Elections to Lewisham Cyclists (LC) Management Committee.
The following London Cycling Campaign members stood for election at the Annual Meeting. There were no other candidates, and all Officers were elected unanimously.
▪ Alex Raha – LC Coordinator
▪ Jane Davis – Community Engagement & Rides Coordinator
▪ John Phillips – Treasurer
▪ Tim Collingridge – Secretary
For a full copy of the Meeting record including links to all of the relevant reports, click here.
The Guest Speaker at our Annual this year was Ned Boulting, award winning journalist, broadcaster (Tour de France and other events) and Lewisham resident, who shared his personal insights:
Ned entertained us with his reminiscences of how back in 2004 he started ‘commuting’ 2.5miles on his mountain bike to North Greenwich tube station from his home in Charlton. Then having had bits of his bike progressively stolen while parked, he experienced that light-bulb moment realising he could just ride the whole 7 miles to ITV on the South Bank. Moving to Lewisham in 2008 and with his background as a Tour de France (TdF) broadcaster he then bought a racing bike and joined the lycra, clipless-shoes crowd for his speedy commute.
However this was a relatively short-lived phase and now he has moved into what he calls his ‘de-lycrification’ period dispensing with the fancy gear and just riding around in normal clothes, jeans with one sock rolled up..
5 years ago the family car died and they vowed not to get another car, his wife also riding around the local boroughs for her work. This is the point at which he realised how versatile bicycles are and how they solve so many intransigent modern mobility issues. He observed that recently cycling in Lewisham has grown markedly, but from a low base. A fair number of kids are seen, predominantly riding on the pavement
with parents on the road, understandable given the traffic levels but disappointing.
Also he has noticed the dramatic increase in the number of young men now riding for Just Eat & Deliveroo, whatever you may think about these companies it has put a different demographic of riders on the streets, the diversity being potentially encouraging to further new riders. Lewisham as a borough seems to be lagging behind other inner-city boroughs. Quietway 1 (now Cycleway 10) is a brilliant route up the borough and into
Central London but is virtually invisible to the rest of the borough – needs better promotion…
Lewisham Gateway is a disaster in terms of cycling and walking – he cannot understand how it was allowed to be constructed without protected lanes for cyclists…
Regarding how to effect and accelerate change towards Active Travel he feels we need to ‘de-toxify’ the culture war between people on bicycles and motorists. More effectively share the joy of riding bikes and get motorists to better understand the issues we experience. He feels we also need to focus on the younger age group as we risk many kids never being introduced to bikes, not just school kids but also young adults…
Ned was asked about the ‘Carbon Footprint’ of the TdF. He commented that the footprint of the essential vehicles for the event is not actually that large (tens of cars/motorbikes). Especially in the context of the enjoyment the event gives to so many people worldwide. However the supporters who follow the
event with their large Winnebagos etc. is admittedly a bigger issue.