November 2009
November 27
Glorious sun and mighty wind made for a stunning but slow cycle ride out to Maldon yesterday. This was the scene at The Hythe:
The final two-hundred metres is up Market Hill, touted as being the steepest B-Road in Essex. While I can’t verify that, I can show you my ascent and later descent:
November 16
After a week of really miserable weather, yesterday was a real treat. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a bike ride (all but the flooded roads that is). And it wasn’t just cyclists that made the most of it:
November 10
Colchester has missed out on a share of the remaining £10 million of the government’s cycling budget. Here’s the Gazette report:
According to online reports, “a survey showed 27% more trips by bike being made” in the original six ‘Cycling Demonstration Towns’. Is Cycle Colchester doomed to failure then, given one of the ‘Cycling Town’ aims is to, “increase the number of people cycling regularly by at least 75% over the initial plan period”?
N.B. The “initial plan period” is three years, and the ‘Demonstration Towns’ were given their status some four years ago.
Another aim was to rejuvenate the High Woods route, and extensively market and promote it; this I cannot fault, it is all we have heard about for the duration of ‘Cycling Town’. But after all the hoo-hah, and almost countless launches, they seem to have forgotten one crucial thing: to sign it. Spot the entrance to the new, £250,000 High Woods route:
On the bright side, Sustrans will receive £6 million of the remaining cycling budget to, amongst other things, “install cycle parking”. Maybe next time I make the pilgrimage to their HQ I will find somewhere to park my bicycle (preferably on the nice big patio right outside)…
November 7
Went to London last week for the infamous Critical Mass, which of course coincided with Halloween! Nothing makes you feel quite so empowered and part of a real movement. Here is some video my friend Nik was able to record:
- Conflict at Park Crescent
- Cycling around Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace
- Drum kit adapted from a bicycle
Entries made in October.