Here’s our newsletter for March. If you want it straight to your inbox, then sign up here.
As lockdown restrictions ease, we’re looking forward to starting our activities. This month we publish our Southwark Cycles 2020 report, taking a look at the progress Southwark Council made in 2020. TreeTalk joins the next Better Streets Talk and we tell you about the latest cycle schemes in Southwark to support (if you haven’t already!).
Southwark Cycles – A Review of 2020
In 2020, we saw a large increase in the pace of reallocation of space for safe cycling. Five low traffic neighbourhoods (six if you count Brunswick Park introduced in early January) were implemented. Motor traffic was restricted on Rye Lane, Bermondsey Street and in Dulwich Village. An additional 14.5km were added to Southwark’s cycling network and 20 new school streets were implemented or approved.
Read our blog looking at progress made in 2020.
Better Streets Talks
Better Streets for Southwark was set up earlier this year to bring together organisations and individuals in Southwark who want to make our streets healthy, clean and safe, for all Southwark residents.
Join the next Better Streets Talk Wednesday 24 March at 6:30pm. Register here to attend.
Discover the trees that grow on the streets of Southwark with our guest speaker, Paul Wood, author of the book ‘London is a Forest’ and co-founder of TreeTalk.
Cycle Buddies is back
As lockdown restrictions are eased we’re restarting some of our activities. Cycle Buddies, our programme where we pair up new and experienced cyclists, will start again on 29 March (pending Government guidance).
Whether you just got your first bike or have been doing it for years, you can sign up for Cycle Buddies. We encourage riders to already be comfortable riding on the road (if not, we recommend booking a free Cycle Confident session through Southwark Council). This scheme is the perfect way to gain more confidence or find the best route for your commute, and to help others if you’ve been riding for years.
Cycle schemes in Southwark to support
- Southwark Council is consulting on the latest version of the Old Kent Road Area Action Plan. Let us know your thoughts on cycling changes by contacting us at infrastructure@southwarkcyclists.org.uk. We’re especially looking to hear from residents with local knowledge to inform our response to the Council.
- There may be some changes to the Great Suffolk Street low traffic neighbourhood and the Cycle Superhighway 7 upgrades as well as a new Blackfriars LTN. We’re concerned these changes will lead to more right hook conflicts with turning cars on CS7 and more traffic on Quietway 1, though the Blackfriars LTN changes look positive. If you live or travel through the area do let the council know your concerns.
- If you live or travel in Peckham and Nunhead, there is a proposal to connect Consort and Dr Harold Moody Park. You can respond to the consultation here. We support Option A that will connect the two parks across Sturdy Road and allow cycles through.
- And just a reminder, if you haven’t done so yet, please sign the consultation to keep Rye Lane pedestrianised. Once it receives 500 signatures it will be raised at a Council cabinet meeting (note that registration for the consultation is different from your MySouthwark account if you have one).
We expect new schemes to be announced after the May election. If you want to find out more and get involved, join one of our Southwark Cyclists meetings on the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30pm. If you’d like to attend, email us at Southwark@lcc.org.uk or just respond to this email.
Thanks for reading and happy cycling,
Jakub
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