We’re up and running! Paul of South Coast Bikes delivered the BTN Bike Share bikes to their seafront locations and to many other points around the town. Starting from September 1st, these handy bikes will be available for hire. See BTN Bike Share for all the details. See the Council news release. Happy cycling!
Over the last three months we have recorded several instances of motor vehicles crashing onto cycle tracks next to the A23 and A27 near Brighton. The risk to people walking or riding on these tracks is clear. As the vehicles clearly can’t be relied upon to stay on the road, crash barriers are needed. Among the incidents, two lamp posts on the A23 were flattened in separate crashes.
British Transport Police in partnership with Southern Railway Rail Neighbourhood Officers will be conducting cycle marking events at Brighton, Eastbourne, Bognor, Three Bridges and Lewes stations over the coming weeks. Full details below.
Great news! We are delighted that Brighton and Hove City Council have voted to support CTC’s Space for Cycling campaign. There was agreement at the Environment Transport and Sustainability committee on November 25th 2015 to ask Brighton and Hove’s Chief Executive Officer to sign the council up to the initiative. 
This shows admirable unity of purpose between the Labour Chair of the committee, Councillor Gill Mitchell and the Green Group, led by Councillor Pete West, who tabled the motion. Bricycles has been promoting Space for Cycling since the start of the campaign led nationally by the cycling charity CTC. We now hope to see a continued and renewed focus at local level on the remaining barriers to cycling, particularly dealing with busy roads and dangerous junctions.
CTC’s blog on this and the Autumn Spending Review
Space for Cycling has 6 themes:
More information here on what Space for Cycling means.
We had a great ride along Brighton seafront with Lilian Greenwood MP, the new Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, on the last day of the Labour Party Conference in Brighton, 30 September 2015.
In the photo, Lilian is on the right in the red jacket. Becky Reynolds, Bricycles Campaigns Officer, also in red is on the left. Julian Bell, Labour Leader of Ealing Council and the Chair of the London Councils Transport & Environment Committee can be seen between the two. Daniel Zeichner, MP for Cambridge, Labour’s spokesman on cycling was also there, too.
We promoted Space for Cycling with banners, cards and support from CTC the national cycling charity.
Lilian Greenwood MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport gave a very positive message about holding ministers to account on investment for improvements for cycling. She said:
“I’m delighted to join Bricycles and CTC in Brighton. I am determined that Labour will be a strong voice for cyclists in Parliament, especially as we are approach a critical point in the Government’s policy development. We will be holding Ministers to their promise to produce a meaningful Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy that sets out clear, long term funding – as well as pressing the case for restoring national safety targets.
“Campaigners have made great advances in recent years, but I know as a regular cyclist that there is still a long way to go.”
Sam Jones, CTC Campaigns and Communications Coordinator said:
“It’s great to see the new Labour Transport team coming out in support of cycling down in Brighton.
“There’s cross party support in Westminster, and now more than ever we need to see all parties working together to get Britain cycling. This means the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy must have funding of at least £10 per head, and the national design standards to ensure the money is well spent on space for cycling.”
Becky Reynolds, Bricycles Campaigns Officer said:
“We are very grateful to Lilian and her team for taking time out to ride with us today. Cycling has enormous health and environmental benefits. These need to be extended to more people. We value Labour’s support for a more reliable system of funding for cycling so that using a bike becomes easier and safer for everyone.”
Background blog http://www.ctc.org.uk/blog/brighton-labour-conference-2015
The Labour Party Conference starts in a few days’ time at the Brighton Centre in Brighton.
We have arranged a short bike ride in support of “Space for Cycling”, and we will be joined by the new Labour Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Lilian Greenwood.
Please come along and show your support for cycling and sustainable transport! Please tell friends and colleagues!
The ride will start opposite the Hotel Metropole on the seafront cycle track on Weds 30 September. We’ll meet there at about 08.10 ready for a prompt start when Lilian arrives.
There will be photos and a short ride e.g. to Madeira Drive and back.
The Space for Cycling logo is red and white, so if you can also wear any red clothes, that would make even more of an impression! The weather should be OK. Hope to see you there!
Start point: On the seafront cycle track opposite the Brighton Hilton Metropole Hotel King’s Road, Brighton BN1 2FU
We are keen that all political parties support proper investment in cycling and better transport planning so that riding a bike becomes easier and safer for everyone!
