We’re on the road to somewhere – getting things fixed

One of our members, Chris Elliott, writes …

Everyone who cycles comes across things they want fixed on the road. Often, they are bits of road surface that wouldn’t bother motorists, either because they don’t feel them because of their suspension, or because they are on a part of the road where they tend to affect cyclists more. So, what can you do about it? (Other than waiting for the whole stretch of road to be resurfaced.) The simple answer is that you report it to the Council. There are two ways. You can either use the council’s own web site, or do it via an app.

To report it via the web site, go to: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/

Click on the ‘Report It’ button: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/report-it/

From the options menu, click on ‘Streets and Highways’. (You will also see a button for reporting it via the Love Clean Streets app, but we’ll come back to that.)

The page you get to has three boxes, each with a menu of choices. The one you want will probably be ‘Problem on the road’. You can only choose from the given options, and in most cases that will probably be ‘Pothole’. But that isn’t ideal if what you want to report doesn’t really fit that category – for example, a badly filled trench acting like an unofficial and really harsh speed hump.

If you select ‘Pothole’, you’ll then go to a page where you can locate the problem by putting in an address, letting the site automatically detect your location, or marking the location on a map. Once you’ve done this, you can provide additional information on the issue, for example the size and depth of the pothole. You can also upload pictures. Then you fill in your details and submit the report. I’ve used this system to get a road surface problem fixed and it worked, although it did feel like I was having to take something designed to report specific issues, and make it do something it wasn’t designed to do. So, let’s look at the alternative.

If you go back to the ‘Report It’ page, at the bottom right of the options you’ll see a box with ‘Report it on the Love Clean Streets app’. Redbridge are one of only a handful of London councils that don’t use the app FixMyStreet (https://www.fixmystreet.com/). Why? No idea. But it seems that recently Redbridge has adopted lovecleanstreets: https://lovecleanstreets.info/.

If you select this option, you’ll go to a screen where you can download the app, set Redbridge as the home authority, then take a photo, pick the category it comes under, and submit the report. There’s more about how it works on https://lovecleanstreets.info/how-it-works. I haven’t tried it myself yet, and it is designed for on-the-spot reporting, so isn’t ideal for cycling issues unless you’re prepared to stop and snap or go back later.

Whichever option you choose, my advice would be to use any opportunity to emphasise why what you are reporting is a particular problem for cyclists. A pothole may seem insignificant to a motorist, but the line you need to take as a cyclist may mean you hit it every time you ride that stretch of road.

Now, pick your biggest problem and give Redbridge the opportunity to fix it for you!

London Cycle Routes

A little while ago we came across this YouTube channel. It’s informative and entertaining.

If you look at an A to B journey you are familiar with, we bet you will end up thinking I wouldn’t have gone that way, I would have gone down Smith Street instead of Jones Road, or that’s a way I hadn’t thought about – or both.

If you want to go from A to B, are wondering how to do it and Mr. London Cycle Routes has done it, then his route is a good place to start.

Claybury Park

A perfect 0: Accessibility Inclusion

Here’s a picture of the restored barriers at the entrances to Claybury Park. The chance to get to the Sheffield stands on the far side would be a fine thing …

And here’s the list of the types of bicycle that, now, can and cannot get through the park gates. Note that, in a quest for full exclusivity, whilst pretending otherwise, only standard bikes without panniers can pass through – if you’ve got panniers on your road bike, you’re going to need to take them off..

As exclusive as it gets.

In a recent email we have seen, a member of staff from Vision, the lot who run the park on behalf of Redbridge Culture and Leisure, wrote that part of the gates accept a RADAR key. If only that solved the problem: many of the riders now prevented from entering the Park – my wife and I on our tandem, parents with tag-alongs, hipsters with their dogs in a buggy, don’t qualify for a RADAR key.

We think its time for Redbridge Council to remove the track through the Park from its map of cycle routes.

We are waiting for the Council’s response to our Freedom of Information Request and we’ll see where we go from there.

Tidy work though …

Claybury Park Gates – it’s back to square one

In June 2024 the Council took the decision to partially remove the cycle barriers at the entrances to Claybury Park on Roding Lane and Acle Close. That got a Hooray from RCC. The decision meant that more (but not all) cycles could get access to the park and could use the cycle track through the park. As you can see the track is recorded as part of the Borough’s existing cycle network (see below).

