Dear Sustrans friends and volunteers,

I would like to celebrate the end of a great year for walking and cycling with you on Saturday 17th December, 12-2pm, at Ropewalk Community Garden, 53 Derby Road, Southampton, SO17 1EG.

Ropewalk is one of Southampton’s secret open spaces where, in addition to growing food, we have organised a number of cycling events such as cycle training for children and bike maintenance workshops. We are also looking into setting up a bike loan scheme and a led walk in the area.

The Sustrans/Transition Southampton initiative Bike2Basics will be at Ropewalk on the 17th to provide training and tools for people to learn to fix their own bike. There’ll be food and refreshments, and an opportunity to meet new people and find out about other initiatives happening in the inner city of Southampton.

Please let me know if you can make it – I hope to see some of you there!!

For those of you who can’t make it: thank you for your support throughout this past year and I look forward to continue to promote cycling and walking with you in 2012!

Best wishes,

Thea

1. Black Apollo Tremore. No saddle, back wheel loose (nuts missing)
2. Yellow Apollo reckless – 15 speed shimano – tatty but usable saddle, cables need sorting
3. Orange & black Apollo Slammer – 18 speed and telescopic spring front forks – needs gears sorting

All 3 need cleaning and oiling, none seriously. All free to whoever collects. You can have 1,2 or 3 as you please.

It’s a common misconception that a cyclist with a five or ten-mile commute must arrive at the office more tired than her car-driving colleague; according to a study of more than 21,000 adults: workers who travel by car or public transport suffer higher levels of stress and tiredness than those who cycle or walk.

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden found that car and public transport users felt that they struggled with their health compared to active commuters. Among the problems experienced were perceived poor sleep quality, everyday stress, low vitality, mental health, self-reported health, and absence from work due to sickness during the past 12 months. British workers each take an average of 6.5 sick day per year.

The report found that the car drivers with a journey of between 30 minutes and an hour suffered the most stress and the detrimental effect on health from using public transport increased with journey time.

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: ‘People commute for long distances for higher salaries or better housing, but this study suggests they may be paying for this with their health.’

You can sign the petition here.

Unnecessary Whitehall bureaucracy will be tackled and costs for councils reduced following the biggest review into Britain’s traffic signing system for 40 years, announced today by Transport Minister Norman Baker.

The new framework  includes measures to update and improve traffic signs to make sure that they reflect the way we travel now, as well as providing clear information on prohibitions on the road network.  Changes will include:

• Measures to improve cycle journeys by allowing journey times as well as distances to be added to signs on cycle routes and making it easier for councils to use Trixi mirrors to improve visibility of cyclists at junctions and ‘no entry except cycles’ signs to allow contra-flow cycling;

Full details here.

Start Time: 20:00
Date: 2011-11-10

Title:

Cycles For All is run by a local community charity that provides accessible cycles to those whose ability to use their limbs, balance and learn new skills is challenged. The project based at Eastleigh’s Pavilion on the Park has been successful in giving a wide range of people a chance to use a cycle, often for the first time, and gain new independence since it began in January this year.
The project is aiming to raise funds to add a new adult hand cycle to its fleet of 12 bikes, enabling the project to reach more people.
The day will begin at 12 noon on Sunday the 31st July at Pavilion on the Park, 1 Kingfisher Road, located directly behind Fleming Park Leisure Centre. The day finishes with a presentation from the Mayor of Eastleigh at 5.30pm.

From June 4th several Skyrides will be taking place every Sunday, varying from three to thirty miles, and booking is now open on the Skyride website.