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Dear <<First Name>>
It's been a wet summer so far but lots of people seem to have taken to two wheels judging by all the cyclists whizzing around. We have lots to report this month including the second Colchester Kidical Mass, Pam's bicycle funeral and a new 248-mile cycle route in Suffolk. As you read on, please think of friends and acquaintances to whom you can forward this newsletter. The cycling campaign always needs new members and supporters.
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This piece of infrastructure in the countryside within six miles of Colchester has a connection to ancient Egypt. But do you know which infrastructure and why?
We know this is a difficult one, so the picture above is a clue! Answer at the bottom of this newsletter.
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A fleet of nearly 50 cyclists took part in the funeral cortege for Pam Nelson. The long-time Colchester cycling activist died in July aged 68 after having cancer for seven years.Mike Polom of Colchester Bike Kitchen led the procession riding a bicycle hearse made by Mike, Neil Allen and Phin Wenlock. Lee Pugh of Colchester eCargo, Nik Hughes of Essex Pedal Power and Phin from CBK acted as escorts.We met at Hunnaball’s chapel of rest near East Gates and cycled along East Bay, Brook Street, Wimpole Road, Bourne Road and Mersea Road to reach the crematorium. The rear half of the cortege is pictured below queueing in Brook Street.
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More than 200 people gathered to say farewell to Pam. As well as cycling she was involved in local politics, Parkrun, Colchester Jazz Club, Camra, the Headgate Theatre and much, much more.
Pam became involved in the cycling campaign in about 1999 and was known for her infectious enthusiasm. Nothing was impossible; we could do everything! Read Will Bramhill’s eulogy to Pam.
Below is a tribute to Pam painted on the graffiti wall at the Moors/Haddon Way by her friend Shaun. It is nearly 15 metres long and reads: Pam – Ride in Peace.
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As Richard Monk, a campaign supporter, said on social media: “Can we celebrate her legacy by fighting tenaciously and positively for a cycling environment in Colchester so good that, like Amsterdam, it gives the vast majority of people the confidence to travel and live peacefully, harmoniously, healthily and, most important, happily – as Pam showed by example.”
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Colchester’s second Kidical Mass ride was even better than the first. The event took place on Sunday July 23, setting off from Norman Way with a rousing cornet fanfare from Jan Young. It then went along Lexden Road to the Mercury Theatre to pick up younger riders, Here we were entertained by Tetley Carter, a unicyclist. He invited everyone to have a go themselves. More than 80 riders then cycled along High Street where shoppers and tourists stopped and clapped. Their attention was drawn by the energising music and blue “day smoke” provided by Tim Edwards from Ipswich. There was also an odd Scotsman on a scaled down penny-farthing (who was that man?) who in tribute to Pam Nelson displayed a photo of her on his trailer. As the ride went along High Street, the two teenagers who had joined us on the first ride in May took a position in the vanguard and showed everyone how to do wheelies.The ride ended in Castle Park with the traditional cyclists’ cake.The event was organised by Kim and Simon Barnetson and Jean Quinn, Colchester members of Kidical Mass UK, who thanked their volunteer marshals and photographers. The next rides are on September 2 and October 28. Follow Kidical Mass Colchester on Facebook for details.
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St Botolph's, the masterplan and Crouch Street |
The campaign has submitted our responses to both the St Botolph’s and the masterplan consultations. Thanks to everyone who chipped in via Google Docs. We’ve very pleased to see how this cooperative working is panning out. The final, submitted versions are here (masterplan) and here (St Botolph’s). We’ve also taken the chance to point out what went wrong with the Crouch Street scheme sending a paper to both Essex County Council and Active Travel England.Finally we are happy to report that Essex should meet LTN 1/20 in all schemes that involve cycling (ie not just cycling schemes). See this letter here.Note particularly the following paragraphs:“Active Travel England will hold the active travel budget, including for behaviour change and cycle training. It will assess all applications for active travel capital and revenue funding, including from wider funds such as the City Region Sustainable Transport Fund, the Levelling Up Fund and RIS2. "It will award funding to schemes only if they meet the standards and principles set out in Local Transport Note 1/20 , or any later national design standards. "(Gear Change was clear that to receive government funding for local highways investment where the main element is not walking or cycling improvements, there will be a presumption that all new schemes will deliver or improve cycling infrastructure to the new standards laid down, unless it can be shown that there is little or no need for cycling in that particular road scheme. ATE will also assess these schemes.)”
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Take the Wolf Way in Suffolk |
The Wolf Way is a 248 mile/400km cycling adventure around Suffolk. Winding its way around many of the best bridleways, byways, gravel tracks, cycle paths and quiet back roads, it takes in some of Suffolk’s most beautiful locations and hidden gems. Do it all in one go over five days or simply tackle a section at a time, travelling to Diss, Lowestoft, Bury St Edmunds or Ipswich by train. Thanks to Chris Bower and Sharon Calton for devising it.
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It’s great to hear that even in the Netherlands there is friction over cycle routes. It makes us feel a whole lot better about challenging our councils. This is the latest dispute affecting the Dutch part of the North Sea Cycle Route, which takes in the east coast of Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Norway. Many Colchester riders have ridden at least part of it, some of them in the dry. Watch the video here.
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Is this the oldest picture of someone on a cycle in Colchester? We reckon this snap dates to the 1870s or 1880s, just before the advent of James Starley’s Rover safety cycle. The Carpenters Arms with its distinctive curved front was open until at least 1948. Where was it? If you stand on the central reservation of Southway between the two halves of Chapel Street, you’ll probably be next to the door of the saloon bar,
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The campaign is putting pressure on Essex County Council to reopen the 125-year-old Boxted bridge to pedestrians and cyclists, The bridge forms part of various figure-of-eight routes for leisure cyclists and commuters from and into Suffolk. It has been closed for structural checks but Essex has placed 11 one-ton blocks on it to stop all through traffic. These make it look like the former Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin.
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August Bike Meet takes place on August 21. We’re not yet sure whether it will be a video or pub meeting. If you are signed up as a member of CCC (it’s free!) you should receive updates and links by email.
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Just for fun (the answer) |
Ipswich engineer George Double (1840-1916) built Boxted bridge, known to locals as the Green Bridge. He was the foreman of the team that raised Cleopatra’s Needle on the Embankment in London in 1878, 19 years before working at Boxted.
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