#BikeIsBest Advocacy Digest - Edition No.66
#BikeIsBest Digest Edition No. 66 | Thursday 1st June 2023 | View in browser
Hello and welcome to this, your summery newsletter - itself a summary of the week’s news. A summery summary, if you like.
CARGO BIKES, CLOSE PASSES, FRANCE GOES BIG, AND THE SUN
Cycling seems to be having a good week in the news. It may be the sun (and The Sun) and the Bank Holidays reminding the cycle-curious among us of our two- three- and four-wheeled friends (all pedal-powered), but whatever it is, we at #BikeIsBest are here for it.
BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY
SUN FOR CYCLING
The Sun features cycling tips among ways to save money this week, recommending the Cycle to Work scheme or second hand online markets as handy ways of getting hold of a bike for less (though it forgot to warn readers how to avoid purchasing stolen bikes, often resold online).
FT FOR CARGO BIKES
The Financial Times this week reports on the potential of cargo cycles to cut van use. It references London’s cargo bike action plan, the first by a local authority in the UK, setting out a roadmap for city cargo. Around a quarter of van cargo could be transferred to pedal power, and the action plan recommends local authorities facilitate distribution centres for cycles to shine, among things like rider training.
CLOSE PASS AWARENESS HIGH - BUT PEOPLE STILL DO IT
A survey of drivers found 97% of drivers know that close passing cyclists puts lives at risk. 500 drivers who don’t cycle on the roads were surveyed, on behalf of Cycling Scotland, as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of close passing. 18 months after Highway Code changes just 23% of drivers know close passing a cyclist could result in a fine and Police Scotland will ramp up close pass operations this summer.
50,000 JOIN RIDELONDON TRAFFIC-FREE RIDE
The UK’s biggest mass participation cycling event this weekend saw an estimated 50,000 people in the family-friendly city centre event alone, all riding traffic-free. Those tens of thousands of regular people, including kids, show the huge potential for pedal power, given safe enough streets.There were sportives of 30, 60 and 100 miles, and professional bike races, too - a real festival of cycling.
FRANCE TO SPEND €2BN ON CYCLING
The French government plans to spend €2bn on cycling by 2027, in a bid to shift even more of the nation’s short car trips to pedal power. They’ll increase cycle paths from 57,000 km to 80,000 km by 2027, and 100,000 km by 2030, boost bike subsidies and train more kids how to ride. As well as helping protect the environment the plan will boost tourism and the local cycle industry.
OTHER HEADLINES
INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK:
Oxford councillor, Emily Kerr, has broken down local traffic count data, which is publicly available, between user type and compared Low Traffic Neighbourhoods with a non-LTN area, and the difference in motor traffic proportions is stark. These are just three areas but as an isolated exercise it’s striking.
ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:
Parking Policy. At the same time unsexy and controversial, parking policy nonetheless fundamentally shapes the world. The town square in Warwick, for example, could fit 48 cars, at a push, bringing 77 people with it, at a car occupancy rate of 1.6. In fact, many years ago it used to be a car park. As a pedestrianised market it brings far more, however, attracting volumes of customers to local businesses and creating a vibrant public space.
Until next time,
Founder, #BikeIsBest
Not for you? unsubscribe from this list.