Well it’s that time of the year once again, when everyone gets into
the festive spirit (rum, vodka, brandy, etc) and we all tuck into huge
turkey’s that seem to go on for weeks afterward. Anyway what ever way
you celebrate, The Demented Troll wishes you all a merry one, and a happy new
year.
And please remember not to throw your empty cans/bottles over the
bridge, there may well be a Troll slumbering beneath.
Bristol City Council is rebuilding the entire area at the end of the M32.
As many of you have noticed this is a very large scheme. They intend to use
specially developed anti-skid manhole covers.
The below article is the
Bristol City Council Press release authored by Mike Brewer:
Bristol gets a grip on manhole covers and motorcycle parking
The centre of Bristol is currently embarking on a major reconfiguration to its inner circuit road to accommodate the construction of a £500m shopping centre expansion.
The safety audit carried out on the new (up to 10 lane) carriageways called for the use of anti-skid manhole covers. Whilst British Standard utility covers are classed as anti-skid by virtue of the covers being castellated, two wheeled vehicles in particular can loose grip and skid when crossing these covers.
A new EN124 standard is due to come into force in 2 years time which will require a higher standard of skid resistance on utility covers. This is likely to take the form of fine ‘sharp’ hard wearing stone of a similar nature to that used on areas approaching pedestrian crossings and hazardous bends. The normal slippery castellated manhole cover surface will hopefully become a thing of the past.
Bristol City Council, the Broadmead Alliance and St Gobain Pipelines with support from Hoare Lea and Capita Symonds Consulting Engineers and utility companies have taken the initiative of ‘trialing’ this type of cover ‘en mass’ throughout the new highways. The covers will be produced in factory controlled conditions and even colour matched to the adjacent road surfaces!
Both cycling and motorcycling are encouraged in Bristol to help ease congestion and parking issues in this busy city. Powered two wheelers (PTW's) are allowed to use bus lanes and cycling provision has been made both in the form of shared footway surfaces and advisory cycle lanes.
Utility covers have always given the users of two wheeled transport heart stopping moments when wet (usually on a bend!). The designers have not only introduced this new type of cover but have additionally been mindful of the ‘desire lines’ of two wheeled traffic and endeavored, wherever possible to locate covers away from bends, outside of riders wheel tracks and areas where heavy braking is likely; however in a city centre environment with a multitude of utilities in the highway, it has not always been possible to locate every cover outside these high risk areas. The covers are to be utilised throughout the works as the risk of loosing grip on utility covers is present for two wheeled vehicles even in low risk areas on straights and areas where heavy braking would not normally be expected.
New motorcycle parking areas are also to be provided, the design of which will be in accordance with the recently published guidance given within the Institute of Highway and Incorporated Engineers Guidelines for Motorcycling.
Construction of the new carriageways is commencing imminently. We hope that by the end of next summer the new road surfaces will be in place complete with new non shiny manhole covers!
Things to note;
This is excellent news, the changes we needed are being trialed, though we
have a way to go before there is a ‘sea change’ nationally. So, keep
on sending me your experiences of the old covers and your views on the use of
the new covers. As and when you do come across them please also tell me your
experiences with them. Please try to keep them positive in nature, we want to
encourage the ‘decision makers’ to do what we want!!
Big cheer
for Bristol where it happens first :)Richard Stiling Campaign
Coordinator
For those of you who do not already know Iron Hurst are standing in for Severance at the Christmas do on the 3rd of December
A date for our AGM has been set now, Thursday 2nd of February.
Swindon MAG are having a Christmas get together on the 2nd of December in the Skittle alley at there local boozer, Brown Jacks
Other News Lysley Christmas biker meal/do is on the 16th of December 2 course 13.95 / 3 course 17.95. This is a pre-book meal the menu is available from the Lysley or if you wish I can email you a copy taffy_jones@btinternet.com It also looks like the Lysley are Challenging Mid Wilts to a go-cart race next year, contact Irish Paul for more info 07976 952232 www.ultimatekarting.co.uk Thanks Taff
I have had the following in an email from the Julian Trust via Stuart Duckworth:
Dear MAG. Thank you very much for your recent run to the Night Shelter and the fundraising you did for us. Our Chairman promises to hand me your donation which she collected from you on Thursday! Our AGM is that night at 7.30 pm if a rep or two wanted to attend from MAG you would be very welcome. Being an AGM there is some boring business to go through and then we have a bit of a social afterwards with some buffet food and wine. We have recently launched our website www.juliantrust.org.uk . Do visit us and let us know what you think.
In the next few days we will add your website to our links page as you have been such a wonderful regular supporter of our homeless guests, if you could make a link back to us that would increase the traffic for both of us. On our website you will find two photos of MAG visiting us in a previous year. Best wishes to you all John
Bristol MAG is having a ride out on 3 December at 11:30 to connect with the Mid-Wilts MAG Charity Ride.
This year has seen an increase in membership within the region, probably due
to the 3rd EU licence directive. We now have at the moment 613 members spread
across the region.
There are 97 in the Bristol MAG area and 91 in the
neighbouring Not-Avon area.
Mid-Wilts MAG have 87 and Swindon MAG
69.
Glos MAG have a staggering 145 which does not include the 31 in the
Forest of Dean MAG area.
Weston & North Somerset has 63.
This leaves
30 currently not served by a local group in the Bath & North East Somerset
area, an area we should seriously look at getting a group set up in.
The Regional AGM will be held on January 29th 2006 at The Mayors Arms, Clarence Rd, Bristol. Any items for the agenda or nominations please contact the Regional Administrator; 0117 957 2401
From the start of December 2005, Swindon MAG will be meeting on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays of each month instead of Wednesdays.
The Motorcycle Action Group accepts no responsibility for the content of this
publication and the views expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or
MAG.
Merry Yuletide from the Demented Troll