good going Newsletter Issue 17

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• good going Newsletter Issue 17

Issue 17 July - August 2007

Summer of Cycling

Good going moves on

The branding for travel awareness across London has changed from good going to DIY Planet Repairs so this will be the last newsletter headed as good going.

Throughout 2007 the Mayor of London will be continuing to put environmental issues such as Climate Change at the top of his agenda, in order to cut London's carbon emissions and make London a cleaner, greener, more sustainable city.   The Greater London Authority agreed to promote the concept of Planet Repairs and that the five key areas related to climate change should adopt the DIY Planet Repairs branding.

You may already have seen advertising related to some of the following Planet Repairs strands:

• Travel
• Energy Efficiency
• Recycling
• Tree Conservation
• Water Conservation

Sustainable Transport Borough of the Year

Kingston has been recognised as the ‘Sustainable Borough of the Year’ by Transport for London. Kingston Council also scooped Travel Awareness Event of the Year for their successful Walk to Work campaign.

Claire Pilkington from Fern Hill Primary School, who has worked closely with the Council’s Road Safety and Travel Awareness Team also received the Award of Champion of the Year.

Cllr Simon James, Executive Member for Transport said; “The award recognises the commitment that Kingston Council and its residents have made to a more sustainable future. We will continue to work hard to build on what we have achieved so far to support and encourage residents and visitors to travel in a way that benefits them and our environment.”

Bike Week News

The Road Safety and Travel Awareness Unit organised over twenty events to encourage workers, residents and visitors to the borough to try cycling instead of their usual form of transport.

Bike Week this year was held from 16 – 24 June.

Activities included Information Evenings to give encouragement to anyone keen to start cycling.  Adult cycle training was organised to help local residents that either have never ridden a bike before to learn how to or to support those that have spent a long time out of the saddle.

Doctor Bike was on hand to safety check bikes on a number of occasions and the Police also joined in by providing free secure marking in Kingston town centre.

Staff at local schools also got involved by taking part in some confidence training.  Retiring Head teacher of Alexandra Infants School, Jenny Titterton said, ‘I haven’t ridden a bike since I was a child cycling to Surbiton Lagoon.  This training has reminded me how much fun it is to cycle and has encouraged me to pick it up again.’

With the increase of cyclists on the roads the Council’s Road Safety team assisted members of the Road Safety and Travel Awareness Student Council to develop a Highway Code test and safety information guide.

The test asks cyclists to identify common road signs and asks questions such as: ‘When cycling at night what, by law, is your bicycle required to have?’, and ‘When are you permitted to ride on the pavement?’

Tour de France 7-9 July

The Tour de France, while integral to French culture, has always been more than simply a French affair. Each year the first leg of the event starts somewhere different, either in France or another country reflecting the broad appeal of the Tour. In 2006 it was in Strasbourg, France. The year before it was Liege, Belgium. In 2007 it is coming to London and Kent – so hopefully you’ll get a chance to show your support by either going along on the day or by viewing on television.  

The Kingston Cycling Campaign along with all the other London Cycling Campaigns will be cycling in to London on the day and showing their support for the Tour.

In Town, Without My Car Day

21 September 2007

Every year between 16 and 22 September In Town, Without My Car is promoted as part of European Mobility Week.

European Mobility Week has become established in both the UK and abroad and traditionally culminates with In Town, Without My Car day.  This involves the closure of streets to cars and lorries in participating towns, allowing people to enjoy walking, cycling, street theatre, live music, public art and children’s play areas.  It creates a less polluted, quieter urban area for a day.  It helps us rediscover our towns and encourages us to think about the ways in which we travel in them.

Proposed location for this year’s event is Maple Road, Surbiton.

Keep a look out for information closer to the day on our going going pages and make sure to visit the event and take part in activities throughout the day.