Dear <<First Name>> 

After promising you two newsletters last month, neither of the two stories I was looking at for the second edition came off. 

I hope to bring you news soon on the situation regarding Essex Police's Extra Eyes bikecam reporting service, where performance has dipped because the force is following new national guidance. 

What is bizarre is that no other police force in the country seems to be doing likewise. Campaign chairman Stuart Johnson will be updating me in a couple of weeks' time.

The other story is about PSPO fines. We understand that Wise, Colchester council's warden agency, is fining cyclists again although we've yet to receive any complaints. Councillor David King is due to meet us to discuss the situation on Thursday. Interestingly Birmingham Pushbikes is protesting about a similar move in their city. We'll keep you in touch.

Happy cycling!

Editor

Children enjoy Church Lane being car-free Picture: Laura Woolley

Children skip and enjoy a bit of freedom away from cars. This is not News's Picture from the Past but a shot of Church Lane, Lexden, last week after the road was closed for roadworks.

Church Lane usually suffers from being a rat run for fast motor traffic between Prettygate and Lexden Road. 

Laura Woolley, a mother who lives on Parsons Hill, posted her snap on a Lexden group on Facebook and asked if the closure could be made permanent.

Will Bramhill of the cycling campaign chipped into the conversation that followed, suggesting that Essex Council Council carries out modelling to  make the lane one-way for cars (either northwards or southwards) and use the space created for cyclists and pedestrians.

Such a change would help provide a cycle link between Prettygate and the station and hospital, especially if the cycleway on Cymbeline Way is switched to the south side of the road and connects to Glen Avenue.

The scheme could tie into the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. Campaign member Nat Catchpole hopes to take this forward.

Sue Lissimore, county councillor for the area, has forwarded  the data for the most recent speed check. In the campaign's view, an average of 32mph is way too fast but some Essex officers are offering their usual  platitudes as to why they shouldn't take action.

Mrs Lissimore said: "I don’t like the status quo where no one feels safe. For starters Colchester City Council need to take responsibility for cutting the verge adjacent to the park [which forces] pedestrians towards the road. We need to keep vehicles within the speed limit but the last speed surveys showed that vehicles were not generally speeding."

We hope that Mrs Lissimore will get behind our idea or at least ask for the scheme to be modelled.

A PCSO borrowed a Colchester cyclist's bike as they chased a man suspected of domestic abuse  in Castle Park. The man was taken into custody and charged. The full story here leads to the question: why don't more of our police officers patrol the city on bikes?

Lucy White has started a petition for safer cycling infrastructure to the south of town. 

She writes: Every journey I make on Birch Road leaves me in fear. This road is a narrow, national speed limit road with blind bends. I've had many near misses. 

"The problem does not end there: a vast solar farm has led to the closure of many local lanes and increased the number of HGVs. 

"By linking Bridleway 31 Layer de la Haye to Footpath 24 Birch, we could  establish a secure pathway for vulnerable road users, away from the risk of fast cars and blind bends. 

"Let's turn this frightening road into a haven for all users while giving back to the community affected by the solar farm development. 

"I urge you to support the linking of Bridleway 31 Layer de la Haye to Footpath 24 Birch.  Why should we have to wait for a fatality before something is done?" 

You can sign and share Lucy's petition here: https://chng.it/jKgmyc9zt6

Will Bramhill writes: "Lucy's experience flags up the fact that even green infrastructure such as solar farms can have a detrimental effect on local communities. It is so important to get in early on the planning process. If you hear of something like this happening in your area, please email admin@colchester-cycling.org.uk"

This is your chance to help fund Colchester Cycling Campaign. We don't need much to get by, but every little helps!

Please remember to comply with the law and stay safe by making sure your bike lights are working, front and back. 

Be seen, be safe.

News from outside the city. Will Bramhill, the campaign secretary, took to the Stoke by Nayland page on Facebook to float an idea for a short section of path for cyclists, walkers and horse riders beside the A134 between Horkesley Road, Nayland, and Park Road, Boxted, with an uncontrolled crossing to Water Lane, Little Horkesley. 

Will was amazed at the support from people in the village and surrounding area. It seems he's not the only one who hates taking to the main road for all of 300 metres of true peril.

Now Will is pressing to see if there's any money lurking in untapped council pots that could fund this quickly, so that it is in place for Constable 250, the celebrations of the birth of the artist John Constable in 2026. 

Will said: "In the old days we could probably have tapped EU tourism money but that is no longer available. I have the support of local Conservatives Lewis Barber and Darius Laws and have set several hares running. Let's see where they go."

Thanks to Des McCarron, a long-time member of the campaign, for helping us to respond to a National Highways consultation on reducing the speed limit on the A120 between Braintree to Marks Tey. 

