GoCycle Update No.3

February 2009

I write with the latest news from GoCycle, Leighton-Linslade’s Cycle Town project.

This edition of the GoCycle Update is packed with information so I have listed the content below for your ease and reference:

1. Wheelie Wednesday – 11th February 2008

2. Exhibition Plans – New routes & Cycling Facilities by Easter 2009

3. February 2009 Half Term Activities – Cycle Training for ages 4yrs to Adult

4. Basic Bike Maintenance course – 5 sessions, starting Friday 27th Feb.

5. Weekend Adult Cycle Training – dates available 21/22 Feb, 21/22 March.

6. Sustrans Ranger Event - Weds 11th March, 6.30 – 8.30 pm

7. Bike Week 13th – 21st June 2009

8. Easter Holiday Activities

9. Summer Holiday Activities

10. Century Bike Ride – Sunday 6th September 2009 – Join us!

11. Loan or offer of bikes/accessories

12. Other Events

13. Sharing those New Year’s Resolution

14. New Year’s Reveleighton Wheelie Wednesday

15. John Grimshaw’s visit – Cycling England

16. Extra funding Awarded from Cycling England 

17. Cycle Parking in Schools

18. Additional Cycle Parking at the Train Station

19. Leighton-Linslade Cycle Maps

20. GoCycle Website

21. Cycle Forum

You may obtain more information on GoCycle events by contacting the office or following the website links in the text.  And please forward this email to everyone who might be interested – they can email us to request their own future updates directly to their inbox.

Happy Cycling!

Alvina Farrow, GoCycle Promotions Officer

Events and activities for you:

1. Wheelie Wednesday – 11th February 2009

Our next Wheelie Wednesday will take place on Wednesday 11th February – 12.30 – 1.30 pm– Come and Cycle To Your Heart’s Content for Valentine’s Day!!  Meet at the Market Cross Leighton Buzzard.  (If you want your bike checked before the ride, please arrive 15 mins early).

2. Exhibition of Plans - New routes & Cycle Facilities by Easter 2009!

Two exhibitions have been arranged. The first will be on Tuesday 10 February 2009 at the Tactic Centre and is intended to give interested teenagers the opportunity to discuss the planned new cycle play facilities. This exhibition will run from 4 until 6pm. The second exhibition will be held at the White House between 2 and 8pm on Thursday 12 February 2009, and will be open to all residents of the parish.  Copies of design documents will also be available at the White House for inspection from 12 February onwards.

Due to limited time available to complete a build, there will be little if any opportunity to amend designs. Hence, both exhibitions are primarily about offering information and registering concerns.  Both exhibitions will be advertised, including a letter drop to residents whose properties border a park where work is planned 

3. February 2009 half term activities – Cycle Training for 4yrs to Adults

We are delighted to be able to offer the following courses during the February 2009 half term:

Wednesday 18th February 2009

Complete Beginners 4 – 7 years   9.30 am – 10.30 am

Complete Beginners 4 – 7 years 11.30 am – 12.30 pm

Biking Basics 4 – 7 years   1.00 pm –  3.30 pm

 

Thursday 19th February & Friday 20th February 2009

All participants need to attend both sessions in order to complete the course (6hrs total)

Bikeability Level 2 12 – 16 yrs 9.30 am – 12.30 pm (2 sessions)

Bikeability Level 2 Family session 1.30 pm – 4.30 pm   (2 sessions) (children 12 yrs and over)

 

Friday 20th February 2009

Bikeability Level 1 (9-12yrs)

10.00 am – 12.00 noon (1 session)

The above courses will be held at Southcott Lower School, Soulbury Road, Linslade.   If you would like information on the course content, would like to reserve a place (requires refundable deposit of £5) or register interest for when the course is run again then please contact alvina.farrow@leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk.  

