The next Cycle Ipswich meeting will be on Thursday 8th January 2014 at 6:30pm at the ITO World offices, 2nd Floor, 25 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AQ. The meeting is an hour earlier than normal, as a couple have a train to catch.
If there is anything that you would like to add to or change on the agenda, please get in touch on our mailing list.
The next Cycle Ipswich meeting will be on 11th December 2014 at 7:30pm in the ITO World office at 25 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AQ.
Our next meeting in November 2014 will be back to our normal venue of Board Room, ITO World office, 2nd Floor, 25 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AQ. The meeting will start at 7:30pm prompt, with the aim to be finished about 9pm.
Ben Gummer MP will be attending. We will have a draft of the Cycle Ipswich manifesto, which has come out of the items written down at the previous meeting.
If there are further items to be added please drop a note on to the mailing list, or otherwise let Shaun know so that it can be added.
There will be a short bike ride from Ipswich Station led by Ian Seeley starting at 6:30pm. More info on the mailing list post.
First of all Cycle Ipswich would like to thank all 20 people who came along to our open meeting on the 9th October 2014. It was wonderful to see so many new people, who we will hopefully meet or hear from again in the future. The ideas that you wrote on the post-its and the maps were fantastic, and will help to prioritise our campaigning and the creation of some documents to present to the council.
Second, we would like to thank both Ipswich Community Radio, and BBC Radio Suffolk for having us on their breakfast shows. We had several people come along due to the features on the shows.
I’ll give a quick summary of what happened at the meeting for those who couldn’t attend:
First Shaun gave a quick introduction to the Cycle Ipswich organisation, and the meeting.
Second, attendees split into groups to discuss and write on post-its about the problems with cycling in Ipswich, and write down possible solutions or things they would like to see. This evening (Sunday), a few of the key organisers of the group have sat down to summarise the the information written down. The main general topics that were written down and will be taken forward in campaigning were in no particular order:
Third, a set of maps were handed out to the groups to draw on where they believe there should be improvements, and what they should be. We will be soon be taking a closer look at these and adding these items to Cyclescape. Everyone is welcome to add more items to Cyclescape to be tracked.
The Fourth and final part of the meeting was a closing discussion with some of the highlights of the discussion. The most memorable remark at the end of the discussion was when someone said it was extremely difficult to know where to start with the drawing on the maps exercise as there are so many roads that have problems for cyclists, and need improvement.
Going forward we have a working group working on a few documents with this information to respond to the Suffolk Cycling Strategy, which lacks key elements expected in a strategy or much ambition; and to produce a 30 year vision similar to Leeds Cycling Campaign. We will be presenting the drafts at the next meeting on Thursday 13th November 2014 at 19:30.
October 2014’s Cycle Ipswich meeting will be a little different to normal. After Suffolk County Council came up with a Cycling Strategy that tell you why people should cycle, and why it’s great; however it relegates the how, to a single page appendix. Thus we are going to follow the lead of Leeds cycle campaign and produce a 30 year vision, with the hope that Suffolk County Council and Ipswich Borough Council will adopt it.
We would like people from Ipswich and the surrounding area to come and help define the Ipswich which will make them happy to cycle in and around Ipswich. If you don’t currently cycle, or don’t like cycling for transport as opposed to off road leisure cycling, we would especially like to hear from you.
Please bring ideas of what you think the cycle routes in Ipswich should be like. Also bring ideas of cycle infrastructure that you would like to see. Photos of the good, bad, and ugly would also be appreciated.
The meeting will be held in the Collinson Room, Friends Meeting House, 39 Fonnereau Road, Ipswich, to the west of Christchurch Park on 9th October 2014 at 7:30pm. Plan your journey to Friends Meeting House with CycleStreets.
Before the meeting there will be an optional short bike ride starting at 6:30pm from outside Ipswich Railway Station to finish at the Friends Meeting House in time for the meeting. Plan your journey to Ipswich Railway Station with CycleStreets.
You can also suggest infrastructure improvements in our Cyclescape group.
Cycle Ipswich Public meeting . Open to all. Friends Meeting House Fonnereau Road Ipswich, (opposite the top entrance to the park) , 9th October at 7.30pm in the Collinson Room.
Hello
I have just had the room booking confirmed for Thursday October the 9th at 7.30pm.
Let all know about this meeting please.
