Minutes of the meeting held on 10th April 2008

Present: Paul Cammack (Geoffrey Manton)

Marie Carroll (Science and Engineering)

Anthony Fosbrook (Finance, Didsbury)

Andrew Hough (Higher Education Precinct Travel Coordinator)

Kerr Hamilton (PROMPT)

Connor McAlorum (All Saints)

Christine Stark (Env & Geog)

Wayne Shorrocks (PROMPT)

Niki Tragen (All Saints)

Paul Wright (Didsbury)

Update from previous meeting

The main purpose of the meeting was approve shelter and shower options discussed at the previous meeting. To begin, Kerr gave an update on a number of points raised at the previous meeting.

1.1 Cavendish bike storage area

It was reported that the swipe-card access to the bike storage area at Cavendish was working. However, after the meeting information was received that the swipe entry and door closers have never worked.

1.2 Chatham quad security issuesIt was noted that Chatham quad used to be open access, but was then closed due to security problems. It was reported that it would be expensive to install a swipe-card entry system, which was not currently an option because the building was already being refurbished.

Alternative storage areas

After suggestions at the previous meeting, Heather Wilson had been asked whether it would be possible to install cycle storage in an area under the Mancunian Way. Maureen Austin was also contacted to determine any potential problems that might occur if a bike storage area were located outside the Chester Street entrance of the John Dalton building. Responses had not yet been received.

Need for showers

Some attendees at the previous meeting felt that showers were not essential, and that the money could be better spent on, for example, drying areas. Heather Wilson had been consulted and her view was that showers were important in attracting new riders, as highlighted in the feedback from the Travel Survey.

Shower facilities at Didsbury

It was reported that there was an existing shower at the Didsbury site, in a small room off an office. Kerr had been to view the facility and felt it was suitable, and that the adjoining office could potentially be made into a changing/locker area. He needed to check the viability of this with the Dean of Faculty. Discussions about the possibility of opening the gym facilities at 8am were ongoing.

Capital Projects

– new facilities

Kerr reported that some ground-floor shop-style space was currently reserved in the new Salutation car park, for possible lockers, changing facilities and a drying room. John Hindley had suggested discussing the proposal with the group. Plans would need to be provided for the architects, and we would need to provide an estimate of the number of cyclists who would be likely to use the facility.

There was currently no provision in the new Business School proposals. The Capital Projects Coordinator had been contacted and asked to consider including facilities for cyclists, especially in view of the fact that the building was hailed as being

‘green’. However, it was noted that there was a huge demand for space on the ground floor of this new building, and that demand for space in the new Salutation car park was much less. It would only be feasible to put facilities in one or other of these new buildings.

Badly positioned stands at Aytoun

Kerr had not yet had a chance to look at the stands and identify the problems, be would do so in the near future.

New facilities at Geoffrey Manton and Didsbury

Kerr provided a picture of the secure 20-cycle storage facility planned for Geoffrey Manton. The design was agreed as appropriate to our requirements. A suitable location had been identified and Kerr would now get a firm price.

A couple of covered areas had been identified at the Didsbury site. It was noted that three stands had been removed when refurbishment work was carried out, and these had not yet been replaced.

Other points raised

2.1 Bikes with child seatsIt was requested that when new facilities were installed, they be located to allow bikes with attached child seats to be properly secured. This would mean leaving sufficient space behind the stands. It was noted that the design of the proposed new shelters would provide adequate room.

2.2 Locking and lighting of sheltersQuestions were raised as to whether the gates on the proposed shelters were self-closing, and whether the shelters would be lit. If they were to be lit, the lighting should not be on permanently. Kerr would make enquiries on both points.

2.3 All Saints West showers

Originally, some disabled toilet cubicles in All Saints West had been combined with a shower. This arrangement had proved to be inadequate for a number of reasons. It was reported that changes were due to be made, which would separate the shower cubicles from toilet cubicles.

2.4 Cavendish cycle routeA question was raised about the cycle route through the Cavendish site, and whether there were any plans to formalise it. It was currently marked as a cycle route, but was still shared with pedestrians, which could be problematic. It was felt that clearer demarcation was needed, and that there was sufficient space for separate cycle and pedestrian routes.

2.5 TimescalesKerr confirmed that the proposed timescale for the installation of secure storage areas and showers at Geoffrey Manton and Didsbury was before September.