#BikeIsBest Advocacy Digest - Edition No.86
#BikeIsBest Digest Edition No. 86 | Friday 20th October 2023 | View in browser
Hello and welcome to your human made, human powered newsletter.
No AI, just figurative vitamins, minerals and fibre, for your reading enjoyment.
CAR CULTURE FIGHTBACK?
Cars have a place in our lives but they can dominate our streets to the detriment of all of us, whether we drive, walk, cycle or use the bus (or, as is perfectly likely, do any or all, depending on the day). In transport, choice is key - and those choices need to be safe, for all of us.
BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY
MAPPING CYCLE ROUTES
It can be tricky finding a decent cycle route; now Google, working with Transport for London, has improved its cycle wayfinding function to favour cycle lanes and quiet streets. Finding safe routes is crucial, particularly for less confident cyclists; let’s see if this is an improvement.
THE CLIMATE COST OF SUVS
Climate charity Possible’s latest research shows efficiency improvements in new vehicles have been outweighed by the growth in ‘ultra-heavy’ SUVs in England. Those on higher incomes tend to buy these oversized vehicles, meaning poorer people no longer drive the most polluting cars. Possible is calling for a ‘polluter pays’ tax based on size.
THE HUMAN COST OF CAR CULTURE
This eye- (or ear-) opening podcast gives young people a voice - this time on road safety, car culture and transport choice. They talk about drivers running reds when pedestrians are crossing and kids forced to cycle on the pavement to stay safe. It's gutting to hear about a young person losing out on a job opportunity because of an injury from a road collision. Crucial, but difficult, listening.
‘PEOPLE FEEL SCARED WALKING’
And cycling, for that matter. On the same topic, the Guardian’s Midlands correspondent has written about the cost of car culture in Birmingham. The piece illustrates just some of the voices coming together to challenge street racing and traffic violence on our streets.
CYCLING STRENGTHENS COMMUNITIES
Researchers have found cycling is linked with ‘orientation towards the common good’ - i.e. social participation, neighbourly solidarity and helpfulness. People who cycle, they found, are more in touch with their communities and environment and more willing to voluntarily try and help both.
OTHER HEADLINES
A TOUCH OF DUTCH
The Dutch government has created a neat AI tool where you can re-imagine your street using Dutch-style infrastructure and layouts. It’s part taunt, part inspiration - and quite fun to do.
INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK
From Possible’s latest research, showing emissions of vehicles, by weight. Fleet-wide UK standards require the average CO2 emissions of the UK vehicle fleet to be 95g CO2/km; the Land Rover Defender is 255g-283g. Source:
ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:
Common good. A term defined in recent research suggesting cycling breeds strong emotional bonds between people and their neighbourhood. The common good can include political and social participation, neighbourhood solidarity and neighbourly helpfulness.
Until next time,
Founder, #BikeIsBest
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