Search found 239 matches

by amaferanga
6 Mar 2021, 9:17pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Nurses Pay Award
Replies: 127
Views: 4075

Re: Nurses Pay Award

Syd wrote:
amaferanga wrote:..... I'll be on my current band for 5 years before I get any real pay rise.

Ditto.

Still, the current state of the economy, due to Covid, isn’t conducive to large pay rises.


I agree. I don't need a pay rise. I'd rather the many hundreds thousands of people that have lost their livelihoods due to COVID received proper support from the government.
by amaferanga
6 Mar 2021, 8:58pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Nurses Pay Award
Replies: 127
Views: 4075

Re: Nurses Pay Award

Jdsk wrote:There are two other current issues which I don't think have been mentioned:

1 There is an enormous backlog of elective work from the outbreak. The current spending allocation means that this cannot be addressed adequately in the foreseeable future

2 There is an imminent structural reorganisation of the NHS in England.

Jonathan


For 1 there's an imminent restructuring for diagnostics across England with a huge investment in additional equipment and the staff needed to run these services. This is focused on clearing the elective backlog. Google for the Richard's report on diagnostics if you want to know more about it.

You should see changes within the next year or two with Community Diagnostic Hubs popping up with a full range of diagnostics, starting with imaging (likely to be 2 CT scanners and 1 MR per CDH). Across the North West of England there could be around 22 of these. There should be funding for staff too, but there's a huge challenge in recruiting radiographers, radiologists and even medical physicists (my field - no physicists = no imaging so even if you've no idea what we do, we're essential). Huge numbers of staff will need to be trained, but for most professions this takes years (e.g. in medical physics minimum 3 years after graduating with a physics degree for basic competence) so these staff won't be trained before the CDHs are needed.

Makes little difference how much of a pay rise is offered if the staff with the necessary skills and experience simply aren't available.

FWIW, as an NHS employee, I wouldn't complain if I did get a significant pay rise, but the issues with staffing across the NHS go far beyond pay. I'm sure many, many workers would be much happier with the same pay, but proper staffing levels across all services.

For 2 - yes, yet another restructure :-(


And responding to an earlier point around annual pay rises - the recent pay deal under AfC means that on higher bands staff go several years between increments. Annual increments used to be normal for all bands until you reached the top of a band, but these are no more for many. I'll be on my current band for 5 years before I get any real pay rise.
by amaferanga
2 Jan 2021, 6:26am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: The psychology behind using a turbo trainer
Replies: 53
Views: 2866

Re: The psychology behind using a turbo trainer

drossall wrote:
amaferanga wrote:I've cycled more this year than I have done for several years (since I moved to Greater Manchester and found out how crap the cycling is around here).

Whereabouts? As an exile down south, there's loads of brilliant riding around Manchester.


Near Bolton. There's isolated bits of good, but the behaviour of drivers and the amount of traffic everywhere has driven me off the roads for leisure. I only cycle around here to commute and for shopping, etc. Those are only just tolerable.
by amaferanga
1 Jan 2021, 10:02pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: The psychology behind using a turbo trainer
Replies: 53
Views: 2866

Re: The psychology behind using a turbo trainer

Those claiming its too boring on a turbo trainer should try Zwift.
by amaferanga
1 Jan 2021, 9:37pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: The psychology behind using a turbo trainer
Replies: 53
Views: 2866

Re: The psychology behind using a turbo trainer

I've cycled more this year than I have done for several years (since I moved to Greater Manchester and found out how crap the cycling is around here). Almost all on Zwift after buying a smart turbo at the start of lockdown in March.

Many years ago I raced and trained through the winter on a regular fluid trainer. I was motivated to train then and did mostly interval sessions of up to an hour. I'd never "just ride" on a regular turbo, though I used to really enjoy the training.

The game changer with Zwift is that you can just ride - it doesn't need tobe or feel like training. I didn't think I'd take to the social aspect, but it's actually pretty good and can be very motivating. The many group rides are great for just riding. And if you need the competitive aspect then there's plenty of racing (though with all the sand-bagging and folk putting out unreal, pro-level power it's best not to take it too seriously).

Without Zwift I'd have barely cycled since March since I rarely need to commute now.
by amaferanga
11 Nov 2020, 1:18pm
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Help me surprise my hubby with a cycle trainer for Christmas please!
Replies: 41
Views: 2225

Re: Help me surprise my hubby with a cycle trainer for Christmas please!