Well, the improved access didn’t’ last long …

The Council has now re-instated the barriers, effectively restricting access to just those cyclists who ride one of these (straight handlebars/gravel bike bars allowed if they are not too wide).

We are not best pleased …

We have made a freedom of information request to the council to find out what is behind the decision. Once we receive a reply, we will take the matter up with the relevant person(s). At that point we may also ask for your help by writing to councillors or by signing a petition.

Here’s the text:

In June 2024 the Council took the decision to partially remove the cycle barriers at the entrances to Claybury Park on Roding Lane and Acle Close. The Council has now reversed this decision, re-instating the barriers.

Local Transport Note 1/20 paragraph 1.4.2 defines a cycle as follows:

‘For the purpose of this document, the term cycle refers to the full range of vehicles shown in Figure 5.2 in Chapter 5 and described in the accompanying text, including hand-cranked cycles and cycles that conform to the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 (as amended)’.

The council’s decision to re-instate the cycle barriers means that most types of cycles, as defined in LTN 1/20, will no longer be able to gain access to the park or only with considerable difficulty. Those adversely affected by this decision include those riding

cycles with child seats (parents and children),

cycles with tag-along trailers (parents and children)

cycles with buggies (parents and children)

hand powered cycles (people with disabilities)

tricycles (people with issues balancing, for example people who have suffered strokes or who have multiple sclerosis)

tandems (where the rear rider for some reason is unable to ride a solo bike)

Under the Freedom of Information Act and in relation to the Council’s decision to re-instate the cycle barriers at the gates to Claybury Park on Acle Close and Roding Lane I request the following information.

The position of the officer(s) or councillor(s) who took the decision to reinstate the cycle barriers.
A copy of any summary report or report setting out the case for re-instating the cycle barriers considered by those who took the decision.
What criteria were used to assess the impact of the partial removal of the cycle barriers? If none please say so.
If criteria were used, please provide the document containing the assessment against these criteria of the impact of partially removing the cycle barriers .
The minutes or notes of any meetings held to consider reinstating the cycle barriers. If none please say so.
The total number of instances of anti-social behaviour in Claybury Park reported to the Council in the period 1st June 2024 to 31st January 2025.
The number of instances of anti-social behaviour in Claybury Park reported to the Council involving cyclists in the period 1st June 2024 to 31st January 2025.
The number of instances of anti-social behaviour in Claybury Park reported to the Council involving motor cyclists in the period 1st June 2024 to 31st January 2025.
For the period 1st June 2024 to 31st January 2025, any documents, emails or other communications that refer to any proposals or actions that council officers or others considered taking or took to reduce anti-social behaviour in the park prior to the decision to re-instate the cycle barriers. If none please say so.
All data collected by Council Officers or others that was considered by those making the decision. If none please say so.
A copy of any access audit carried out by council officers or others or the findings from an Equalities Impact Assessment on the impact of a decision to reinstate the cycle barriers on those cyclists who would no longer be able to access the park or only with considerable difficulty and in particular cyclists with disabilities. If no access audit or Equalities Impact Assessment was carried out, please say so.
For the period 1st June 2024 to 31st January 2025, all emails or documents written by council officers, council members or others that discuss or refer to the implications of re-instating the cycle barriers on those who ride cycles that will no longer be able to access the park or only with considerable difficulty.

Stratford Protest Ride – Monday, 24 February, 2025

If you are a member of London Cycling Campaign, you will already know about this protest ride. If you are not, here are the details.

Following the recent death of a young man killed while cycling through the junction of Stratford High Street and Carpenters Road, the London Cycling Campaign is holding a short protest ride.

Date: Monday 24 February 2025

Time: Gather at 6:15pm to ride at 6:30pm

Place: Junction of the Greenway and High Street

You will need to make your own way to the start point.

The following is taken from the email sent to LCC members. It explains what LCC want TfL and Newham Council to do.

‘We’re calling on TfL and Newham Council to improve the junctions so that no one has to risk their life cycling through here.

This junction is one of a cluster rated among the most dangerous for cycling in Newham that have been known for decades to be inadequately designed for cycle safety along Cycleway 2 (C2), one of the first protected cycle tracks in London.

When the Mayor and TfL make “improvements”, they are failing to make junctions truly safer for people walking and cycling. So, we’re demanding not just that the Mayor and TfL get back on track on junctions, but also that they take rapid and bold action here in Stratford.’

To attend you need to register. Here’s the link.

Newham Protest Ride: Stratford High Street’s Dangerous Junctions – London Cycling Campaign