Here, there, and over the pond, #160

A hop, skip and a jump away.

This week, the Easter Bunny may have visited, but there’s no jumping for joy yet for cycling in England, as cycling rates are down on last year. Still, if we’re here for the long game - and we don’t really have much choice - long-term planning and investment for cycling is one way to bunny-hop the doldrums.

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

CYCLING DOWN IN ENGLAND. People used pedal cycles less frequently in 2024 than in 2023, with fewer women and children cycling. That’s according to the government’s annual National Travel Survey. Campaigners have pointed to a lack of sustained investment in safe networks of routes, both at national and local council level, reports Road.cc. Chris Boardman says delivery of government targets for active travel will be ‘extremely hard’ with current funding.

MEANWHILE, IN AMERICA. The latest cycling stats for the US show more Americans than ever are cycling. That said, it’s a fairly low bar. The PeopleForBikes survey found 112 million Americans - 35% of the population - cycled at least once in 2024. It’s around 53% in England, according to Cycling UK. In the US, young people are leading the growth, with 56% of those aged 3-17 cycling at least once last year, up from 49% in 2023. As in Britain, most people (53%) fear being hit by a driver, underscoring the need for safe routes.

THE LONG GAME? Brompton CEO Will Butler-Adams tells the Telegraph why the sudden imposition of tariffs aren’t going to stimulate investment in the US. Businesses need stability, he says, and recruiting staff and building capacity come with 10-plus year business plans, not on the whims of leaders. Butler-Adams recommends a cool head, but notes Brompton won’t be opening previously-planned stores in New York and Washington.

WHAT IF THERE WERE CYCLE NETWORKS? One problem plaguing our cycling growth is that, quite often, it’s hard to make an entire journey without encountering a scary road or rat run with impatient drivers. My friend Laura Laker, in her new Substack, revisits the idea of the power of a network, in not only helping people cycle but as an idea that builds momentum for cycling investment in the first place. The power of thinking big, she calls it.

OPEN IT, THEY WILL COME. Hammersmith Bridge in London has officially reopened to walking and cycling following surfacing works. The historic structure was closed to motor traffic in 2019 after cracks appeared on its pedestals. Now there are new accessible cycle lanes and a walking lane. Among long-term solutions on the cards are permanently excluding motor traffic, and introducing a toll for those in cars. Traffic-free crossings are at a premium in the city, and local cyclists have welcomed the improvements.

OTHER HEADLINES

LIFE AFTER CARS. War on Cars co-hosts, Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon, announced that their new book, Life After Cars, is coming this autumn. With former co-host Aaron Naperstek, the book promises to be an expansion of their well-loved and familiar content, highlighting how, instead of offering freedom, cars harm our health and wellbeing, isolate us and waste our time in traffic. The dream of cars, they say, is ‘running on empty’, and the fight for better transport is inexorably linked with equity and justice.

INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK:

While walking and driving trips number in the hundreds per person per year, cycling is struggling to make it to the twenties. Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-travel-survey-mid-year-estimates-year-ending-june-2024/nts-mid-year-estimates-year-ending-june-2024

ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:

Cycle shuttle. Not to be confused with a bike bus, this is the solution for cycling across London’s new Silvertown Tunnel. The response has been mixed, but it does a job, and it’s free to use for at least a year.

Until next time,

Adam

Adam Tranter

CEO, Fusion & Founder, #BikeIsBest