#BikeIsBest Advocacy Digest - Edition No. 112
Hello and welcome to BikeIsBest where the record warm weather is another reminder why sustainable transport solutions have never been more important.
BIKES ARE STILL A SOLUTION
As March was the tenth consecutive month of record-breaking warm weather globally, there’s cause for concern. Transport remains one of the world’s biggest carbon emitters, and with many of our daily trips short enough to walk or cycle, there’s never been a better time to remember that Bike is Best.
BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY
SPEAKING OF EMISSIONS. This data piece from the Guardian points out that, in Australia, e-cycles are having a far bigger impact on emissions than electric cars, displacing four times as much oil as their larger cousins. Even in this car-dominated nation they are also outperforming on sales too, with 193,000 ebikes sold Down Under last year, compared with 98,436 electric cars.
DELIVERING ON GOODS, TOO. Not only are e-cycles bringing the goods on emissions, but on erm, deliveries, too. Research by the University of Westminster has found cycle couriers are able to make deliveries, on average, 1.61 times faster than a van driver making the same journey. If 10% of current van mileage were replaced by cargo cycles, the research found, it would liberate 2.5 million square metres of road space and cut 133,300 tonnes of CO2.
NATIONAL HIGHWAYS IMPROVING CYCLING? The government’s trunk roads body recently signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ with Active Travel England, pledging to promote active travel. While details are scant, this will hopefully end patchy provision on England’s main roads, which can act as substantial barriers to, or facilitate, local journeys - depending on how well the infrastructure accommodates cycling and walking.
SPEAKING OF ACCESSIBILITY. Living Streets has published its assessment of bus stop bypasses, where cycle tracks cross a bus stop, and bus passengers have to cross. While most pedestrians negotiate cycle tracks in a relaxed and confident way, they found, with many ignoring ‘zebra’ crossings, issues remain for blind or partially sighted passengers. For the latter, Living Streets recommends improving detectability of crossings for both blind and partially sighted users, and cyclists.
ROAD CLOSURES FOR RURAL TOURIST ATTRACTION? In a consultation of more than 1,700 people, more than 80% have supported improved accessibility to Cheddar Gorge, in Somerset - i.e. car-free days. Most respondents (71%) supported a monthly closure of the road to motor traffic on a Sunday, with 48% saying they would ‘simply enjoy’ the peaceful road space. Unsurprisingly rambling groups (47%), cycling groups (46%) and families (45%) said they’d choose to visit on traffic-free days.
OTHER HEADLINES
LONDON LOVES CYCLING. The London Cycling Campaign has chosen a positive message for its pre-election communications. We at #BikeIsBest love the imagery of the city’s diverse and growing cycling community, and the simple message, that with 1.26m cycling trips a day, London Loves Cycling. Have a watch here.
INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK:
Just 4.3% of all trips within Paris’ arrondissements are by private car, a new municipal report shows. That’s all trips within the coloured blocks on the map, below. Source: X (Formerly Twitter) user: DavidZipper and taken from this report
ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:
Traffic-free. What does the word mean to you? Freedom? Or simply an area free of road traffic? Cars, vans and lorries are incredibly useful but they’ve come to dominate our public space in unhelpful, oftentimes ubiquitous ways. It’s useful to remember there is another way, and other uses for our streets and public squares.
Until next time,
Miles
Miles Baker-Clarke
#BikeIsBest