This is a meeting specifically to find out what people would like to input to Cycle Ipswich cycling route map for Ipswich and surrounding villages.
Bring your ideas !
Best wishes
Kevin
On Thursday 11th September 2014 we’ll have our next monthly meeting at ITO World’s office in 25 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AQ. Phone 01473272225 or 07879610632 if you have a problem getting in. The meeting is due to start at 7:30pm and finish at 9pm.
Agenda items include:
If there are any further items to be added please drop a note on to the mailing list, or otherwise let Shaun know so that it can be added.
On Thursday 8th August 2014 we’ll have our next monthly meeting at ITO World’s office in 25 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AQ. Phone 01473272225 or 07879610632 if you have a problem getting in. The meeting is due to start at 7:30pm and finish at 9pm.
Agenda items include:
If there are any further items to be added please drop a note on to the mailing list, or otherwise let Shaun know so that it can be added.
Five candidates have taken time to answer questions about walking and cycling infrastructure in Ipswich. They made clear to me that decisions about highways is out of their hands as it is Suffolk County Council business, and the councillors’ remit mainly lies within influencing planning permissions.
Here are the main points that came across:
1.Why Ipswich is a town worth living in: Outdoor spaces were mentioned a lot “lovely parks especially christchurch park” (Inga Lockington, Lib Dem), “lovely parks and the quay” (Lee Reynolds, Conservative), “surrounding countryside…still close to… London and Cambridge (Nadia Cenci, Conservative)
2.Support of Space4Cycling: is mostly supported. Edward Phillips and Lee Reynolds (both Conservative) support it. Inga Lockington(LibDem)would not support the closure of residential roads for through traffic,as this would only push the problem elsewhere and congest other roads nearby. Nadia Cenci (Conservative) does not prioritize cycling as such, but would support anything that enhances health and enjoyment and is value for money.
3. Improvements/Deterioration so far:
Nadia Cenci (Conservatives) thinks that footpaths open to the public are abundant, but potholes are an issue for cyclists
Edward Phillips (Conservatives) states that only minor improvements on traffic lights, advanced stop lines and extra cycling lanes in some places have been implemented so far.
LibDem Inga Lockington admits that there have been some pavements relaid but a lot still needs to be done.
4. What would they improve when elected:
John Cook(Labour):highway issues are with County Council,but sees opportunity for improvement through borough’s role in planning permissions (newbuild and developments on the Northern fringe
Nadia Cenci(Conservatives) would encourage parents to walk and not drive children to school. She also would continue working with County Council to tackle potholes
Edward Phillips(Conservatives) would push for safe cycling facilities when roads are improved.
Lee Reynolds(Conservatives) suggests to try and stagger out the school run by varying schools’opening and closing times to avoid mass traffic
Inga Lockington(LibDem) sees planning permissions as a good start to improve things
5.Danger points in Ipswich
Inga Lockington(LibDem) : Tuddenham Road and Henley Road, esp. at the junction to Belvedere Road and at the right turn into Anglesea Road
John Cook(Labour): the one way system between Duke Street and Novotel roundabout; the subways crossing Civic Drive when esp when nobody is around
Edward Phillips(Conservative): Norwich Road beyond Valley Road roundabouts
Lee Reynolds(Walkable and cyclable Ipswich, some candidates’ responses to the survey
Conservative): Cardinal Park roundabout
6. Suggestions for improvements, interest in improving certain areas:
Inga Lockington (LibDem) would love to see a pedestrian and cyclists’ bridge east of Stokebridge. She says that the past plans for a Tesco would have come with an improvement budget. She also mentions that the new block of flats “must have taken pedestrians, cyclists and cars in consideration”. We might be able to get more information from her.
Lee Reynolds (Conservatives) and Edward Phillips (Conservatives) both think improvement of Cardinal Park roundabout area is needed.
John Cook (Labour) is happy to be lobbied about improvements in Futura Park shopping Centre
Lee Reynolds(Conservatives) says that more can be done for cyclists at Futura Park.
Lee Reynolds (Conservatives) encourages businesses to invest in safe bike parking.His company does.
Please click here for the full survey:
Did you know that this group uses the Cyclescape platform to log and track issues using map technology?
This gives us a place for discussion and exchange of ideas, so that we can identify where best to improve the experience of cycling in Ipswich.
Visit http://cycleipswich.cyclescape.org/ to register and find out more.
