Beyond cycling, #162

Bringing people along for the ride can be a beautiful thing.

This week we’re zooming out a bit and looking at the wider landscape, beyond the bike lane (or indeed, the lack of one). Cycling (and walking) interact with the wider streetscape in lots of ways, shaping our experiences, however we’re using public space. By understanding others’ perspectives, we can try to make those interactions better for everyone.

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

BETTER STREETS FOR ALL? Disabled people’s needs and abilities can be as diverse as the general population, if not more so. With this in mind, the National Centre for Accessible Transport has awarded funding to projects seeking to address barriers posed to disabled people when travelling. Among the winners is a programme to assess the accessibility of public transport networks, one making micromobility more accessible, and a digital tool to identify the impact of street features on disabled people.

VISION-LED PLANNING: HOW TO. This is something the government talked about last year. “Rather than focussing on cars and roads – and predicting future demand and providing for that demand – the vision led approach starts with a collective ambition for how a place should look and feel”, writes Professor John Parkin. “When communities are asked how they would like their local area to function, rarely do people directly ask for bigger junctions or wider roads”. A new guide, from the University of the West of England’s Centre for Transport and Society, and others, offers practical on-the-ground advice.

PAVEMENT PARKING RUMBLES ON. More of Scotland is enforcing pavement parking bans this year, with law-breaking drivers ticketed. Drivers in Glasgow , North Lanarkshire, and Argyll and Bute are by default no longer allowed to park on the pavements - with more Scottish counties following. Surveys show people want this, and disabled people in particular benefit - blocked footways are harder to navigate if you use a wheelchair or have visual impairments. Minister Lilian Greenwood hinted today that the Government does intend to tackle it, but how, and when?

HOW TO SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE ROAD VIOLENCE. This thoughtful piece on road.cc’s website discusses tackling the worrying trend of vehicles being used to attack crowds of people. In it, writer Frank Podmore compares the issue to that of gun violence, and argues it needs to be legislated for in the same way. He points out we wouldn’t allow violent individuals to wield a weapon capable of mass murder; why is this different when the potential weapon is an SUV?

NEW CAUTION IN WALES OVER ROADS? Two years ago Wales published a review of transport, with a decision-making framework that meant new roads would only be built if they increased sustainable travel, i.e., cycling, walking, and public transport. Wales’ former minister for transport, Lee Waters, has since left, as has First Minister Mark Drakeford. This TransportXtra blog asks what a new caution on this topic means for the programme, which was praised as groundbreaking at the time.

OTHER HEADLINES

SPEAKING OF WHICH. Sports Utility Vehicles cause more severe injuries to pedestrians and cyclists (44%) than passenger cars. That’s according to analysis in the Journal of Injury Prevention. Shockingly, children are 82% more likely to die if struck with an SUV, with risk increasing 130% among children younger than 10. Tall, blunt bonnets make SUVs more dangerous than vans and pick up trucks when driven, meaning the vehicle hits an adult pelvis rather than legs and, horrifically, is more likely to hit a child’s head.

INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK:

The virtuous cycle of vision-led planning. Source: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/14331734/vision-led-planning-how-to-plan-development-and-transport-infrastructure-more-sustainably

ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK: Unintended consequences. Outcomes other than those intended. These can result from incomplete understanding or analysis of a situation, sometimes simply due to the complexity of a system. Results aren’t fixed on our streets - change can happen but it takes some effort.

Until next time,

Adam

Adam Tranter

CEO, Fusion & Founder, #BikeIsBest