A wheel off trainer will be more accurate when it comes to power and therefore when using software like Zwift will give a better experience. Definitely avoid a cheap non-smart trainer if the intention is to use it with Zwift as these are notoriously inaccurate.

I have an Elite Direto OTS 2 which I bought from Halfords at the start of lockdown. Its been great and I'd thoroughly recommend it. It's <£600 too so one of the cheaper wheel off trainers. Unfortunately, as with most trainers, they seem to be in short supply again.
by amaferanga
15 Oct 2020, 7:50pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Greater Manchester to get huge increase in infrastructure
Replies: 11
Views: 1006

Re: Greater Manchester to get huge increase in infrastructure

Yes there's an active travel forum in Bolton. Without it I doubt we'd have any significant Bee Network schemes in the pipeline. There are some great people in Bolton Council, but sadly most councillors are stuck in the past and want more roads and still think that somehow just one more road will solve all the congestion problems.
by amaferanga
15 Oct 2020, 6:58pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Greater Manchester to get huge increase in infrastructure
Replies: 11
Views: 1006

Re: Greater Manchester to get huge increase in infrastructure

The weakest link with the Bee Network has always been expecting local authorities to proactively propose, develop and install schemes.

As an example of how crap GM local authorities can be, even when they're being funded to do stuff, Bolton Council have been installing wand orca segregated lanes on two ~5km major roads using emergency active travel funding. Both should have been completed by the end of September and we were given repeated assurances that they would be. Yet here we are in the middle of October and one scheme is around 10% complete and the other hasn't even started. And we're being told now that one will be finished by the end of October and the other 2 weeks later, yet they're taking a full day to just burn off 300m of old paint.

So it should surprise noone that the Bee Network is getting not very far at all at a snails pace.
by amaferanga
12 Oct 2020, 7:56pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: UK to Cape Town is it viable?
Replies: 79
Views: 5299

Re: UK to Cape Town is it viable?

djb wrote:
simonhill wrote:Gotta laugh at the stone throwing. In much of South and SE Asia, many cyclists complain about the kids constantly saying "hello", "where you come from" or "where you going". What joy.


I can deal with possible and surprise dog attacks, or the risk of robbery (big touch wood for both) but to knowingly travel through an area with established and common physical attacks on travellers goes was waaaay past assessing and accepting certain risks.

Not to mention of course how personal contact and interactions with locals is such an enjoyable part of cycle touring for me, always has been. So again, I read of this cultural thing going on and positive aspects of the place aside, this tips the balance easily against putting yourself knowingly into this situation.


Ethiopians that don't throw stones (the vast majority) easily make up for the few that do. It's a spectacular country with (mostly) amazing people. After having a few kids chick stones at you, turning up in a village and having a family put on a coffee ceremony just for you easily makes up for it.
by amaferanga
10 Oct 2020, 9:08pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: UK to Cape Town is it viable?
Replies: 79
Views: 5299

Re: UK to Cape Town is it viable?

Kids and adults in rural Ethiopia throw rocks to control their goats. So they're well practiced.

Throwing rocks at tourists on bikes is in many cases a game, but some kids and adults are quite aggressive towards tourists. My worst experience was on a road never travelled by tourists (the back road to Lalibela) where I was chased through and out of the town my dozens of kids throwing rocks. A couple of hours later though I was welcomed into someone's home after I misjudged the distance and found myself cycling in the dark with no lights and still hours from my planned destination.

I think Band Aid has some part to play in the aggression (and much of the begging).

Despite some of the negatives, Ethiopia is by far the most interesting and spectacular country I've been to and I would love to go back one day. I've cycled round the Simien and Bale mountains, but I'd still love to visit the Danakil depression.
by amaferanga
31 Aug 2020, 9:45am
Forum: Family Cycling
Topic: Child bike trailer on Northern trains
Replies: 1
Views: 1938

Child bike trailer on Northern trains

Does anyone have an recent experience with taking a kids bike trailer (Croozer 1) on Northern trains? There'd be two adults with bikes as well as the trailer. The trailer folds down so we'd probably fold it down on the platform before the train arrives so I guess it'd just look like a largish bit of luggage, but I'm not sure how the rail staff would be about it.

The train I have in mind is from Horwich Parkway to Blackpool and I know from using the service fairly regularly that it's rarely busy and the trains usually have a bike area that'd just about fit two bikes and a folded down trailer.

