Good Service on the Bakerloo Lime, #179

London has gone even more cycling mad than usual, plus there's a new DfT minister

There’s a Tube strike in London which means even more people are cycling than normal. That’s good news for bike share companies who are helping keeping the city moving. Combined with decent infrastructure, cycling is proving to be an important part of a resilient transport system.

Meanwhile, a new DfT Minister, Kier Mather MP, replaced Lillian Greenwood MP in the cabinet shuffle. Mather doesn’t drive and has spoken up in favour of active travel and safer roads and slower speeds; but will the moving of ministers even further delay key decisions on transport?

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

LONDON GOES CYCLING-MAD. If you hadn’t noticed, there’s a Tube Strike. Which means cycling is on the up and bike share companies are stepping in to support a resilient transport system. So many cyclists descended on the Embankment cycleway, I reckon there’s a good case for widening it further. What has been amazing to see is how many new people are discovering cycling through a sea of bright green hire bikes.

Lime has run this cheeky advert today…

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT. A Harris Poll of US kids did something different on childhood freedom and time spent online. When asked whether they prefer unstructured play (like shooting hoops or exploring the neighbourhood), organised activities like sports, or time online, 45% of kids 8-12 chose free play, 30% organised activity and 25% online activity. Parents’ safety fears aren’t reflected in real-world risks but safe places to play and move, where kids live, is a crucial part of enabling a transition from phones to the real world - as are community initiatives supporting families to make those changes.

NEW DFT MINISTER. Following the resignation of Angela Rayner, a cabinet reshuffle has seen Lillian Greenwood leave and Kier Mather join. Greenwood deeply understood the issues in transport and was known to be pushing hard on a pavement parking ban, despite worries from Number 10 that it could be seen as “anti-motorist”.

While the exact portfolios are yet to be decided (it would take a brave Gov’t to put a minister who doesn’t drive in charge of roads), last year Mather spoke in a debate on road safety in Yorkshire, expressing his support for cutting traffic speeds in rural communities. He accused the previous government of “jumping at shadows, fighting anti-motorist policies that do not exist and opposing 20 mph blanket bans that have never been proposed”. Meanwhile, he said, very real risks occur because of speeding drivers and high-volume roads passing through built-up areas. Sensible talk.

TRANSPORT DECARBONISATION DOWNGRADED? Transport Xtra spotted the quiet publication of Department for Transport guidance initially designed to ‘drive decarbonisation and transport improvements at a local level’. Sadly, TX points out, the language and imperative has been downgraded since Boris Johnson set the wheels in motion in 2021. There are no measures to help achieve carbon reductions, simply encouragements for local authorities to produce estimates of future emissions - recognisable as the failed old ‘predict and provide’ method of transport planning. Similarly, a report on estimating active travel investment benefits, dated 2023, was only published in July.

OXFORD STREET PEDESTRIANISED FOR A DAY. Earlier this summer the London Cycling Campaign launched Dare to Dream, seeking to boost political bravery for radical people-friendly improvements in the capital. Among the asks were a low traffic West End, cutting through traffic in destination areas like Soho. Oxford Street will host a car-free day on 21 September ahead of longer-term plans by mayor Sadiq Khan to remove traffic from the street ‘as soon as possible’. Sometimes big cities need big ideas.

RESEARCH EXPANDS UNDERSTANDING OF AIR POLLUTION IMPACTS. New figures obtained by Mums for Lungs found 114,000 children in the capital were admitted to A&E in 2024 with breathing problems - many of whose symptoms are exacerbated by the city’s toxic air, according to one NHS paediatric emergency medicine consultant quoted. Meanwhile, new research found dirty air is worsening Alzheimer’s patients’ cognitive decline. Airborne pollutants are linked to a toxic protein within the brain that not only increases the risk, but the severity of dementia.

OTHER HEADLINES

BIKE EVENT FIGHTING PROSTATE CANCER. This Saturday a nocturnal gravel cycling event is being hosted to raise awareness and funds for the charity Prostate Cancer UK. Sundowner organisers say: “Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men in the UK, and even more amongst those over 50 – which includes a large part of our gravel cycling community. Through the Sundowner Charity Ride, we want to do more than just bring riders together for a great evening on the gravel. We want to raise awareness, drive life-saving checks, and raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK. Find out more here.

INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK:

WOULD YOU PUSH SOMEONE OFF THIS LADDER? That’s the arresting message from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Agency. It certainly makes you think about the impact of speed on a human body, and how slowing down can dramatically reduce that impact. Source https://twotango.co/work/ladder/

ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:

Invalid Carriage. This phrase is offensive and is a relic of UK disability law, however, it’s currently the only legal mobility aid for Disabled people in the public realm. There are 3 types: class 1: unpowered wheelchairs 2: (some) powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters that go up to 4mph 3: (some) larger powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters that go up to 8mph.

Wheels for Wellbeing looks forward to the day Disabled people in the UK can enjoy their rights to “personal mobility and the provision of mobility devices” as stated by the UNCRPD (UN convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities), to which the UK is a signatory. This includes taking “effective measures to ensure personal mobility with greatest possible independence for persons with disabilities” and facilitating their mobility “in a manner and at the time of their choice.”

The UK Government has said it will formally be reviewing the law on powered mobility aids; let’s hope they also drop the horrible term Invalid Carriage.

Until next time,

Adam

Adam Tranter

CEO, Fusion & Founder, #BikeIsBest

This newsletter is brought to you by Fusion, the agency for movers, specialising in communications and public affairs for active travel and mobility.