4. Basic Bike Maintenance course - 5 sessions, starting Friday 27th Feb.

We have arranged our first Basic Bike Maintenance Training Course, which will run for 5 consecutive weeks starting Friday 27th February for 5 weeks from 7pm – 8.30 pm at Southcott Lower School, Soulbury Road, Linslade.  The cost is £10.00 per person.  If you would like information on the course content, would like to reserve a place or register interest for when the course is run again please contact alvina.farrow@leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk

5. Weekend Adult Cycle Training

We are pleased to be able to offer adults cycle training at the weekend on the following dates:

Saturday 21st February 2.00 pm – 4.30 pm

Sunday 22nd February 2.00 pm – 4.30 pm

Saturday 21st March 2.00 pm – 4.30 pm

Sunday 22nd March 2.00 pm  - 4.30 pm

The meeting place for these sessions will be at The White House, Hockliffe Road, Leighton Buzzard  LU7 1HD. If you would like information on the course content, would like to reserve a place (requires refundable deposit of £5) or register interest for when the course is run again then please contact Alvina Farrow.

6. Sustrans Ranger Event Weds 11th March, 6.30 – 8.30 pm

Ever thought of becoming a Ranger? You can ride your bike AND do something useful at the same time!  Why not come along for an informal information evening and learn more about Sustrans and how you can become part of it.  The date is  Wednesday 11th March, 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm at The White House, Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard  LU7 1HD

7. Bike Week 13th – 21st June 2009

During this week there will be a number of bike related events … watch this space for further information.  We would also like to hear from you if you would be interested in helping to organise an event with your business, school or club.

8. Easter Holiday activities

We are arranging a full programme of activities over the Easter holiday period to include: Mountain Bike Taster sessions for 10 – 16 year olds; Bikeability Cycle Training – Level 2; and a Family Bike Ride.  If you would like information or would like to reserve a place (requires refundable deposit of £5) please contact alvina.farrow@leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk

9. Summer Holidays 

We also have a fun packed schedule for the Summer holidays watch this space!

Please contact alvina.farrow@leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk for further information and a booking form.  

10. Century bike ride – Sunday 6th September 2009 – Join us!

I am amazed that people want to join me on a 100 mile bike ride!  This means I really will have to do the whole 100 miles and no cheating.  Aghhhhh!  

It was lovely to hear from so many people who want to join in.   Brilliant! Let’s make a day of it.   I will be doing this ride on Sunday 6th September this year.  Anyone else who fancies joining in the fun, even just for part of the way, should let me know.  I will provide more details shortly.  I am sure it will be a ride to remember (for me anyway)!! alvina.farrow@leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk

11. Loan or offer of bikes/accessories

• Available for long term FREE loan - Child seat for a bike, including fitting it on for you – from the GoCycle office, White House.

• Free – 4 sets of second hand Bike Lights and attachments – available from the GoCycle office.

12. Other Events & Offers

Fairtrade Fortnight 2009 will come to an end with a huge banana-eating challenge across the world.  You are invited to take part in the event which will take place in Parsons Close Recreation ground on Saturday 7 March at 10.30 am.  You will need to bring your own Fairtrade banana and be prepared to sing The Fairtrade Banana Song!  Of course we would love you to arrive by bike in our Fair Trade Cycling Town!

News of what’s Been Happening

13. Sharing New Year’s resolutions

It was brilliant to hear your New Year Resolutions related to cycling.  Please keep us updated with your progress, we want to hear from you!  

The rest of the GoCycle team would like to share their resolutions with you:

Pauline’s New Year’s resolution:

I will be cycling to work every day and ensuring that I go out on at least one 5 mile bike ride each week in my own time – perhaps a café run to Stewkley or Edlesborough – I’ll make a social event of it too, because that will encourage me to actually do it!  Oh, my arm is being twisted – looks like I’ll be joining the Century bike ride too!

Allison’s New Year’s resolution:

To train my friends and family in Bikeability and make more time for leisure cycling.  I will also join Alvina on the 100 mile bike ride even if it is just for part of the ride.

Steve’s New Year’s resolutions:

I really enjoyed taking my son, James, and some of his friends to the new bike trail at Hogg Hill.  I resolve to do more of the same this year but hopefully at places closer to home.  Which leads to my second, work focused resolution which is to help secure some new facilities for the many BMXers in the town.  

Chris Stevenson’s New Year’s resolutions (Cycle Forum)

Check my bikes more often - saves money in the long run

Buy a bike trailer for carrying heavier shopping loads

Go on a bike holiday with the kids

Try not to go over the handlebars on my mountain bike three times this year!