Thanks :-)
by amaferanga
16 Aug 2020, 10:22am
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Fendon Road Roundabout, Cambridge.
Replies: 113
Views: 5749

Re: Fendon Road Roundabout, Cambridge.

I've cycled from Utrecht to Houten. It was a really pleasant ride - if I had a commute like that here in the UK I'd be over the moon about it. 100% safe streets and well surfaced cycle tracks with zero conflict.

Houten is also incredible - cycle streets, cycle priority, a beautifully quiet town centre (the only thing disturbing the peace when I was there was a road sweeper), an environment that anyone would feel safe cycling in (including the lady I saw cycling on a 4 wheel bike with her disabled passenger), etc.

Before judging Houten I'd recommend a visit since looking at a map and street view really doesn't portray how beautifully peaceful it is. Anyone using it as an example of how bad the Netherlands is for cycling really is way off the mark.
by amaferanga
15 Aug 2020, 2:45pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Fendon Road Roundabout, Cambridge.
Replies: 113
Views: 5749

Re: Fendon Road Roundabout, Cambridge.

The utility cyclist wrote:Even the most recent developments in NL like Houten, a suburb of Utrecht, they built a lovely dual carriageway for the motorists around the suburb that go all the way to Utrecht itself, the saving grace is that it has a direct cycle path, one of the few direct from a suburb, try getting to Central Amsterdam from the South East, it's not remotely joined up and crosses many motor roads which exposes people to high speed cars, vans, HGVs etc.
The difference in journey time to central Utrecht from Houten is almost double for the person on a bike compared to car, it has a railway line straight down the centre of the suburb which is also well used, but still why would you build wide roads if not to aid transporting people by car?
Stop up lanes to motor traffic, make roads one way for motors, bi directional for people on bikes, zero need to 'build' anything, more focius on making driving as difficult as possible to force people out of cars at the same time making cycling massively easier and safer with much fewer conflict points whilst giving enough space for faster cyclists to get past a parent and small child cycling side by side, for someone on a modified cycle (which can be much wider than an ordinary) to have space so they feel safe and go at a speed they enjoy whilst others can chat or overtake with that extra space a full lane of a road would give, on segregated for the most part that is not possible.


I guess you've never been to Houten then? Driving through it is impossible and driving in general there (expect around it) is inconvenient - is that not what you want? You can't tell everything about a town from just looking at a map.

Houten town centre prioritises walking and cycling so even though its not car free, it certainly feels that way a lot of the time. Cycle streets all through the town, beautiful peaceful streets that anyone would feel safe to cycle on, inclusive routes suitable for all, etc. Roads that go round the town, not through help create this environment because no matter how much many of us would like to see whole towns turned over to walking and cycling, there's simply no way that will happen in the UK on the scale needed to create joined up, direct routes. Where I live our local authority is resisting even installing a pedestrian phase at a major junction because that'd reduce motor traffic capacity. No way are they going to go from their current car-centric thinking to closing whole areas to cars.

I really enjoyed cycling to Houten from Utrecht. Yes, less direct than main roads, but if I had a commute like Utrecht-Houten here in the UK I'd be ecstatic. I'd also rather live in Houten than anywhere in the UK.
by amaferanga
7 Aug 2020, 9:52pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Fendon Road Roundabout, Cambridge.
Replies: 113
Views: 5749

Re: Fendon Road Roundabout, Cambridge.

"In the Netherlands the guidelines are clear: in the built-up area cycling must have priority over motor traffic and outside the built-up area it is the other way around"

This doesn't fit with your statement:

"The Dutch compared the relative safety of giving priority to cyclists or motors - and found the later to be significantly less dangerous - so now mark the give way markings to give priority to the main carriageway"

Read all of the article, not just the bits that fit with your agenda. And when you make wild claims, please back them up with evidence.
by amaferanga
7 Aug 2020, 9:08pm
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: Fendon Road Roundabout, Cambridge.
Replies: 113
Views: 5749

Re: Fendon Road Roundabout, Cambridge.

Pete Owens wrote:
MikeF wrote:It does rely on drivers giving way which is something many/most British drivers don't do. HC modification needed??

The Dutch compared the relative safety of giving priority to cyclists or motors - and found the later to be significantly less dangerous - so now mark the give way markings to give priority to the main carriageway.


Not quite.

https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/tag/ ... e%20street.