Newsletter

Newsletter June 2021

Southampton Cycling Campaign Newsletter – June 2021

  1. If you do one thing…

  2. Cycle Campaign Picnics: join us at next one this Monday

  3. Cycle Campaign Rides: join us at next one this Sunday

  4. Cycle Campaign info

If you do one thing:

Before Friday June 25th could you respond to the consultation about free parking in town after 6pm.  It is just one box for comments and a tick to object:  https://transport.southampton.gov.uk/tro?fbclid=IwAR3ZIbQH17VISgmeo8m9SEOF0VIYtI20woOlss4moyFVNVysbE9PeS0HBEA  You could make point that a third of people don’t have cars, and many choose not to drive into town anyway. More (covered) bike parking and reduced bus fares would be better.

Cycle Campaign Picnics

Please come and join us!   Bring your picnic and picnic mat/deckchair on Mon 21st June at 6-7pm at the Little Common near Khartoum Rd.  We will confirm via mailing list if weather is dodgy, but you can email membership@southamptoncyclingcampaign.org.uk to check if you’re not on the email list.  It’ll be a chance to meet new members, catch up and chat.

Another picnic is planned for Wed 30th June 6-7pm at St Denys Riverside, near Janaway Gardens.  As above if dodgy weather.  Another chance to meet new members, catch up and chat.

Cycle Campaign Rides

Sunday 20th June – Cycle Campaign ride to Bishops Waltham from Riverside Park (by Cobden Bridge) at 10am.  Route out via Stapleford Lane, Durley Mill, Curdridge Lane and Waltham Chase; return via Durley Street, Durley and Horton Heath.  Coffee and cake at our usual B W stop.  If weather inclement, we can shorten the ride, stopping at the Robin Hood in Durley and returning from here.  If heavy rain/thunderstorms, we will cancel – check emails 9am Sunday morning if in doubt.

Sunday 18th July – Other rides will be planned on a month to month basis so watch out for emails (come along to a meeting or picnic to join the list). We will carry on with the 3rd Sunday rides, with maybe a few extras.

17th July – 1st Aug Women’s festival of cycling.

17th July Wild Night Out – tbc – ride for Wild Night Out National Ordnance Survey events to encourage people to ride/camp/etc so we may ride to Netley at night.

Sunday 15th August – the Leveret is a 50 km (31 miles) or 35 km (21 miles)  Southampton CTC annual event organised by Jim.  Contact  jimpro54@hotmail.co.uk for more info. It is a self-guided ride, an opportunity for riders to enjoy a leisurely ride in the Hampshire countryside. The route includes some gentle climbs but nothing too strenuous.  The route starts at Romsey and ends at Poppies Tea Rooms at Choice Plants in Timsbury SO51 0NB. The finish will be open from 12.00 pm to 3.30 pm. (The cafe closes at 4 pm.)  Here are the links to the gpx files on plot-a-route:

Leveret 50km – 49km Cycle Route near Romsey (ID: 978641) (plotaroute.com)

Leveret 35km – 35km Cycle Route near Romsey (ID: 978649) (plotaroute.com)

Cycle Campaign info

  • The next Southampton Cycling Campaign meeting is on Zoom on Monday 12th July at 7:30pm – all welcome.  In August we usually have a social instead.

  • Instead of membership fees, we just suggest donations, so if you have a regular payment to us please feel free to leave it or alter it.

  • Do forward this newsletter to others who may be interested in joining, as we’d love to gain more members.

  • We share articles on our Facebook page and use our mailing list to communicate about what’s going on in Southampton.

  • Please join, come along to a meeting and join our mailing list!  (Members are able to join our secure email list once you have attended a meeting, or if that is an issue an active member can vouch for you.)  Before your first meeting, please email membership@southamptoncyclingcampaign.org.uk to get the zoom link.

  • You can join a working group, where coordinators communicate with the SCC person who is designing the scheme/route.  After each meeting we send a list of non-scheme-specific queries to Greg at SCC (Senior Transport Planner, Green City and Infrastructure).  We have had some instant responses (like the kerb north of the Saints Stadium) and we’re constantly working on new lists and updates – so please do come along to our next zoom meeting and listen in or join a working group.

  • If you don’t want to hear from us again, please email asking to be removed from the list.  On the other hand, if you’d like to get more involved, please come along to our next meeting or contact us!  Thanks!  membership@southamptoncyclingcampaign.org.uk

And a last message from Lyn (chair-person):

I’ve recently learnt how to log rides using Strava.  I didn’t do long rides other than getting children to places, but now have got a record of 52 miles!  This was cycling from Bath (where our son is) to Salisbury – much better than using the rail replacement bus from Warminster to Salisbury.

For a few years I have looked at the NCN map https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ncn to plan where to cycle while my son is playing hockey.  I’ve enjoyed the routes around St Albans and Hatfield for a few days (watching hockey matches once a day); had great cycling around Barmouth before heading back down the trainline to near Birmingham to watch matches; and have explored Bristol to Clifton hockey pitches a few times.

It’s definitely got easier to book bikes on some trains now.. but sadly it’s nothing like having those spacious guard vans of the past. It’s easy to book Cross Country using messenger, and GWR even gives you the option as you buy your bargain advance tickets!  Happy UK holidays everyone!

Thank you for reading, and hope you can join us soon.