A matter of life and death, #155

This goes way beyond the culture wars

It’s easy to become distracted by the tit-for-tat narrative of how we use our streets but the fact is, the way we’re doing it right now can literally kill people. Road collisions remain the biggest killer of young people globally and air - and noise - pollution add to that toll. Sure, argue the case for how we use our streets but don’t lose sight of the fact lives are at stake under the status quo.

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR AMERICAN BIKE LANES. America’s roads are far more lethal than Britain’s, and its car culture is more toxic. Under the current administration, the US Department of Transportation is reviewing all grants for green infrastructure, which includes cycle routes - meaning those routes may no longer be funded. As the War on Cars’ Sarah Goodyear underlines, without safe infrastructure pedestrians and cyclists could die.

NYC CONGESTION CHARGE SAVING LIVES ALREADY? It may only have been in a few weeks but the measure, which charges drivers $9 to drive in the central business district, has already cut air pollution, and travel time for drivers. In addition, it’s stimulating the local economy, reducing crashes… while generating tens of millions of desperately needed dollars for the city’s transit system’, according to this piece on the prophet of the dangers of car-dominance in America.

NOISE - THE INVISIBLE KILLER. Noise pollution is the invisible public health crisis we don’t talk about, triggering stress hormones, a raised heart rate and inflammation, which can cause type 2 diabetes, heart attacks and even dementia. This BBC World Service piece looks at one of its presenters, and his response to noisy environments, while zooming out to examine the impact on those living in the world’s noisiest neighbourhoods.

THE UK’S MOST CYCLE-FRIENDLY NEW HOUSING? Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire is the UK’s first of the latest crop of New Towns … and cycling is at its heart. It’s interesting to look at how the UK’s most cycle-friendly new housing is being delivered and ask, can we replicate it in the UK? The answer seems to be yes, if policy matches rhetoric. If it doesn’t, the status quo wins out. This new development in Sheffield is relying on a new ‘Dutch’ roundabout to help deliver sustainable living for future residents of 340 new homes.

SPEAKING OF WHICH. We should be shouting about the benefits of good urbanism… if we could only make it sound interesting. It may be a matter of life and death how we design and lay out our streets, and it may be the difference between a place that enhances our lives and one that blights it. However, as Iain Montgomery argues, unless we can make a compelling argument, getting the public on our side, helping people believe in better, to reap the benefits of this knowledge, will be tricky.

OTHER HEADLINES

BBC’S DOUGH GETS ON TWO WHEELS. The BBC consumer programme, Dough, looks at cycling, and the cycling industry as a whole. From the history of the bicycle to how the industry will recover from the pandemic boom-and-bust, it’s a good summary of what’s happening, the current challenges, and where cycling is going. It’s good to see cycling in this mainstream show being discussed in a reasonable way - which isn’t always the case, of course.

INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK: Yes ball games. “No Ball Games” signs that prevent children from playing are joyless and contribute to child inactivity rates and a lack of community connection. London Sport is campaigning to remove these signs from estates across the city - and beyond. Source.

ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:

Urbanism. The study of how we design and use cities and urban places, and how we interact with the built environment.

Until next time,

Adam

Adam Tranter

CEO, Fusion & Founder, #BikeIsBest