Transport News June 2009
Tips from the top
Olympic cycling hero Sir Chris Hoy dropped in on pupils at Northwold Primary school in Upper Clapton for a cycling breakfast.
The event was also part of a Kellogg’s Cycling Launch, encouraging children to get on their bikes as a great way to stay active and enjoy the fresh air.
Northwold School won a Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Award in the Healthy Lifestyle category earlier this year.
The company works with learning charity ContinYou to develop and support breakfast clubs across the UK.
Sir Chris became the first British Olympian for 100 years to claim three golds at one Games at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. This came when he won the men’s keirin, the men’s team sprint and also the men’s individual sprint.
More information
For Hackney cycling info visit the Move by Bike page. For Info on the Kellogg’s scheme visit: www.kelloggs.co.uk/whatson/cycling
Walking, talking, rapping winner
A Dalston pupil scooped the Hackney prize in a Kiss FM Walk to School Week competition.
Hackney primary school children were encouraged to make their way to classes on foot during the week from 18-22 May.
Michelle Nwachukwu, 10, from Our Lady and St Joseph RC Primary, E8, won the competition with a rap about walking to school. She was recorded for a Kiss FM podcast, and won a digital camera and Walk ’n’ Talk t-shirt.
In total 239 entries were received, all of whom won a ‘Strider’ badge. Nine pupils bagged runner-up prizes of Walk’n’Talk tshirts.
They were Una, Aoife, Phoebe-Jane and Rebecca from Our Lady and St Joseph; Jenine and Ramani from St John and St James Primary in Homerton; and Scarlett, Molly and Kyra from Jubilee Primary, N16.
Cllr Alan Laing, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said:
“This year’s Walk to School competition has been a great success. It has helped raise awareness and encouraged young people to do their bit to support the Council’s bid to tackle climate change and promote sustainable transport in the borough.”
Now a new competition called the Golden Shoe has been launched. The winner will be the Hackney school that records the highest percentage of students walking to school at least once a week during June, July and September.
More information
Call Georgie Burchell on: 020 8356 8469; email: georgie.burchell@hackney.gov.uk; or visit the Walking and Cycling to School Competitions page.
Charity riders show their love
Three cyclists from the borough did more than wear their hearts on their sleeves when they rode their bikes to raise money for the Stroke Association.
Brian Voakes, from De Beauvoir Town, and Adrian Brooks and Matthew Cox, from Stoke Newington, proudly sported their I love Hackney T-shirts when they took part in a 33-mile London Cycling Campaign ride across all the bridges on the Thames, from Tower Bridge to Hampton Court, raising £2,000. Brian said: “We are all proud of Hackney, especially because Hackney is cycle friendly, so decided to show off to the crowd. We got an amazing response to our T-shirts – we were cheered the entire way!”
Brian, who enlisted his fellow riders, dedicated his ride to his friend’s mother Patricia Walsh, who died from complications from a stroke the week before the ride.
Sign up for Freewheeling fun
Hackney cyclists can now sign up for the third annual London Freewheel. The free bike ride on 20 September offers riders of all ages a chance to make the most of traffic-free London.
The popular event, which attracted 50,000 people last year, is set to follow a new, longer 15km route. The event fills up fast, so keen cyclists should bag a place as soon as possible. For info and to register visit: www.london.gov.uk/freewheel
Roadworks to install bus lane
Weekend roadworks are due to take place in Homerton Road between Kings Mead Way and Mabley Street.
The works, to install a second section of the westbound bus lane, will take place on the weekends of 27-28 June and 4-5July.
This includes resurfacing the road; marking out the bus lane; and upgrading existing bus stops.
The works will be carried out between 8.30am and 6.30pm. When works are in progress, lane closures with two-way traffic control will be in place. Emergency access and access to side roads will not be affected.
No work will take place on weekdays, but there may be temporary road surfaces and markings. Bus stops may be suspended or relocated during the works. For info call: 020 8356 2897; or email: info@hackney.gov.uk
Safer arrival
Young people took part in safety events to help keep them from danger when crossing roads – and stay on their toes at the same time.
The Roadwise Rangers were in Springfield Park providing children with activities to help them stay fit, and also to keep them safe, by showing how these same sports skills can be used out on the streets.
The Roadwise scheme also encourages healthy eating, tackles obesity and aims to get children active and into the spirit of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Hackney road safety team was also on hand to check that car seats were correctly fitted and offered in-car safety advice at drop-in testing sessions at Tesco car park in Morning Lane.
Cllr Alan Laing, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods said:
“Child seats can reduce the chances of a child being injured or even killed in a car accident but only if they’re fitted correctly.
“Research carried out by Trading Standards found that on average, eight out of 10 children’s car seats are fitted incorrectly.
“Parents and child carers should also be aware that they could face a £30 on the spot fine for not securing young children properly in cars.
“Or they could end up in court and face a fine of up to £500. It’s absolutely vital that children’s car seats are fitted correctly.”
More information
For further details call: 020 8356 8364; or visit the Road Safety pages.
Top spot for sustainable travellers
Hackney has achieved further recognition as the London borough that employs the most ‘sustainable transport’.
This means people travel in a way that makes a positive contribution to the environment – using public transport, cycling or walking. The London Travel Demand Survey, carried out by Transport for London (TfL) randomly selects 8,000 households in the capital each year to give an indication of how Londoners travel.
Results this year indicate that Hackney remains a top performer in the use of public transport, walking and cycling.
More work travel trips were taken by bicycle than any other London borough and there are more women cyclists here than men – the reverse of other areas.
Cllr Alan Laing, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said:
“The results are further recognition of the investment the Council is putting into sustainable transport. Walking, cycling and public transport are growing in popularity and becoming safer and more attractive for people travelling in the borough.”
Transformation is underway
Work to transform parts of Homerton Station into a wildflower meadow is well under way.
Community group Friends of Homerton Station and Network Rail’s maintenance team have started clearing existing vegetation and litter from the embankments.
Over the summer, work will continue to remove grasses and weeds to make way for an environment where wildlife-friendly plants can thrive.
Network Rail’s Maintenance Protection Co-ordinator, Lee Draper, said: “Network Rail’s maintenance team is delighted to be involved with this innovative project.
“We look forward to seeing snowdrops, primroses, foxgloves, buttercups and a variety of other wildflowers at the station.”
If you would like to receive the Friends of Homerton Station e-newsletter; email: susanna_phillips@hotmail.co.uk
London Fields is just the ticket
Passenger numbers at London Fields Station have soared by 27 per cent over the past year, figures reveal.
It is thought the growth in numbers is a results of improvements in train frequency and reliability in recent years, along with the introduction of Oyster card readers.
The current daily user figure is 2,066, compared to 1,625 in 2008.
Evening peak numbers increased by 32 per cent, from 567 in 2008 to 747 currently.
Train operator National Express has recently delivered a service that is more than 90 per cent reliable, and has also improved its internal information systems at the station, so staff can receive updates more quickly when there are delays or other operating problems.
The Council now monitors cameras at London Fields Station and a Safer Travel Team is based at Hackney Downs Station with police and security staff now operating in teams.
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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