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MCC News, Issue 48, Dec 07 / Jan 08
Town centre traffic scheme illegal
Hard and fast rules apply
to the implementation of 20mph speed restriction in the UK and these have been
around for over 15 years. The ‘20mph’ installation in Wimbledon Town Centre
bears little relation to statutory requirements.
The ‘illegal’ signage has
50% less impact on motorists than it should, and a proportion of what is
installed is negligently obscured having no impact on motorists at all.
The Merton Cycling Campaign have been banging on at
Merton Council about it ever since its introduction and are pleased to report
that the Council is finally applying for funds to get it properly installed.
At the same time the MCC are pressing the Council to use the
opportunity provided by re-installation to review the boundaries and expand the
20mph restriction. The present scheme’s boundaries take no account of the many
children’s facilities that are tightly knitted into the Broadway. The Polka
Theatre, Wimbledon Theatre, the Patrick Doody Clinic, the YMCA and five Primary
Schools!
20mph for the birds!
Hugh Morgan of the MCC said “For their own safety pedestrians and
cyclists should not be fooled into presuming that Wimbledon Town Centre is a
calm haven of 20mph. Motorists will flaunt inept traffic instruction and in
this case the speed tables have also been ‘flattened’. This 'illegal'
installation inevitably has the unfortunate knock-on effect of encouraging
motorists to treat 20mph restriction with contempt elsewhere.”
Hugh Morgan
MCC display stand at Centre Court
MCC display stand
Here is the new-look MCC
stand, at Centre Court during Bike Week in June. The MCC stand looked
attractive and generated lots of interest.
Fed up with potholes in Merton?
This website was brought
to our attention for reporting potholes and other road defects which can be a
danger to cyclists:
http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/
It's a facility provided
by the CTC, it looks really neat, easy and quick to use, and the council
officers here like it because it provides them with a map of where the defect
is.
So please use it to
report the craters you know of!
Richard Evans
Rickshaw restored to former glory
John Waller has put in an
unbelievable amount of work on the rickshaw and it is now beginning to
show. I am unclear as to how many are aware of the unrelenting and
numerous problems we have had with its transmission, pulling to the left etc.,
etc., etc.,but to John's credit he was simply undeterred and would not give up
on the project.
At the InTown Without My
Car event in Royal Borough of Kingston, on Friday 21st Sept, the Merton Cycling
Campaign Rickshaw looked really regal and majestic in the sunshine and it was
truly admired by all.
Riding it to and from
Kingston caused a great deal of excitement and even the normally very impatient
commercial drivers slowed down for a moment to admire it. Young mums
brought their babies to the very edge of the kerb so that they could have a
good look at it as I slowly rode by ringing the bell like a mad man!
Godwin Calafato
Give your lawn a cycle clip!
I was in France for a
week. While there I visited a garden centre where a cycle mower was on display.
Unfortunately the cutting part was petrol powered; it would have been better if
the blades were powered by the pedals.
Hugh Morgan
Something for the Christmas stocking?
Still strugging to get
ideas for gifts for this Christmas? Then look no more!
A really good book called
“City Cycling” has just been published. The book offers advice on how to buy a
bicycle, explanations of the benefits of cycling, and tips on how to cycle in
urban areas. It also offers guidance on basic maintenance and was written by
renowned cycling author Richard Ballantine (of Richard’s Bicycle Book fame).
All in all, it’s a really
useful book for anyone from first-timers to experienced cyclists. I bought it
at the ‘Cycle Show 2007 Expo’ in October and, having reached half way, I’ve
enjoyed it very much so far. I was surprised to learn technical stuff about
bicycles which I didn’t already know!
This book costs £9.99.
(ISBN13: 9781905005604) and is compact - only 14 cm x 19cm, so it would pop
nicely into the Christmas stocking! Recommended!
Duncan Harper