Category: travel

THAME Walking and Cycling Campaign (TWAC), is holding its AGM on Thursday (June 8), which will include a talk by Josie Hefferman of British Cycling, on cycling in schools.
The meeting is to be held in the Conference Room above the Sports Hall at Lord Williams’s Lower School. The Agenda is as follows:-
1. Apologies
2. Reports from Chair, Treasurer, Sustrans
3. Election of officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer
4. School news
5. 21st Century Thame Partnership ? Map of Walking & Cycling routes
6. ?Try a bike? at Thame festival, June 17th www.bikeweek.org.uk
7. Any other business
8. Date of next meeting

All are welcome and the group is always keen to hear news from schools.
If you do not usually go to TWAC meetings and would like to go along, please let Cathy Galter-Carter know on 01844 261430.

Reminder: Sustrans Opening Ride for Route 57 (Thame to Shabbington) is on 23rd June! Contact Jo Hamilton for details. jo.hamilton@sustrans.org.uk

CHILTERN Rail advises that on Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4, there will be some changes to its scheduled services, due to track improvement works.
The work includes signal maintenance, bridge strengthening and the removal of the foot crossing at Kings Sutton station to enable the new

RECENT works alongside the A418 between Thame and the Shabbington Turn, by Oxfordshire County Council, has completed National Cycle Route 57 between Oxford and Thame.
The route will shortly be fully signed, and the official opening, on Friday June 23, which is during National Bike Week, will be carried out by keen cyclist, Boris Johnson MP.
To celebrate the event, there will be a supporters’ Ride from Oxford to Thame, beginning at the Tourist Information Centre, Broad Street, Oxford at 11.15am, ready to depart at 11.30 am.
There will will be a stop in Wheatley for lunch between 12.30 and 1.30pm, and the aim is to arrive in Thame by 2.30 pm.
Anyone is welcome to join the ride for as much or as little of the ride as they like, as long as they notify the organisers in advance, who will supply further details of the route if necessary.
The route between Oxford and Thame is approximately 14 miles, on small lanes.

Please notify Jo Hamilton, Office Manager, Sustrans, c/o Ethical Property Company, 9 Park End Street, Oxford, OX1 1HH / Phone: 01865 205 230 / Fax: 01865 201 301 or: Email: jo.hamilton@sustrans.org.uk by Monday, June 12.

IN the latest incident in a growing trend, a Satellite navigation system was stolen from a car parked in Thame recently.
Crime Prevention Officers are warning vehicle owners to remove their SatNav systems when they leave their vehicle parked.
This latest incident happened overnight on Tuesday/Wednesday, April 11/12m between 5.30pm and 7.15am, in Hamilton Avenue, Thame.
Anyone with information about this or any similar incident is asked to contact the police enquiry line on: 0845 850 5505, or alternatively, talk anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111.

Alison Smith, Crime Reduction Advisor for the area, said: ?Please remove all valuables from your car before leaving it and leave your glove box open so that criminals can see there is nothing to steal.

?Ultraviolet pens are available from police stations so you can mark your property. Stolen property recovered by police can then be identified and returned.
?Satellite navigation equipment is becoming more popular with motorists, and it is also becoming more popular with criminals. Where possible keep it safe by taking it, together with the support cradle and suction pads, with you when you leave the car.
?Also remember to wipe away any suction pad marks left on the windscreen or dashboard as thieves will look out for these. Don’t leave the equipment in the glove compartment ? thieves will usually check there first.?
You can also help by following these tips:
? Mark your satellite navigation equipment system with your postcode and house number or your vehicle registration number or another unique number, using special security markers.
? Make a note of the make, model and serial number of the equipment and keep the note somewhere safe ? not in the car. Consider recording this information on one of the commercially available asset registers.
? Don’t leave anything on view in your car. Thieves are opportunists and it takes them seconds to break into your car.
? Lock all doors and windows, not forgetting the sunroof, when leaving your car.
? Never leave the keys in the ignition when the car is unattended, even while you’re paying for petrol.
? Use car parks that are part of the police-approved Safer Parking Scheme. Approved car parks display the official ‘Park Mark’TM sign. For details, visit: www.saferparking.com

LOCAL cycling fans, cheered on Thame cyclist, Karl Freeman, during a long and exciting chase after the leaders, at last Sunday’s Archer Grand Prix race.
Unfortunately, he was caught by the bunch on the way up Whiteleaf and was not among the 52 finishers out of the 100 riders who set off.

The race was one by Polish rider, Mariusz Wiesiak who
rides for the Japanese sponsored but Italian based, Nippo/KFS team. His team mate, Britain’s David Clarke, won the King of the Chilterns prize for being the leading rider on points up the long, 1-in-7 Whiteleaf Hill that did for Freeman.

QUEENS Road, Thame; Installation of cable by EDF Energy between April 3 and May 25 2006.

SOME restrictions may be necessary in East Street, Thame, while Southern Gas Networks are laying pipes between March 14 and 20.

THIS year sees the 100th anniversary of the opening of the rail line through Haddenham.
To celebrate the event, Chiltern Railways is running steam specials on the weekend of April 1 and 2 but, due to engineering works on the line, these will only be running between High Wycombe and Marylebone and not coming through Haddenham. However, some tickets have been reserved for Haddenham residents. Call 01926 729733 for times, prices and bookings.

Track Improvement Work: Friday 3, Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 March.
DUE to track improvement work this week, Chiltern Railways is making some changes to its scheduled services. A few late evening services will be affected on Friday 3 March. On Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 March, work on the Evergreen II project ? set to deliver major benefits for passengers once completed ?will continue. On Sunday 5 March, London Marylebone station will be closed to passengers all day and train services will be diverted to London Paddington.

Before travelling Chiltern Railways is advising passengers to check for service alterations at their local staffed stations, by calling the Chiltern Railways enquiry line on 08456 005 165 (07:00hrs to 20:00hrs) or visiting www.chilternrailways.co.uk where full timetable information is provided.

SERVICE SUMMARY
Friday 3 March
Kidderminster – Birmingham – Stratford-upon-Avon – Leamington Spa – Banbury ?High Wycombe – London
Aylesbury – High Wycombe ? London

** A ‘Try Cycling’ event is being planned by TWAC (Thame Walking And Cycling), as part of this year’s Thame Festival in June.
The event will give newcomers to cycling the opportunity to try a variety of bicycles and may be combined with cycle training for children.

** LORD Williams’s school, Thame, has been awarded