Demo August 12th

As is now becoming customary, we’ll meet at the northern towpath closure site this Sunday at midday (see map below) All welcome.

Demo Sunday August 5th

We will meet at midday this Sunday at the northern end of the closure (towpath under Eastway bridge, see map below) as we do weekly, to continue our campaign to raise awareness of the issues caused by the towpath closure.

Our minds focussed by the tragic death of Dan Harris this week, killed whilst cycling by an Olympic bus just a stone’s throw from our meeting place, we will cycle as a group around the perimeter of the Olympic Park to highlight how dangerous the roads around the Park are for cyclists, as well as pedestrians.

All welcome, especially families, children and nervous cyclists.

Bring some food or drink for a bring & share picnic at the end of the ride.

Any questions email openourtowpath@gmail.com

Join the Facebook group

“Ride the diversion” flashride (and walk!) Sunday 29th July

This Sunday we will take our protest to the streets to highlight our belief that the LOCOG official diversion for the towpath closure is NOT a safe or viable alternative.

Our complaints about the closure of the Lea towpath (National Cycle Network 1) have been compounded by the impending closure this Friday of the Greenway (off-road cycle path) east of Stratford. As with the towpath closure, this is not mentioned on the ‘Get Ahead of the Games’ website or TfL cycle planner. Requests for a diversion route for cyclists who usually use the Greenway have been met with silence.

We will meet at the closure site – under the Eastway bridge on the canal towpath – at MIDDAY for a BBQ (bring some food or drink to share), then set off from there at 1.30pm. Our route will take in the “Cycle Superhighway” of the A11, the notoriously fatal Bow roundabout and the unofficial motorway that is Stratford High St (due to the additional Greenway closure).

What is a flashride? Simply a group of cyclists all riding together. By virtue of the number of us, we tend to slow the traffic, so nervous cyclists and children are ESPECIALLY welcome. If you are normally too afraid to use the roads, come along and make your voice heard! Pedestrians are encouraged to come too and walk alongside us on the pavement. The route is as unsafe for pedestrians as it is for cyclists, due to dangerous unlit bridges and many junctions with no safe crossing facilities (including Bow).

We hope to see as many of you as possible. Strength in numbers!

Join the Facebook event (you may need to request to join our “Protest the Lea towpath closure” group first)

Download posters and flyers to print and share here

Any questions? Contact us openourtowpath@gmail.com

Demo 22nd July

Our third and most exciting demo so far will take place this Sunday 22nd July! Everyone is invited to come along, have fun and help send a message about how the towpath closure affects you.

Meet at 11am at Leyton Marsh, directly behind the Ice Rink (see map below), at midday at the closure site under the Eastway bridge, or join us at any point on our walk down the canal.

Bring something to BBQ and/or other food to share, and your friends and neighbours. Local residents, families, walkers, cyclists and commuters all very welcome.

Please feel free to download the poster for this rally and pin it up in your local shops, library, etc.

Download Now!

Any questions? Email us openourtowpath@gmail.com

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Simon Cole, founder of Hackney Tours has very generously offered a free of charge 45min guided walking tour of the area starting at the path closure site at 1:45pm. For those interested in a more comprehensive ALTERNATIVE ‘LIMPIK WALKING TOUR starting at 4pm protesters are being offered a special discount.

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Open Our Towpath

Protestors spell out their message. Photo © Lucy Pearce

The Lea towpath from Homerton to Bow has been closed from July 3rd (ie 23 days before the Opening Ceremony!) until September 10th as a so-called “security” measure for the Olympics. This is a heavily-used green lane through East London and there can be no rational reason for it to be closed this far ahead of the games, or even during them.

LOCOG and the police claim, despite 6m high electric fences and cameras, that the path is closed for security reasons. This is forcing cyclists onto busy roads, denying local residents access to recreational space and sending out a hypocritical Olympic message.

50 local residents, cyclists, walkers, families and commuters turned out in the driving rain on Sunday 8th July to protest against the closure. See ‘Demo Sunday 8th July’ above for a report and photos.

You can see our letter to the Mayor by clicking on ‘Letter to the Mayor’ above. To add your name, contact us on Twitter or Facebook, or add a comment.

@OpenOurTowpath

http://www.facebook.com/groups/147913112012877/