#BikeIsBest Advocacy Digest - Edition No. 134

Hello and welcome to your big, bright, beautiful and brave newsletter, where we’re puddle- and deluge-dodging to cycle to school as a nation, and perhaps doing a little rain dance on the way.

INCLUDING WALKING AND CYCLING?  

This week, cycling minister, Simon Lightwood, praised councils for their bravery in delivering active travel schemes. Meanwhile, more than half of us want car-free spaces in cities… and in a spirit of openness, Wales looks for answers on its disappointing active travel progress.

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

CYCLING MINISTER PRAISES ‘BRAVE’ COUNCILS. At the Labour party conference Peter Walker tweeted the new cycling minister, Simon Lightwood’s remarks from a fringe event for active travel. Lightwood praised local authorities’ bravery in the face of culture wars mounted against them.

MORE THAN 50% WANT CAR-FREE AREAS. That’s what one recent poll, by cycle share company Swapfiets, and reported on GB News among others found, with London predicted by the public as the first city to go car-free. For London’s annual car-free day, more than half of respondents said they want more car-free zones, with two in five supporting entirely car-free cities. 

WALES NEEDS LONG-TERM FUNDING AND STRATEGY. That’s what Cycling UK says, reacting to Audit Wales Active travel report, which found that, a decade after the Active Travel Act, a growth in cycling is yet to be seen. The report will hopefully help direct funds where they will make an impact - something the rest of the UK can learn from. Long-term funding strategy is, unsurprisingly, part of Cycling UK’s suggested solutions.

CYCLE TO SCHOOL WEEK. How is it going for you? Have you braved the rain? Splashed in some puddles? Experienced the wind in your hair? Well apparently over 510 schools, with 154,417 pupils are swapping their cars for cycling on their journeys this week - cutting a whopping 69,000 car journeys in a single bound. You can read more about it here.

SAFE CYCLE PARKING CRUCIAL FOR THOSE ON LOW-INCOMES. A lack of secure cycle parking can hold cycling back, and a report by Sustrans, and funded by Cyclehoop, delves into the impact for low-income households and people not in employment. It found 32% didn’t have secure and convenient cycle parking at home. For disabled people, it was 39%. Almost half of low income or not in employment would cycle more, or start cycling, with secure cycle parking - with fear of theft a major barrier.  

OTHER HEADLINES

BEGINNERS’ GUIDE TO CYCLE COMMUTING. Cycling is not just for the school run, but it can feel daunting getting started. Handily road.cc has a beginners’ guide to doing it… to help the would-be cyclist in your life get going. From what to ride (no fancy bikes or equipment needed) to how to find routes and what spares to carry, it’s a useful starter for those sick of the old commute.

INTERESTING GRAPH(IC) OF THE WEEK: The difference good transport planning makes. Source: https://bicyclensw.org.au/future-transport-strategy-2061-is-out/  

ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:

Predict and Provide. The olde-worlde notion that transport planners’ job is to predict usage (usually cars) and widen roads accordingly. Decades of this have led to multi-lane urban roads and poor pedestrian and cycling provision. Decide and provide, i.e. having a vision and building for it, gets you better transport choice and public realm, as the graphic above illustrates.

Until next time,

Adam Tranter

#BikeIsBest