About Author: austen

Posts by austen

  • Supporting the National Cycle Network, improving safety, and avoiding Sanderstead Hill – politicians put forward their priorities for improving cycling in Croydon…. Croydon Cyclists recently attended the South Croydon Community Association local election Question Time event. A panel of representatives from four political parties running in this week’s local elections answered residents’ questions on subjects ranging from homelessness in Croydon to the planned Westfield shopping centre. We asked politicians how committed they would be to the outgoing council’s strategy to increase the proportion of bike trips in Croydon from 1% to 3.5% of travel by […]
    Supporting the National Cycle Network, improving safety, and avoiding Sanderstead Hill – politicians put forward their priorities for improving cycling in Croydon…. Croydon Cyclists recently attended the South Croydon Community Association local election Question Time event. A panel of representatives from four political parties running in this week’s local elections answered residents’ questions on subjects ranging from homelessness in Croydon to the planned Westfield shopping centre. We asked politicians how committed they would be to the outgoing council’s strategy to increase the proportion of bike trips in Croydon from 1% to 3.5% of travel by […]

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  • Transport for London are currently consulting the public on their plans for Fiveways junction, the part of Croydon where TfL trunk roads A23 Purley Way and A232 Croydon Road / Stafford Road / Duppas Hill Road intersect with local council roads, the B271 Stafford Road, and B275 Denning Avenue and Epsom Road. TfL say they aim to: Improve road safety Create better conditions for pedestrians and cyclists Support growth in Croydon Improve journey times Create new public spaces to develop Waddon as a local centre Specifically, TfL say that their proposals would make “Fiveways junction […]
    Transport for London are currently consulting the public on their plans for Fiveways junction, the part of Croydon where TfL trunk roads A23 Purley Way and A232 Croydon Road / Stafford Road / Duppas Hill Road intersect with local council roads, the B271 Stafford Road, and B275 Denning Avenue and Epsom Road. TfL say they aim to: Improve road safety Create better conditions for pedestrians and cyclists Support growth in Croydon Improve journey times Create new public spaces to develop Waddon as a local centre Specifically, TfL say that their proposals would make “Fiveways junction […]

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  • Tuesday 7 June 2016 sees the return of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series that last year saw professional racing cyclists do battle with themselves, the streets of Croydon and some impatient, reckless locals. More seriously, the event takes place just over a fortnight after the death of 25 year-old Magda Tadaj, struck in a hit-and-run by a lorry driver as they approached the Windmill Bridge on St James’s Road.  As of Sunday, 5 June, we’re still awaiting news of the man who on Friday received life-threatening injuries after being involved in a collision with a […]
    Tuesday 7 June 2016 sees the return of the Pearl Izumi Tour Series that last year saw professional racing cyclists do battle with themselves, the streets of Croydon and some impatient, reckless locals. More seriously, the event takes place just over a fortnight after the death of 25 year-old Magda Tadaj, struck in a hit-and-run by a lorry driver as they approached the Windmill Bridge on St James’s Road.  As of Sunday, 5 June, we’re still awaiting news of the man who on Friday received life-threatening injuries after being involved in a collision with a […]

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  • On Tuesday, 16 September 2014, something out of the ordinary happened in Croydon. A debate took place in the Council chambers on the merits of introducing a measure that would make our streets safer, cut the number and severity of casualties and slash the costs of bloody incidents that in 2013 cost us dearly, in both human and financial terms. That magic bullet is 20 mph.   According to campaign group, 20’s Plenty for us, other London boroughs, such as Camden, Islington and the City of London have adopted 20mph as their speed limit on […]
    On Tuesday, 16 September 2014, something out of the ordinary happened in Croydon. A debate took place in the Council chambers on the merits of introducing a measure that would make our streets safer, cut the number and severity of casualties and slash the costs of bloody incidents that in 2013 cost us dearly, in both human and financial terms. That magic bullet is 20 mph.   According to campaign group, 20’s Plenty for us, other London boroughs, such as Camden, Islington and the City of London have adopted 20mph as their speed limit on […]

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  • A track record of under-investment Croydon Council has a poor record of investment in cycling – compared to other London boroughs, it has asked for less money, so got less and then spent less than it was given. Using data obtained via a Freedom of Information request, we know that in the financial years 2006/7 to 2009/10, Croydon applied to Transport for London to spend £2.8m on building the “London Cycle Network Plus” network of cycle-friendly streets and other pro-cycling measures. It received £1.8m to do that and in the years 2006/6 to 2008/9 spent […]
    A track record of under-investment Croydon Council has a poor record of investment in cycling – compared to other London boroughs, it has asked for less money, so got less and then spent less than it was given. Using data obtained via a Freedom of Information request, we know that in the financial years 2006/7 to 2009/10, Croydon applied to Transport for London to spend £2.8m on building the “London Cycle Network Plus” network of cycle-friendly streets and other pro-cycling measures. It received £1.8m to do that and in the years 2006/6 to 2008/9 spent […]