Encourage friends to cycle to the shops once a week

Wave and shout “hello” cheerily to drivers who cut me up

14. New Years ReveLeighton Wheelie Wednesday

Thanks to those who turned out on 14th January to our first Wheelie Wednesday event of 2009, the weather was dry and misty and the temperature was 5oc.  We took a lovely route to Sandhills Junction Café where hot drinks and cakes were served.  Brief stop and then back on the bikes ending up along the canal and back into the town centre, what a lovely ride.  

15. John Grimshaw visit – Cycling England 

John Grimshaw from Cycling England, visited the GoCycle team on Tuesday 20th January 2009.  John was joined by Pauline Roby, Patrick Lingwood and Andy Knight on a ride around the town.  He had lots of positive and insightful things to say on the towns developing infrastructure.  He was very impressed with the Black Bridge route and the link to the canal.  John was full of suggestions for how to make local roads more attractive to the novice cyclist and stressed that this should therefore be a priority.  

16. Extra Funding awarded from Cycling England

Following a bid from the Cycling Town Team, Leighton-Linslade has been awarded an additional £380,000 from Cycling England to spend this year on improvements to the town’s cycling network and related facilities for cyclists.   With this additional funding, close to £500,000 will be invested in the town between now and the end of March 2009. The planned schemes are outlined below:

Pages Park 

Sustrans will receive £45,000 to upgrade the footpath leading to Pages Field to cycleway standard

Linslade Recreation Ground

Sustrans will receive £16,000 to upgrade the footpath between Waterloo Road and Station Approach to cycleway standard

Parson’s Close

CTC will be building a new, ‘contoured’ cycle path to serve the skatepark at an estimated cost of £9,000

Vandyke Road Playing Field

CTC will be building some BMX / Mountain Bike jumps on part of the field at an estimated cost of £10,000

Vimy Road Open Space

CTC will be building a small BMX pump track alongside the planned route of Sustrans National Cycle Network Route 6 at an estimated costs of £11,000

Marley Field / Danes Field

Sustrans will receive £45,000 to build a cycle path across Marley Fields to connect with existing footpaths on Danes Field and CTC will be building a small BMX pump track close to the hedge boundary at an estimated cost of £9,000

Ouzel (Northern) Meadows

The Greensand Trust will receive £75,000 to pay for the construction of a suitably-surfaced cycle path across the meadows, connecting the bridge across to the Riverside Walk with the meadows entrance at Twelve Arches Weir (opposite Wyvern Shipping – Holiday Canal Boats)

Clipstone Brook

The Greensand Trust will receive over £125,000 to upgrade several existing footpaths to cycleway standard, helping open the Clipstone Brook green corridor to cyclists.

Vandyke Road Youth Club

CTC are designing a Northshore-style cycle track for the youth club which can be transported and use at other venues

Meadow Way / Columbia Drive

CTC will run a workshop on how to build cycle trails and will, subject to agreement, help design and supervise improvements at a couple of existing, informal BMX sites

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE PLANS, SEE EXHIBITION DATES ABOVE.

17. Cycle Parking in Schools

Allison Jeavons, our Schools’ Officer, has been working hard and has now completed site surveys of all the schools in Leighton Buzzard, Linslade and Heath & Reach.  Each school has been offered funding and assistance to install, improve or upgrade their existing cycle parking facilities.

Work is planned to take place before April 2009.   Allison will continue to work with schools on their School Travel Plans to ensure that the facilities are put to good use and to continue booking Cycle Training for years 4, 6 and 9.

18. Additional Cycle Parking at the Train Station

Plans have been drawn up and work is due to commence to provide Cycle Parking on the South side of the Train Station. More news on this next month.

19. Leighton-Linslade Cycle maps 

These are now at the printers and will soon be available in the Library, The White House and also various locations around the town. There will be a downloadable version on our Website by the end of February.

20. GoCycle Website

We are currently constructing our website and would love to receive news and pictures related to cycling from you to include in our monthly news and views section – don’t be shy! Let’s see those pictures start coming in.  Currently our general information and news plus a space for a download of the Cycle Map are on the Town Council Website.  

21. Cycle forum

Have you thought about getting involved in the Cycle Forum? Now is your chance, email: llcyclingforum@aol.com or have a look at the Cycling Forum’s Yahoo 

Esther Clarke, the Chair, looks forward to welcoming new members to regular meetings, activities and social events.  Help make the Cycling town work for you!