November 2000 NEWSLETTER Online

The events in the NBW were very successful. For once the weather kept fair for the whole week apart from the Bikers Breakfast. The bike display in St Thomas Square was excellent especially with the group having marquees supplied by the Council/ Tourist board and a magnificent display of old bikes from the Solent Veteran Cycle Group. The Bikers Breakfast was an excellent event this year with over 50 people attending a particulary challenging cycling morning. Congratulations to Graeme Moore who manged to get 15 people of the RNLI to attend. The support from Sainsburys was excellent. 80 people joined us on the Converging Ride to Newport, from points all over the Island, where a picnic was held on Church Litten. After that there was a ride around the town where were joined by another 20 riders. Sad to report even in that short distance we managed to find motorists who lost their temper.

The Ride the Net event was organised by Sustrans nationwide.On the Island it appeared at first that our efforts were low key, especially when we were contacted by three people from the mainland asking if they could join our ride as the others in the South were full. The ride begun at County Hall with 14 riders. We rode the national network route to Fishbourne as best we could, caught the ferry and arrived at Portsmouth Guildhall dead on 6 oclock and were amazed to be invited to take our bikes indoors and park them actually inside the building. We were then directed upstairs to meet the Lord Mayor and a whole range of interesting people including IBM's officer who works at encouraging 'green' solutions, (How long on the Island will we have to with for one of those) To our amazement our 14 riders turned out to be the biggest group. After the reception we had a guided ride around some of the provision for cyclists in Portsmouth (it would make you jealous) before making our way back to the ferry .

Cycle Wight was invited to attend a best value meeting which is part of local government's way of ensuring that users of their services can put over their views. In our case it was with the Rights of Way department. The discussion which involved representatives from Friends of the Earth, Ramblers, British Horse Society covered two main areas; the use of paths and how to protect vulnerable users. It featured a brain storming session as well as an opportunity to listen to other users views and perspectives. It is good to to report that this was a worthwhile exercise. It was asked if there was to be the similar exercise involving roads. The answer was 'no' which is a great shame.

It is to happen again next year. This year's events were good but the Tourism Board hope next year's event will be even better. Planning is to begin very soon so we hope that there will be much more in place next year. For keen readers of magazines and papers there have been a whole range of articles about cycling on the Island this year. This is due mainly to the Tourism Board working much harder to promote the Island. If you would be interested in hosting an event or have a good idea please contact Claire Whittington at IW Tourism at Westridge.

There has long been a need for a definitive cycling map of the Island. Several members of the committee have been working on this project for six months. It is now at the stage where we have been showing it to people who have an expertise in this area especially with regard to funding. It is good to report that the map has received a very favourable response. If you have any ideas about the map please contact George on 524381.

Good News. Several councillors have begun to ask why so many of the routes are only half finished. Watch this space. Bad News. Some councillors think too much money is being spent on cycling, If you have any complaints about cycle provision, please let us know but also your local councillor and Cllr E Fox and Cllr M Cunningham at County Hall.

We are sorry to report that once again the Council has hit the brakes on cycling!

After a promising patch - action on the Sandown path at Langbridge, and on the Newport to Wootton last year and the beginnings of a path between Newport and Carisbrooke, this year has seen a breakdown in communication between Highways and ourselves, brought to a head by their decision to go ahead with the very substandard route between Whippingham and Fairlee.

This was done without consultation "because of the hurry to get the route opened in time for the cycling Festival in June". We assume by this logic that the route is now complete, although we would be hard put to show you exactly where it is, especially around the entrance to the Mountbatten Centre Where are the signs, where is the road crossing?

Speaking of signs, we had hoped we had won that particular battle and convinced Rights of Way that some signs are desperately needed - how else is anyone to find the path that they have heard starts in Perowne Way? Or Seaclose Park? Or Ryde Esplanade? And so on...

We had begun to discuss the issue in detail in the Cycle Working Group, but the good work of this group as well as the Cycle Forum, has ground to a halt.

For years we have been preaching the message of the "Double Whammy" - the creation of cycleway schemes, and improvements in towns, is good for those who cycle (and those who want to start cycling) and for those who don 't.

How does the latter benefit? - From the money that flows into local businesses from tourism. Tourism is the Island's life blood, and with cycling gaining rapidly in popularity as a holiday activity, the IW could be one of the UK's leading cycling holiday destinations. This is green tourism at its best, substantial rewards for the local economy without damage to the local environment, as has been shown with, for example, the C2C route in Northumbria.

Have you noticed how many people on bikes and cars with bike racks this summer? Imagine how it could be with more traffic free routes, well signed and promoted?

Several years ago we cycled from Passau, Germany along the wonderfully scenic Donauradweg (Danube cycle path) to Vienna. With knowledge that the route continued on to Budapest we had resolved to explore further.

In August this year we finally made it. From Vienna airport it was only a few hours ride to Slovakia. Border guards waved us past long queues of traffic and with a tailwind we were past the outskirts of Bratislava and into Hungary very quickly. Following signs along minor roads, we camped by a lake and at a local restaurant had our first taste of excellent Hungarian beer and generous portions of very good and inexpensive food. The marked route then continued inland and an excellent cycle path led us to the beautiful city of Györ. We explored Györ and continued on minor roads to Tata.

