The 46th Bedford Park Festival June 16-July 1 2012
Green Days - CycleZone
We were very pleased that so many cycling-related organisations (listed below) contributed towards the CycleZone on Green Days and we hope to make this an annual event. The Cycle Zone was situated directly opposite Turnham Green tube station on June 16th and 17th.
Sponsored by Woolsey of Acton
'The Aladdin's Cave of Cycle shops' in Acton Lane can deal with all your cycle needs.
Report by Patrick Davidson Houston:
The addition of a Cycle Zone as part of the Green Days at the Bedford Park Festival proved to be popular with visitors. The Dr Bike stall serviced over 135 bicycles for free with many who did not arrive on 2 wheels reappearing on the Sunday to take advantage of this opportunity.
Representatives from Hounslow Cycling Group, part of the London Cycling Campaign (LCC), manned a stall laden with useful cycling related literature including free maps from Sustrans (above right). They reported that interest levels were higher than at other similar recent festivals. Typical discussions included local businesses enquiring as to how they could facilitate and encourage employees to cycle to work and individuals expressing how they would like to commute on two wheels but were nervous about doing so. All LCC Borough groups including Hounslow organise local rides and events to help encourage people in exactly this situation as well as for health and enjoyment reasons.
In addition Cycle Experience were on hand to advise on what type of bicycle might be appropriate and had examples on hand to be tried out. Advice on training and equipment was also dispensed to the steady stream of passers by many of whom alleged to be regular cyclists despite the current weather. They said: "We estimate that 65 bikes were serviced on Saturday and 'at least' 70 on Sunday as we have 55 e-mails but many had bought multiple bikes)."
Finally representatives from Chiswick Police were on hand to administer security marking to all those who wanted it, leaving only after demand had exhausted their supplies on the second day.
All indications are that many local people are active cyclists but that many more would like to use their bikes for commuting and local trips. It is hoped that events such as this and others throughout the Borough, supported by Hounslow Council, will give them the confidence to give it a go in as safe a way as possible.
We are grateful to Hounslow Council for their support. Read more about their initiatives to support cycling and active travel.
Hounslow Cycle Group (London Cycling Campaign) said:
We had a wonderfully successful first foray into the Bedford Park Green Festival this weekend. The Cycle Zone incorporated Bike Experience, Dr Bike and the Neighbourhood Police. We ran the LCC Hounslow stall in tandem with a Sustrans stall.
The location was perfect and we had a continual flow of visitors and interest. We were handing out maps, leaflets and talking about cycling to experienced and non-experienced in equal measure, and we got people to sign up to the LCC mailing list.
Not one person came up and ranted about red-lights or pavements!
Overall a triumph and should definitely be repeated next year.
Sunday June 3rd 2012
Bedford Park Jubilee
Illuminated Cycle Ride
Local cyclists gathered outside St Michael and All Angels Church on Jubilee Bank Holiday Sunday evening (below right) to rerun the nighttime `Illuminated Cycle Ride' around Bedford Park, originally held in June 1897 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria.
Advertising the event, Bud Murryweather wrote: "The Bedford Park Jubilee Illuminated Cycle Ride 2012 will take place in the evening on Sunday June 3rd. The cycle ride will re-create the bike ride held at night in June 1897 in Bedford Park to celebrate the last Diamond Jubilee - of Queen Victoria. Meet at 8:45pm outside the Tabard pub on Bath Road, Chiswick W4. The ride will last until 10:15pm approx and will incorporate the streets of Bedford Park, Turnham Green Terrace, Chiswick High Road, Stamford Brook, Chiswick Mall and Strand on the Green (possible stop) and return to the Tabard.
"There will be `candle' lights available on the night but please ensure you have your own bike lights and if possible wear neon/hi viz/fluorescent to create a spectacle and any other lights eg headlamps! If you have time...decorate your bike too. The ride will not go ahead if the weather is really bad: conversely if it goes really well, there may be a further opportunity for a ride the next day, on the afternoon of Monday June 4th to link up other Jubilee events such as the Woodstock Road Street Party and the Stamford Brook Fete. Please contact bedparkbikeride@btinternet.com or call 07802 862 861.
"The previous bike ride in 1897 was described thus by a local journal:`Bedford Park must have looked especially attractive on (the) evening when the inhabitants organised a illuminated bicycle parade with 120 people riding in pairs. Each bicycle decorated with Chinese lanterns which glowed in the darkness as the cavalcade wound its way through the streets'."