#BikeIsBest Advocacy Digest - Edition No.60

#BikeIsBest Digest Edition No. 60 | Wednesday 12th April 2023 | View in browser

Hello and how was your long weekend? Perhaps you’re taking a few days off, making an even longer week of it. Good on you.

EGG-STREMELY FAST(ED) NEWSLETTER

I wanted to get references to Easter and Ramadan in there - it’s the best I’ve got. This week we also have ebikes, LTNs, speeding, saving money and AI. What more can you want? Dust off those chocolate crumbs, if you’re partaking - don’t rub them in, they’ll never come off - and follow me, right this way.
 

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

EBIKES GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH.

Unlike easter eggs, e-bikes are good for you. New research from Germany found e-biking 12-15 km per day offered significant health benefits, from cutting cholesterol, to reducing the risk of cancer (by 30%) and dementia, as well as improving blood pressure and fat and sugar regulation. 

LTNS BOOST BUSINESS.

Rather than harm small businesses, this Low Traffic Neighbourhood in Birmingham is helping a new generation of small business owners and future entrepreneurs, enabled by increased footfall and low traffic streets. A monthly market has started in Kings Heath for small businesses to sell their wares.

SPEEDERS: DON’T PASS ‘GO’.

Why aren’t speed activated traffic signals much more common in the UK, as used in much of Europe? In France when you break the speed limit in a built up area, the traffic lights will stay red. If you drive under 30 kph (19mph), they go green. Seems to work.

SAVE BIG, BY CYCLING.

We know cycling is a cost-effective way of getting about, and BikeRadar has asked Cyclescheme and Cycling UK to help them find out how much. Long story short, the former reckons £750 a year, the latter £18,000-£23,000 in the first year - if you sell your car - and £771 annually after that. 

A ROAD, JIM, BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT.

National Highways (NH) has constructed a 16km long bicycle road beside an A-road in East Sussex, to help reduce congestion. Rub your eyes and it’s still there. They’re even asking people to name the bridge they’ve plonked on the Cuckmere River for cycling and walking - though NH gets the final say.
 

OTHER HEADLINES

RAMADAN RIDING.

Miss Omar, the excellent Brompton-riding, hijab-wearing cyclist and general positive role model has upped the ante for Ramadan. This powerhouse is riding her bike long distances, fasted - which includes no water, totting up 500km over the month. So far she has ridden to Windsor and back (86 km) and up Box Hill (74 km). This is a serious undertaking, not to be attempted lightly, but she’s a real inspiration showing cycling can be for everyone.

INTERESTING GRAPH(IC) OF THE WEEK:

I asked Midjourney AI to draw a picture of “a neighbourhood street with a real sense of community, happy residents and a strong economy”. Unprompted, it resulted in car-free streets and people walking and cycling…

ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:

STATUS QUO. Our roads can seem like hostile places, and RoadPeace, the charity that helps victims of traffic danger, is asking people to become ‘friends’ to help them challenge that status quo. Even if you aren’t directly affected, this is a small charity that does a lot with a little. 
 

Until next time,

Founder, #BikeIsBest

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