#BikeIsBest Advocacy Digest - Edition No.72
#BikeIsBest Digest Edition No. 73 | Friday 21st July 2023 | View in browser
Hello and this week we’re LTN-shaped and Bristol fashioned, as stories from around England offer some much-needed positivity in the world of cycling advocacy.
OXFORD, COME ON!
The debate around how we use our street is ongoing; it’s easy to get lost in social media arguments about who’s winning or losing, but this week we’ve got a nice, calm explainer video from Oxfordshire about how - and why - politicians of all stripes are giving more people transport choices across the county.
BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY
A DOSE OF CYCLING
Active Travel England has announced funding for cycling and walking on prescription for 11 local authorities in England. The £13.9m trial means health workers will be able to offer patients anything from cycle training and bike loans to walking and cycling activities. It’s great news, as we know the benefits of getting on your bike are enormous and wide-ranging.
LONDONERS SUPPORT LTNS
A representative survey has reiterated most people support low traffic neighbourhoods. Of 1,100 people polled, 60% want more pedestrian priority, 57% for buses and 45% for cyclists. While 58% support LTNs in London, just 17% are opposed. Amazingly, 53% of Londoners would support pedestrianising the whole of central London which, pollsters add, suggests framing of the road space reallocation debate matters.
BIKE SHAPE?
Bristol residents with a cargo bike have highlighted a nationwide issue: parking space for non-car owners. The couple, who created a ‘DIY parking space’ with bike lock planters outside their house, say neighbours gave their support, but that the council has since asked them to remove them. We need to fast-forward bike parking solutions, particularly for non-standard cycles, up and down the country, if we’re to help people use alternatives to cars.
AND BRISTOL FASHION
Bristol 24/7 reports on residents’ support of a proposed LTN in St George, Bristol. Drivers speeding, and pavement parking, they say, gives them serious concern for child safety, and that of people walking and cycling in the area. The residents say they’ve been discussing the problems for a decade, and that change can’t come soon enough.
OXFORDSHIRE EXPLAINS
This explainer, published late last year, is a nice roundup of what’s happening in Oxfordshire, from the city of Oxford to the villages, to tackle congestion, improve public transport and walking and cycling provision. There’s some really nice explanations of what’s happening in what has become a controversial project, its non-partisan support - and the reasons it’s happening.
OTHER HEADLINES
THE MAGIC OF CAR-FREE TRAVEL
Author Sophie Pavelle has written for the Guardian about the unexpected joy of travelling in low-carbon ways for her book on climate change and ecology. She writes about the magic and wonder of car-free travel, but of the desperate need for better and more consistent provision, including for cycling. It’s a really nice read.
INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK:
LTN SUPPORT Londoners recognise the need for safer walking and cycling space in certain streets, where drivers can’t drive through.
Source
ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:
Car replacement: Cargo cycles are often termed ‘car replacement’ to highlight their usefulness for anything from the school run to the weekly shop. But we need to provide parking and road space if we want people to see them as a legitimate option.
Until next time,
Founder, #BikeIsBest
Not for you? unsubscribe from this list.