London cycle paths and the Olympics

[Rob]

Sorry if this has been done before, but I was pretty amazed to see the
extract at the foot of this post. Moral (for me) is get involved in
campaigns.

Rob

-------

> The most obvious reply I can make* is that it is
> perfectly clear from the Olympics Bid plans that all -
> repeat ALL - cycle routes both across and up and down
> the Lea Valley are soon about to be closed
> indefinitely (and in some cases permanently), both for
> security reasons and to allow construction to take
> palce. The Greenway, for example, will be out of use
> for about 12 years, the Lea River and Lea Navigation
> and the Bow Back Rivers topaths will be out of use
> with no off-road alternatives proposed for up to 8
> years, and the Lea river system wlil also be closed to
> navigation for the duration of the Games and for some
> time before and after. There will obviously be
> further disruption after the Games during the legacy
> period.

*'I' not sure, someone from the no2londonolympics2012; a reply to an
email about improving cycle paths in London

 

[John Hearns]

On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 13:33:45 +0000, Rob wrote:

> Sorry if this has been done before, but I was pretty amazed to see the
> extract at the foot of this post. Moral (for me) is get involved in
> campaigns.
>
>
> *'I' not sure, someone from the no2londonolympics2012; a reply to an email
> about improving cycle paths in London
Rob, can you post a link to this?
This is a big concern.

 

[Pharty Pants]

On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 13:33:45 +0000 (UTC), Rob
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Sorry if this has been done before, but I was pretty amazed to see the
>extract at the foot of this post. Moral (for me) is get involved in
>campaigns.
>
>Rob
>
>-------
>
> > The most obvious reply I can make* is that it is
> > perfectly clear from the Olympics Bid plans that all -
> > repeat ALL - cycle routes both across and up and down
> > the Lea Valley are soon about to be closed
> > indefinitely (and in some cases permanently), both for
> > security reasons and to allow construction to take
> > palce. The Greenway, for example, will be out of use
> > for about 12 years, the Lea River and Lea Navigation
> > and the Bow Back Rivers topaths will be out of use
> > with no off-road alternatives proposed for up to 8
> > years, and the Lea river system wlil also be closed to
> > navigation for the duration of the Games and for some
> > time before and after. There will obviously be
> > further disruption after the Games during the legacy
> > period.

Perhaps urc should have a Lea Valley meet and have a cycle ride before
the paths are closed.

 

[Helen Deborah Vecht]

Pharty Pants <[email protected]>typed

> Perhaps urc should have a Lea Valley meet and have a cycle ride before
> the paths are closed.

Some of us were rather tired at the end of the LEL ;-)

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected]
Edgware.

 

[Rob]

John Hearns wrote:
> On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 13:33:45 +0000, Rob wrote:
>
>
>>Sorry if this has been done before, but I was pretty amazed to see the
>>extract at the foot of this post. Moral (for me) is get involved in
>>campaigns.
>>
>>
>>*'I' not sure, someone from the no2londonolympics2012; a reply to an email
>>about improving cycle paths in London
>
> Rob, can you post a link to this?
> This is a big concern.

The extract I gave was from a long exchange between the no2 people and
local cycling groups, and apparently it appears in yahoo groups. I was
unable to verify any of it today - all I found was a reference to *more*
cycle paths.

I've written to who I believe to be the author and I'll post again once
(and if) I get any more info.

Rob

 

[Rob]

OK - the author of the text below has written to me, and is (I think)
part of:

http://www.nolondon2012.org/

All information was given at public meetings - in other words it's not
written down. The only reference in the documentation (contained within
6 CDs) confirms closure of the Greenway. I find this peculiar becuase
it's a sewer path - I don't see how anyone could (or would want to)
build on it, and it extends way beyond the games site.

So, I've phoned http://www.london2012.org/en/contactus.htm - they're too
busy to answer queries of this kind so asked me to put it in writing,
which i've done. I've also asked a friend at the planning department to
find out.

Rob

Rob wrote:
> Sorry if this has been done before, but I was pretty amazed to see the
> extract at the foot of this post. Moral (for me) is get involved in
> campaigns.
>
> Rob
>
> -------
>
> > The most obvious reply I can make* is that it is
> > perfectly clear from the Olympics Bid plans that all -
> > repeat ALL - cycle routes both across and up and down
> > the Lea Valley are soon about to be closed
> > indefinitely (and in some cases permanently), both for
> > security reasons and to allow construction to take
> > palce. The Greenway, for example, will be out of use
> > for about 12 years, the Lea River and Lea Navigation
> > and the Bow Back Rivers topaths will be out of use
> > with no off-road alternatives proposed for up to 8
> > years, and the Lea river system wlil also be closed to
> > navigation for the duration of the Games and for some
> > time before and after. There will obviously be
> > further disruption after the Games during the legacy
> > period.
>
> *'I' not sure, someone from the no2londonolympics2012; a reply to an
> email about improving cycle paths in London

 

[Lin]

Rob, thanks for your digging on this. It's a big concern for all of us
in East London.

It was easily foreseeable - along with the loss of Hackney Marshes and
other areas - and the reason I personally campaigned against the
Olympics coming to London.

It's possible the Greenway is targeted because a very small part of it
runs nearish to the proposed site in Stratford. If it's any comfort, in
the eventuality of closure, the local scallies with angle-grinders who
regularly destroy the motorbike barriers may for once come in useful.

Agree the Greenway is not pretty but it is popular as a green space in
Stratford (not just with the scallies!) and has some utility as a link
down to Beckton. Likewise the Bow Back Rivers are an incredibly useful
and reasonably pleasant work around some completely unsavoury and
heavily trafficked parts of East London. Both are more use than
ornament, but they will be missed.

I mourn the imminent loss of the Lea River and Navigation. Love those
routes. Sure people who are going to lose their homes and jobs are
suffering more; nevertheless it burns that people who use open space as
a recreation - I'm thinking of the bikers & walkers on the river and
the footie players on the Marshes - are going to get openly shafted for
the profit of sports companies, the transient career of cheating pros
and the vanity of politicians.

Lin