Des identified a series of crossing points used by both leisure and utility cyclists. Will Bramhill replied to National Highways as a member of the Essex Cycling Advocacy Network, which is part of Cycling UK, the national cycling charity

Will also suggested that National Highways sign cycle routes using the back roads that run largely parallel to the main road and called for a 30mph limit in Marks Tey itself.

Using Des's data, he told National Highways that cyclists do use short stretches of the A120 when crossing the road at staggered junctions and that "anything you can do to improve safety at these points would be appreciated".

These are the junctions highlighted by des

Hollies Road/Bridge Hall Road at https://what3words.com/woke.pies.jaws

Doghouse Road/Fiveash Lane at https://what3words.com/product.heartburn.admire

Holfield Grange Road at https://what3words.com/tags.boardroom.acrobatic  Coggeshall West Street https://what3words.com/carpeted.demand.upward

Colne Road at  https://what3words.com/taped.invisible.rests

Tey Road at https://what3words.com/obeyed.rattler.fights

Houchins Lane and Old Road at https://what3words.com/control.stint.homing

Church Lane and Elm Lane at https://what3words.com/workflow.typed.duplicity

National Highways has acknowledged our contribution. It said: "Your comment is being reviewed and will be considered to inform any necessary changes to our plans. Safety is our priority, and our long-term shared ambition is that no one travelling or working on our roads is harmed."

 

Formal statutory consultation on the speed limit change is expected to start soon. 

This is your chance to help fund Transport Action Network's court case to stop the cuts to cycling and walking.

The national campaign group sprung into action when Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt axed two thirds of the funding for cycleways, despite the evidence that shows how it benefits health, the environment and social opportunities.

Everyone was hoping Labour would bring change yet in last month’s budget its promises seem to have got lost in the wash.

TAN lost its original case but can go to the Court of Appeal if it can raise the money by Tuesday next week

TAN says of Rachel Reeves maiden budget: "It was a case of rail fares up above inflation, bus fares surging while fuel duty was frozen for the 13th year. What about walking, wheeling and cycling? £100 million was announced, less than half in real terms of what was being spent annually before the cuts."

Find out more about the TAN campaign and bung them a fiver here. At the time of writing TAN has £45,000 and it needs another £5,000. So nearly there!

The London borough of Waltham Forest is celebrating ten years of a revolution in cycling and walking. What's more, Essex councillors don't have far to go to see a real success story. Here's the short video, and here's a longer one with comments from Chris Boardman, the commissioner of Active Travel England, and locals. These videos are recommended viewing for all councillors and would-be councillors who say "Colchester cannot adapt to cycling".

Essex cycling campaigners who are members of the Cyclists Advocacy Network run by Cycling UK are organising themselves to hold a joint meeting with Essex highways officers. The meeting will be about strategy rather than individual schemes. Already we have representatives from Harlow, Chelmsford, Thurrock and Basildon – plus Stuart and Will representing Colchester. 

Cllr Tom Cunningham, the highways portfolio holder, has agree to attend the first meeting.

The United Nations has adopted the Guide for Designating Cycle Networks. This might sound arcane but it's a useful touchstone for campaigners who want to get a particular point across. There's this report on how cycling can help address transport poverty too.

The next Bike Meet is on Monday November 18. If you sign up as a member you will receive an email giving joining details.

Your editor writes: "At first I thought this was a picture of Colchester High Street with no cyclists. I had to look closely and sure enough there are a couple of bikes propped against the kerb near the George Hotel, while in the far distance a woman in her Edwardian best is storming between two carts towards the cameraman (detail, below). If you're new to Colchester the church is St Nicholas's, which was built in the 1870s on the site of a 12th-century church, and demolished in the 1950s. One of the bells went to St Martin's church in Basildon, and the former graveyard is currently being redeveloped as St Nicholas Square."

Colchester Cycling Campaign recommends both Cycling For Pleasure and Happy Handlebars if you want to try leisure rides. Both clubs run a variety of rides for people of different abilities. 

Cycling for Pleasure: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1594722180845186

Happy Handlebars: https://www.facebook.com/HappyHandlebarsColch

Other clubs and local routes to try: https://www.colchester-cycling.org.uk/maps-rides-clubs.html 

Colchester Cycling Campaign has lots of LOCAL cycling advice on its website. If you have a question, make our advice page your first port of call.

Visit https://www.colchester-cycling.org.uk/advice.html

.... and no news of any progress to date 

Have you signed the Colchester Cycling Charter yet? If not, please do. If you work or volunteer, please ask your organisation to sign too. The more people on bikes, the fewer traffic jams will snarl up our city.

Feel free to pass on this newsletter via email and social media by using the link at the very top ... and encourage your friends to join the campaign so they receive their own copy every month.

Chairman: Stuart Johnson
Vice-secretary: Will Bramhill
Treasurer: Catherine Johnson
Your committee: Alex Hooper, Chris Stevenson, Jean Quinn, Nathaniel Catchpole, Alan Spence and Paul Byrne