Theft, 20mph and the fallacy behind a Reform pledge, #164

Reform meets reality - thanks to #BikeIsBest

This week, it’s goodbye to a well-loved cargo bike, yet more data on 20mph and a farcical story that made me laugh.

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

20MPH SAVING LIVES IN LONDON. The capital city will get more 20mph roads, after the latest research showing existing zones have cut crashes and road traffic injuries. Since 2023 more than half of London’s roads have seen speed limits reduced to 20mph, and there were 35% fewer collisions and 36% fewer casualties within 20mph zones following the changes, according to Transport for London; 12% fewer citywide. The benefits are particularly marked for children, for whom casualties fell by half, and fatalities by 75%. 20’s getting ever harder to argue against.

BBC ‘BIKE BUREAU’ STOLEN. The cargo bike used by BBC journalist Anna Holligan - famous for her ‘Dutch news from the Cycle Path’ reports - was stolen last week in Amsterdam. Holligan describes the impact of losing the cargo bike, which was her means of transport as well as being the popular vehicle from which she broadcast, both on the move and stationary. She and co-creator, Kate Vandy, kitted out the compact, nimble vehicle for remote broadcast, using it to report breaking news first. Here’s hoping it’s returned, or that its replacement is even better.

REFORM PLEDGES TO SCRAP LTNS…THAT DON’T EXIST. The Guardian’s Peter Walker reports that none of the ten council areas now controlled by the right-wing party, Reform, have Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. Which is a shame as one of the election pledges of the party, was that they would rip them out. I love how Reform is citing a map #BikeIsBest seed funded on Cyclestreets to establish roads not open to through traffic. Just imagine how unpopular it’s going to be to reopen roads closed to traffic for several decades.

RADICAL REFORMS TO ROAD SAFETY. An immediate ban on pavement parking, default 20mph speed limits in urban areas and enshrining cycle training into the national curriculum - plus at least 10% of transport funding for active travel. Those are among the calls by The Bikeability Trust and Living Streets for ‘the most radical reforms to road safety since mandatory seat belts’ ahead of the forthcoming Road Safety Strategy. Safe Streets For All is the joint report, which highlights the need to tackle conflict and poor awareness of the Highway Code among the issues that need tackling.

OTHER HEADLINES

NORMALISING CYCLING? Good to see some balanced reporting of cycling plans - this road closure for a new interurban cycle route (and bridge repairs) between Gloucester, Cheltenham and Bishop’s Cleeve, plus campaigners calling for a decent cycle connection prior to a new housing development being built in Somerset. It’s worth celebrating the media treating cycling as proper transport.

INTERESTING GRAPH(IC) OF THE WEEK:

Since #BikeIsBest seed funded initial work to identify historical modal filters and no through traffic streets, CycleStreets has further improved the map layer. Here’s a nice screenshot of Petersfield, Cambridge; you can check out your area, or indeed other areas, on the map itself.

ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:

WEDGE ISSUE. Politicians have a long history of using topics as ‘wedge issues’, i.e those that they hope will drive a wedge between voters, some of whom will fall into their camp. However, research in recent years shows stoking culture wars is ineffective at attracting voters, and can have the opposite effect.

Until next time,

Adam

Adam Tranter

CEO, Fusion & Founder, #BikeIsBest