#BikeIsBest Advocacy Digest - Edition No.67
#BikeIsBest Digest Edition No. 66 | Thursday 8th June 2023 | View in browser
Hello and welcome to edition 66 of your #BikeIsBest newsletter, which I believe is ‘clickety click’ in bingo parlance.
ROAD POLICING, BEHAVIOUR CHANGE AND CAR-FREE BY CHOICE
Some people will go car-free, given the choice. Cars are expensive and they aren’t always the most convenient transport option: driving can be stressful, aside from its impact on our health and the environment. To switch to active travel and public transport, people need safe routes, safe streets and the alternatives need to be convenient.
BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY
ACTIVE TRAVEL LEGAL ACTION
The government faces legal action over recent cuts to cycling and walking investment in England. Transport Action Network (TAN) believes legal processes were bypassed and the cuts threaten the path to net zero as well as air pollution targets. TAN is now seeking a judicial review of the cuts.
DRIVERS DEHUMANISE CYCLISTS IN PROTECTIVE GEAR
Helmets and hi-vis are a matter of personal choice, and while not a panacea they can provide protection against collisions. An Australian study found 30% of Aussie drivers saw cyclists as less than human, a proportion which increased when the rider was wearing technical clothing, or helmets. Dehumanisation is associated with more aggressive behaviour, so it’s concerning stuff.
POLICE, CAMERA, ACTION
West Midlands police has ordered a review into resourcing after a 50 per cent increase in camera submissions in two years. Local cyclists have raised concerns that thousands of submissions have not resulted in penalties. Dangerous driving has once again sadly entered public debate after separate hit and run collisions claimed the lives of two cyclists in Birmingham in a fortnight.
PAVEMENT PARKING CRACKDOWN
Last week I joined Soho Road Police in one of their pavement parking crackdowns. Blocking footways (and sometimes cycle lanes at the same time) makes streets less safe for pedestrians and cyclists, and it is positive to see police forces tackling it. We saw some truly shocking examples, and police issued 37 fixed penalty notices.
DAD DITCHES CAR FOR BIKE
A father in Renfrewshire has ditched his car and now cycles to work every day. Stephen Dock signed up for the council’s “Not Far? Leave the Car campaign so he could get healthier”, according to a local news report, and it changed his life so much, he sold his car altogether in favour of cycling and public transport. “I don’t see me reverting back anytime soon,” he said. In a year, around 238,000 trips have been shifted from private car, the council estimates.
OTHER HEADLINES
E-CARS ARE STILL CARS
Rowan Atkinson points out EVs may not be as green as we think. Production emissions are 70% higher than petrol cars, for one thing. While it’s not a binary choice between e–cars, petrol or diesel (he does acknowledge diesels in cities are a problem) - active travel can take up the slack - ultimately replacing one car with another is problematic. EVs still take up as much space on the roads, still pose safety risks, and still emit particulate particles. BikeIsBest, Mr Bean.
INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK: CAR-FREE HOMES ARE REAL
The latest ONS survey shows car ownership by household. There’s a lot of car-free households out there, some by choice, many because they can’t afford to own and run a car. Good transport policy offers people a choice.
ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:
Graduated license. Detective Superintendent Andy Cox is a long proponent of this; young people are most likely to be involved in collisions (7% of drivers are 17-24, yet they are involved in around a quarter of collisions). Mandatory P plates, data trackers, dash cams, no night-time driving, and a limit on passengers are some of his proposed options.
Until next time,
Founder, #BikeIsBest
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