#BikeIsBest Advocacy Digest - Edition No.37

#BikeIsBest Digest Edition No. 37 | Saturday, October 29th 2022 | View in browser

Hello and welcome to this, your extra spooky edition of the #BikeIsBest newsletter.

GHOST IN THE LAUFMASCHINE

Cycling’s benefits continue to make themselves known this week. However, like things that go bump in the night, some parts of the media are still hearing things that aren’t there, taking two and two and making, erm, twwwooooooo (said in a ghostly voice). 

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

CYCLING’S MONSTER BENEFITS

Cycling was worth as much as £36.5bn to the UK economy in 2021, according to Sustrans research. The charity calculated benefits from things like health, decongestion and fewer sick days from 17 urban areas in its Cycling and Walking Index report and extrapolated up. Multiple bodies, from the AA to CPRE, are now calling for protection of active travel’s near-£4bn budget to reap those benefits and help mitigate rising transport costs.  

OXFORD’S “HUMAN BOLLARDS”

Residents of an Oxford LTN have taken to protecting the filter on their street from law-breaking drivers tempted to sneak through, like someone who imagines they are a ghost no-one can see. A video from Oxfordshire Liveable Streets shows large numbers gathered around the planters. Road.cc references an Oxford Mail report, “that officers attended the scene and educated a driver who attempted to drive through one LTN.”

AA: CYCLE LANES ARE GOOD FOR DRIVERS

No, it’s not an apparition, the AA under Edmund King is very supportive of cycling and cycle lanes, acknowledging in the Telegraph last week that more people riding for short journeys saves money and cuts congestion. 

WOMEN HAUNTED BY… IDIOT MEN

Women in Urbanism in Canada have written an interesting blog about reducing the street harassment a third of Canadian women have experienced. From improving street lighting, to creating welcoming, occupied public spaces, to reducing car dominance and improving public transport, there are a lot of things that can make streets feel safer for everyone, especially women. It also requires culture change, of course. 
 

THE INVISIBLE BICYCLE?

The BBC ran a ‘how to save money’ story last week, but there was someone important missing in the ‘transport’ section. That’s right, they forgot our good friends walking and cycling. Active travel hadn’t drunk an invisibility potion, the journalists just hadn’t considered the two cheapest modes most suited to the huge volumes of short trips many of us take each week.
 

OTHER HEADLINES

THROWING SHADE AT THE SUN

When do traffic jams make headlines? When they involve cycle lanes. Those in Coventry made the news this week after a combination of roadworks to build the cycleways, as well as over-running utilities works, slowed traffic. Bike lanes give people the choice to leave their cars at home and save money, and reduce congestion by doing so. Soon they will be doing just that.

INTERESTING GRAPHIC OF THE WEEK

The proportions of different kinds of street harassment experienced by women and men. 

Source

ACTIVE TRAVEL PHRASE OF THE WEEK; ZOMBIE STATISTICS

A statistic that, while not based in fact, just won’t die. A well-worn active travel zombie idea - though not a number - is that cycle lanes and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods worsen traffic, and air pollution. In fact, air pollution is a complex issue and cycling and walking infrastructure helps reduce car traffic by providing attractive alternatives for some trips.

Until next time,

Founder, #BikeIsBest

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