Link to further information about Space for Cycling
More background to the event: http://www.ctc.org.uk/blog/brighton-labour-conference-2015
Brighton and Hove City Council is made up of 54 councillors. All these seats are up for election on May 7th 2015. Check out the local manifestos from the political parties! This is what the the candidates say they’ll do if you vote for them!
Conservative party manifesto See particularly pages 8 and 11
Green party manifesto See particularly pages 24-26
Labour party manifesto See particularly pages 16-17
There are a lot of differences in their approach to cycling and transport!
People all over the country have been asking for their councillors’ support for Space for Cycling at: http://www.space4cycling.org.uk Please sign up at the link above and ask your councillors to support S4C’s essential points. By clicking on the interactive map linked to the above site, you can view the results of the requests. Nineteen Brighton and Hove City Councillors out of 54 have so far pledged their support. They are:
Cllr Jason Kitcat (Green)
Cllr Ian Davey (Green)
Cllr Sven Rufus (Green)
Cllr Pete West (Green)
Cllr Ruth Buckley (Green)
Cllr Ollie Sykes (Green)
Cllr Stephanie Powell (Green)
Cllr Mike Jones (Green)
Cllr Alex Phillips (Green)
Cllr Graham Cox (Conservative)
Cllr Rob Jarrett (Green)
Cllr Amy Kennedy (Green)
Cllr Phelim Maccafferty (Green)
Cllr Warren Morgan (Labour)
Cllr Sue Shanks (Green)
Cllr Bill Randall (Green)
Cllr Lizzie Deane (Green)
Cllr Leo Littman (Green)
Cllr Liz Wakefield (Green)
We’re calling on ALL Brighton and Hove City Councillors (and any prospective councillors) to commit to continuing transport improvements by signing up to Space for Cycling’s six key points. This will make our City safer and more encouraging for cycling and walking and contribute to urgent Public Health and environmental objectives. As we approach an election year, it is important to have this assurance. The main themes are:
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR COUNCILLOR. also, tell us what improvements you want to see in your area of Brighton and Hove! Email: bricyclesbrighton@gmail.com
The results of Brighton & Hove’s 20 mph consultation (Phase 3 area) show that 55% of respondents support 20mph on their own street! The percentages in favour were:
Medina Terrace 63%Proposals for new 20 mph limits have been developed in the light of local support/opposition. Full report here. It’s Agenda Item 61, pages 61-151. It will be discussed at the Council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee meeting on 25 November. The Speed Limit Orders will be advertised in December.
12 November 2014: Bricycles welcomes today’s ruling from the Advertising Standards Authority on this advert about casualties on 20 mph roads.
The ad from pro-motoring group “Unchain the Brighton Motorist” appeared in The Argus on 18 July 2014. One of the headings read “Casualties rise by more than 20% on 20 mph roads”. The ad implied there was a relationship between 20 mph speed limits and an increase in casualties. The ad has been judged to be misleading and unsubstantiated by the advertising regulator. The ASA have told Unchain to ensure they do not make claims in future about the relationship between speed limits and casualties if they cannot substantiate them. The ad breached the code on misleading advertising, substantiation and qualification, and it must not appear again in its current form.
This is the third time the ASA have ruled that advertisements produced by the Unchain group have been misleading. There have been four rulings in total on Unchain the Brighton Motorist, with three upheld or partially upheld
Becky Reynolds of Bricycles said “We complained to the ASA about this ad and we welcome their ruling which confirms our view that the ad was misleading. We don’t want to see the public misinformed about a crucial area like Road Safety. Far from an increase in casualties, the data in Brighton and Hove for phase 1 of the 20 mph area shows that there has been a decrease in both the number of casualties and the severity of injuries when the figures for 8 April 2013 to 7 April 2014 are compared with the previous three years. Collisions are also down. We are strongly in support of slower traffic speeds which are a great step forward for the safety of all road users.”
Figures for the first year of 20 mph Phase 1 implementation are at www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/20mph Casualties and collisions are significantly down. Figures for Phase 2, implemented in July 2014 are not available yet.
In a separate ruling, following a complaint from the Unchain group about a Brighton and Hove City Council leaflet, the ASA supported the Council’s statement that a 20mph speed limit leads to a reduction in road collisions and the severity of casualties and improves the quality of life of local neighbourhoods. It’s good news that the ASA agree on this crucial and frequently disputed point. However they ruled against the Council’s claim that 20 mph limits encouraged more walking and cycling for local trips which in turn would bring significant health benefits and reduce congestion. They do not accept that there is enough evidence!