Whenever we stopped in towns and villages to consult the map (not always adequate!) a friendly person would quietly approach to help. Fortunately most spoke a little German, as Hungarian is the most unfathomable language! In Tata the directions to the campsite proved too complicated and a man on a bike led us weaving through side streets, around a lake and to the campground. The next morning at a busy intersection, workmen (no German this time) downed tools and all tried to help. After much pointing we were on our way over the only hilly section to Esztergom. Here we climbed the 400 steps of the Basilica. The views were well worth it!

Around the Danube Bend our next stop was Szentendre.-a beautiful campsite and only a 30-minute train ride into Budapest. Here we were pleasantly surprised by the lack of traffic and the well-marked cycle paths throughout the city! We had originally planned to cycle further east and catch a train back to Vienna. Due to a lack of time, we decided to spend another holiday cycling around eastern Hungary, and made our way back instead to Vienna via a more southerly route, pausing at several spa towns hoping the hot springs would alleviate our sore muscles. Finally we arrived in Vienna - a cyclist’ s utopia .

Hungary has much to offer the cyclist – inexpensive, excellent beer and wine, copious amounts of food, quiet country roads and very friendly people (speaking German helps). We are definitely going back! Next time from Budapest to the Ukraine.

If anyone would like more information on the Danube cycle path or cycling in Hungary call Sally or Keith Evensen Tel: 01983 280030

November 2000 NEWSLETTER Online

Always trying to push back the boundaries of the unknown we have decided to do the AGM in a different format. This year we felt, as CycleWight is now 7 years old, that part of the evening should be set aside for a consultation/discussion with the membership and invited guests. To ensure that the evening is not one of too much introversion we have invited members from the Salisbury cycle campaign (COGS) who have enjoyed some success with provison of cycle facilites in and around the city. We need every single member to attend to air their views, look at good practise and ensure that CycleWight continues to ring the right bells.

Ferry Users Group We are looking for a member to represent us this group. It meets approximately 3 times a year and therefore is not particulaly onerus but bearing mind some of the facilites at the ports and on the boats it is an important one.

Wednesday 27th December 11am, Mince Pie Ride at Godshill, meeting at Godshill Organics & ending at Scout Hall

As a group we do try to keep apace of all the planning applications that come up and if necessary comment. We have seen some poor planning decisions of late, the millennium shed (sorry cinema) with a drive through Kentucky Fried as well as McDonalds¹s in Ryde and now, possibly a giant B&Q. It would help if people who do notice a planning application or a traffic order thay makes cycling more difficult do contact the group.

Cyclewight members counted bikes and pedestrians on the Newport to Cowes Cycleway on the last friday of the summer holidays. We counted a total of 216 cyclists and 49 pedestrians in the 12 hours between 7am and 7pm, of which the great majority were commuting journeys, given the weather-periods of heavy rain it was not surprising that there were few leisure trips.

This data is useful as it provides a baseline from which to measure trends, and gives us one measure of the substantial amount of cycle commuting that goes on, largely unnoticed. If you would be interested in helping for an hour or two with a future census please let us know.

This photo shows the impressive new cycle parking provision at Sandham Middle School in Sandown. The school is very supportive of cycling and recognising the importance of 'Safe Routes to School. There is great potential for increasing cycling especially in Middle Schools. Please let us know of new school cycling initiatives and how CycleWight might help.

Malcolm Ross and George Wilks met the Council’s new Head of Highways, Steve Matthews, who has come to the Island with his family - and their bikes! Steve comes from South Wales, where among other things he was involved in the implementation of the National Cycle Network in that area in conjunction with Sustrans. He is keen to consult with local groups, and has promised to get the Cycle Forum meetings, our main contact with the Council but which hasn’t met since the Spring, restarted... We look forward to a fruitful relationship.

and a big thank you to Rod Warne, our cycle friendly Council Officer in Highways. Rod has been responsible for the construction and maintenance of most of the recent cycling schemes, including those mentioned below. A cyclist himself, Rod's always been willing to listen to our points of view, and through his good work has brought many of our dreams into reality- Thanks Rod. We’ll miss you!

Carisbrooke- The path from Purdy Road, across Wellington Road, to Recreation Gound Road, has been widened, surfaced, and made “Shared Use”, so that it is now possible to cycle from Carisbrooke into Newport avoiding most of the traffic.

By continuing along Wilver Road, Westminster Lane and past Sainsbury’s, this forms an important cycle route across the north of Newport, for trips to town, Hospital, College, Industrial Estate,etc and to the Newport to Cowes cycleway. We will be pressing for the entire route to be clearly signed.

Also around Carisbrooke- another Shared Use path has been created between Hinton Road and Alderbury Lane, allowing residents to walk or cycle into Newport in less time than they could drive..

A big thank you to IWC for these paths, and please remember to give plenty of warning and slow down for pedestrians - very important when a few people are giving cyclists a bad name by their inconsiderate behaviour.

Medham-We have been told that a link from the Newport to Cowes cycleway through Medham to Northwood is to be created shortly as part of Transco’s pipe works there. Cyclewight has long stressed the value of this link for Northwood, and for those that work in that area, so we are delighted that it is to go ahead, aand will let you know when it is open.

Cycle Routes in Montfort-sur-Meu, Brittany.	Montfort is a small town in Brittany about 30km west of Rennes. CycleWight member Malcolm Ross was impressed by the quality of this `safe route to school' - it ran from the town centre to a suburb containing the schools. There is a two way cycle lane beside the foot path with chequerboard green highlighting driveways to the houses and the road crossing at the roundabout. Barriers protect the cycle routes from car parking.

September 2000 NEWSLETTER Online

November 2000 NEWSLETTER Online