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  • We thank Caroline Pidgeon  (Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, Chair of the London Assembly’s Transport Committee and Deputy Chair of the Police and Crime Committee) for raising the following question with the Mayor of London (and to Ian Wingrove, Green Group Press Liaison Officer for distilling and passing on the information). The LIP is the Local Implementation Plan (LIP), a statutory plan setting out how Croydon Council intends to implement the London Mayor’s Transport Strategy within the borough.  The Mayor, Boris Johnson, has signalled his wish to see 5% of all journeys […]
    We thank Caroline Pidgeon  (Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, Chair of the London Assembly’s Transport Committee and Deputy Chair of the Police and Crime Committee) for raising the following question with the Mayor of London (and to Ian Wingrove, Green Group Press Liaison Officer for distilling and passing on the information). The LIP is the Local Implementation Plan (LIP), a statutory plan setting out how Croydon Council intends to implement the London Mayor’s Transport Strategy within the borough.  The Mayor, Boris Johnson, has signalled his wish to see 5% of all journeys […]

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  • I hadn’t been out for a long bike ride for ages, and so was tempted by the fine early autumn weather of Sunday 14 October 2012 to go out with the Anerley Bicycle Club on a ride down to Chiddingstone Castle in Kent.  The Anerley is one of Britain’s oldest cycling clubs, having been founded in 1881, and has regular Sunday rides into the Kent and Surrey countryside, plus Tuesday trips too.   Over a dozen people showed up, most of them regulars but one or two new faces or, like me, those returning after a prolonged […]
    I hadn’t been out for a long bike ride for ages, and so was tempted by the fine early autumn weather of Sunday 14 October 2012 to go out with the Anerley Bicycle Club on a ride down to Chiddingstone Castle in Kent.  The Anerley is one of Britain’s oldest cycling clubs, having been founded in 1881, and has regular Sunday rides into the Kent and Surrey countryside, plus Tuesday trips too.   Over a dozen people showed up, most of them regulars but one or two new faces or, like me, those returning after a prolonged […]

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  • Last month I e-mailed Councillor Sean Fitzsimons, a representative for the Addiscombe ward and a member of Croydon Labour Party, for clarification on his stance on the matter of 20 mph  zones.  Below  is my request and underneath that, his response and more recent developments – watch this space for more. On 5 September 2012 21:17, austen.croydoncyclists@gmail.com <austen.croydoncyclists@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Councillor Fitzsimons, I’m currently the co-ordinator of Croydon Cycling Campaign and a member of the Board of the London Cycling Campaign (LCC).  The LCC recently responded to a request by the Greater London Authority’s Transport […]
    Last month I e-mailed Councillor Sean Fitzsimons, a representative for the Addiscombe ward and a member of Croydon Labour Party, for clarification on his stance on the matter of 20 mph  zones.  Below  is my request and underneath that, his response and more recent developments – watch this space for more. On 5 September 2012 21:17, austen.croydoncyclists@gmail.com <austen.croydoncyclists@gmail.com> wrote: Dear Councillor Fitzsimons, I’m currently the co-ordinator of Croydon Cycling Campaign and a member of the Board of the London Cycling Campaign (LCC).  The LCC recently responded to a request by the Greater London Authority’s Transport […]

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  • UPDATE: SORRY FOR THE TROUBLE FOLKS, THIS IS NOT THE EXPECTED CYCLE-HUB, BUT TEMPORARY PARKING UNTIL THE HUB IS DELIVERED IN MARCH 2014   Not so much a bang as a whimper of publicity to introduce this facility:   Only one way in and out – officially, anyway Two CCTV cameras and visibility through the bars should hopefully deter the casual thief       Some guidance on how to use it:     Stupidity is just around the corner     Exempting cyclists from this one-way system, so that they could cycle to the […]
    UPDATE: SORRY FOR THE TROUBLE FOLKS, THIS IS NOT THE EXPECTED CYCLE-HUB, BUT TEMPORARY PARKING UNTIL THE HUB IS DELIVERED IN MARCH 2014   Not so much a bang as a whimper of publicity to introduce this facility:   Only one way in and out – officially, anyway Two CCTV cameras and visibility through the bars should hopefully deter the casual thief       Some guidance on how to use it:     Stupidity is just around the corner     Exempting cyclists from this one-way system, so that they could cycle to the […]

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  • Only three of us on this rescheduled ride from Croydon to Richmond Park – which was a shame, as we enjoyed good weather, the delights of the Wandle trail and of the park – including a herd of deer – and the cycle-friendly pub, The Telegraph.  Mitul took his head cam, and we look forward to seeing the edited highlights.                    
    Only three of us on this rescheduled ride from Croydon to Richmond Park – which was a shame, as we enjoyed good weather, the delights of the Wandle trail and of the park – including a herd of deer – and the cycle-friendly pub, The Telegraph.  Mitul took his head cam, and we look forward to seeing the edited highlights.                    

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