon Community Centre, 72 Haydons Road (handy for access to the excellent Sultan pub afterwards...) Agenda will be published and distributed with April/May LC magazine.

The next Parks, Playgrounds and Pubs Cycle Rides for families will be on Dec 30th 2001 / Jan 27th 2002.  PPP is a monthly programme of rides for parents with young children. Rides are on the last Sunday of each month and start at 10.30am from Wimbledon station forecourt. Rides are not too long (10/15 miles or so) with plenty of appropriate child-friendly stops. Kids of all ages are welcome, in bike seats, trailers, or on their own bikes. We aim to keep to quiet or traffic-free routes where we can. Turn up and go - no need to book, no charge.

A happy group of cyclists led by Nick Fox, closely followed by his son Christopher (aged 7 and now riding his own bike!), set off from Wimbledon Station on the October PPP ride. A leisurely pace was set, off-road along the Wandle path to King George’s Park. After an enjoyable playground stop two members of the party were unintentionally left behind (stopped to look at a beautiful tree house in one of the gardens adjoining the park.) All managed to meet up again at The Windmill Pub on Clapham Common where tasty sausage and onion sandwiches were consumed. The return route included enjoyable sections across Wandsworth and Tooting Commons.

LCC HQ organises frequent ring-rounds of recently lapsed members, and welcomes volunteers to help with this who can concentrate on Merton if they want to. These evening sessions are from 6pm until 9pm, and food & drink is provided. Contact Duncan Exley on 7928 6112 to find out more.

Some lottery funding has been raised and plans are underway to design a survey to support/encourage increased cycle use.