#BikeIsBest Advocacy Digest - Edition No.11

#BikeIsBest Digest Edition No. 11 | Wednesday, April 27th 2022 | View in browser

Hello and with elections coming next week, as the cost of living crisis and the fallout from Partygate loom large, active travel may not be top priority - but that doesn’t mean it’s not important. Local elections in Scotland, Wales, parts of England and Northern Ireland’s national assembly will help set the agenda for the coming years, and how people vote will show politicians what’s important.

IRREGULAR REMINDER: ACTIVE TRAVEL IS NOT A VOTE LOSER

With concerns measures like Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) may cost some councillors their seats, representative poll after poll shows the opposite. #BikeIsBest research found 77% of people support measures in their area to encourage walking and cycling - at a ratio of 6.5:1. However, campaigners against a ‘green recovery’ continue to force u-turns on initiatives supporting active travel through sheer volition, silencing that support.

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

BIG NOISE OVER NOTHING?

The Guardian’s Peter Walker interviews a former Labour politician standing against her party over LTNs in Oxford, and a Tory activist who says many Conservative councillors aren’t aware of central government’s pro-active travel stance. An LSE professor reminds us volumes of people respond when parking or car access is at stake - but that doesn’t make them representative of public opinion. 

GRIDLOCK BRITAIN OR JOYFUL BRITAIN?

Former assistant editor of the New Statesman, Jonn Elledge, comments (in the Guardian too), that amid the noise, legal action and general hysteria around LTNs, the benefits are quietly manifesting, with research showing residents are more active and better connected to neighbours. While some car journeys become less convenient, he posits, a recent poll found just 12% of Londoners are against LTNs.

FAMILIAR RATIOS - THEN WE’LL MOVE ON

It’s perhaps no surprise that, as with local environmental initiatives, so with national and international ones. Despite strong and growing support for green measures some, including Nigel Farage, are clamouring against Net Zero, says Centre Right think tank, Onward. Research shows this is out of step with public opinion though, with UK voters in favour of Net Zero plans 6:1. A familiar ratio. 

BUMP AND RIDE

While many women understandably stop cycling during pregnancy, some ride right up to delivery. Presenter, journalist and experienced cyclist Rebecca Charlton has published her fourth advice video on road.cc on biking with bump, interviewing experts and sharing her experiences, days before she’s due. Cycling Weekly’s tech editor and Cat 1 racer, Michelle Arthurs-Brennan, who’s expecting too, also shares her journey brilliantly on Instagram - with a bonus recent appearance from Lizzie Deignan. 

30TH OF APRIL IS LOCAL BIKE SHOP DAY

Whether you're a regular feature in your local bike shop or like a great aunt at Christmas, Saturday the 30th of April is the time to pay your local store a visit. Reaquaint, learn something new or simply meet and chat with likeminded individuals. If you're not sure where to find your local store, hit the link below

Vote here
 

CYCLING REFERENDUM?

Proposals for a new cycle route in Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, have apparently been paused after hundreds of residents complained they wouldn’t work. A scheme consultation has been withdrawn prematurely after respondents called for a rethink. The plans were drawn up following earlier consultation on issues locally and according to government funding criteria - so you can’t help wondering what their next move will be.
 

KWIK-FIT FOR…E-BIKES?

That’s right, in the Netherlands the speedy car repair giant has opened its first e-bike and EV servicing centres. It will offer rapid maintenance and repair for e-cars, and even e-cargo bikes, bookable online, for a one-hour service. Cycling Industry News reports if it’s a success, the model could be rolled out to all KwikFit garages.

OTHER HEADLINES

CAST OF THOUSANDS

The annual Pedal on Parliament event in Edinburgh had a good turnout with thousands of people reportedly cycling to Holyrood from surrounding areas calling for better cycling provision. Photographer Andy Catlin took some great snaps of the riders:

EXTREME CAR DEPENDENCY

One couple complained to Hull Live they can no longer drive 300 yards into town because of roadworks, choosing instead to drive 11 miles rather than walk around the works. It’s easy to ridicule, but perhaps illustrative of just how entrenched car dependency is - even when driving is far harder than the alternatives - and how crucial behaviour change programmes, like low-cost e-bike loans, can be to help people grasp the right tool for the job.

INTERESTING GRAPHIC OF THE WEEK

Speaking of which, a reminder just how many car trips are short trips. According to the latest National Travel Survey, around 12% of journeys less than a mile are done by private car or van. That’s a 20 minute walk or a couple of minutes cycling. 

Source

ACTIVE TRAVEL PHRASE OF THE WEEK; REPRESENTATIVE SURVEY

Seeks to establish an accurate gauge of public opinion from a range of voices across ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Differs from a consultation, which tends to be elective, i.e., opted into by those interested in the topic.

Until next time,

Founder, #BikeIsBest

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