Action

See Projects page for notes on the current issues and ideas for the Cycle Malvern group.

This page:

• Cycle Malvern
• Reporting Potholes
• Official moves
• Cycle action nearby

Cycling action in Malvern

Over 30 people came forward at the Get Cycling show on 15th September to express an interest in social bike rides, getting to grips with basic bike maintenance and/or seeing what can be done to improve things for cyclists in and around Malvern. (The main show event was the chance to try out all sorts of bikes, supplied by social enterprise the Company of Cyclists. Read coverage by Malvern Gazette.)

Pedalling forward

See separate page for the Social Rides which have been organised.

Maintenance sessions

The idea of running some bike maintenance sessions is on hold for the moment. They would cover such things as checking brakes and tyres, tackling seized or loose bits, adjusting gears, saddles and position, identifying what needs doing to get a bicycle roadworthy but not major rebuilds,

We’ll probably do something in the spring with groups in Ledbury or Worcester. But do contact me if you wish to discuss.

Discussing issues, taking action

We have switched to meeting every other month, second Monday or Tuesday of the month. (Meetings started Oct ’07.)

The Projects page gives the clearest picture of what has been discussed so far. There are an amazing number of issues and the first few months has been mainly collecting information, but some things are already moving forward. More people are welcome to come along and even better lend a hand.

Next meeting to be arranged.

Comments received

A letter responding to the roadshow announcement in Malvern Gazette (17th Aug): “I just wanted to comment on the article headlined Residents told On Yer Bike. I found this particularly interesting, as this morning I cycled into Malvern town centre to attend the Scouting Sunrise event at the Elgar Statue. To my surprise and frustration, I could not find anywhere to park and padlock my bicycle.”

My letter in the Gazette, 21/9/07.

Reporting Potholes

• Worcestershire’s online Report a Pothole facility.
• Herefordshire information on reporting road defects.
• Gloucestershire Report a Pothole.
• Fill That Hole is CTC’s national online reporting facility. An advantage of using this is that faults are logged by CTC so that if a cyclist is subsequently injured by a defect, there is evidence that the local authority knew about it. It also builds up a national picture of how well surfaces are maintained.

Official Moves

Worcestershire County Council is responsible for most transport matters locally, including cycling. Worcester City has specific funding to promote ‘sustainable transport’, which includes cycling – see Choose how you move.

WCC has been looking at locations for new cycle stands around the Malvern area. See Cycle Parking Audit on resources page for update.

Malvern Hills District Council has set up a pool bike scheme for employees. As well as encouraging staff to get some exercise over lunch, for which they’ve also produced an A4 leaflet showing 3 short cycle rides from Malvern town centre, they’d like to “get people out of their cars and travelling to meetings on their bikes”, according to Madeleine Sumner, MHDC transport officer (quoted in Gazette Online 17/9/07).

Worcester City Council is running a ‘Choose how you move’ campaign, which includes promoting bicycle use. There’s a page with links to maps of cycle routes in and around the city.

Cycle forums and campaigns

The Worcester cycling forum has reformed as the South Worcestershire Cycling Group, intending to cover Worcester, Droitwich, Pershore, Evesham etc as well as Malvern. Cycle Malvern is making contact (contact details on county council cycle forums page).

I am also in contact with local CTC groups (Ledbury and Worcester).

• Ledbury Area Cycling Forum An active group, with some cycle rides as well as serious stuff to improve cycling in the area. Proposals have included re-opening the Colwall Tunnel, parellel to the current rail bore going to Malvern, for use by cyclists and pedestrians.
• Cycle Hereford Campaigning for cyclists in and around Hereford.
• Shakespokes Cycling in Stratford-upon-Avon.
• Stourbug Stourbridge Bicycle User Group.
• PushBikes is the cycle campaign for the Birmingham area.
• Cycle Campaign Network.