Here is what Boris Johnson must do for a real cycling revolution - LONG

QUOTE:
If the Prime Minister wants to get us all on our bikes, he needs to seriously look at what’s been stopping us for so long. His announcement on Tuesday to “shift gears and press ahead with our biggest and boldest plans yet to boost active travel�, is a welcome opportunity to harness and propel the momentum and growth in cycling that has been one of the precious few silver linings of Covid-19.

Of course the cycling plans are also convenient for the Prime Minister, giving his image a boost — “Bike Boris� is much more of an endearing image than “Brexit Boris� or “Bodged Pandemic Boris�. How far do the Government’s plans really build on the boom in cycling and make this two-wheeled transport revolution a reality?

After a slow start to the year running my cycle business, I panicked at the thought of economic shutdown. But in lockdown our sales soared. Phones did not stop ringing with new cyclists wanting a stylish helmet to go with their new set of wheels. How can we keep this up?

I’m looking at this from a female perspective. Fear of cycling in traffic has always been the biggest barrier to women getting around on bikes.. So often I hear women saying they would cycle if there were segregated lanes, so the Government’s promise to build “thousands of miles of protected cycle routes in towns and cities� is a positive step.

But how long will these lanes take to build? Do we have space for segregated lanes on our historic road network or will tough decisions have to be made to close some roads to traffic altogether? How about more car-free days to let people taste the freedom and sense of community that arises when our roads are not dominated by motorised transport. And how do we stop dangerous drivers in the meantime to prevent cycling casualties?

One method encouraged recently by the Met is to ask cyclists to attach headcams and give footage of dangerous driving to the police. But do we want to cycle with cameras on our heads? I don’t.

A scheme I like is to stop motorists who speed on school streets and put them in front of a jury of kids from the school. That could strike a stronger emotional chord than a fine for drivers to change their behaviour. What’s certain is that a holistic approach is needed to get more people on their bikes, one that makes cycling desirable, accessible and fun.

To truly make it safe, cycling in the capital needs to take priority over driving. Perhaps the proposed 23 more miles of bike lanes for London is not quite enough to make cycling for everyone.

It boils down to making cycling easier than other forms of transport. Part of the answer is infrastructure

The government proposal to provide free training for any child and adult is also a strong approach to increase confidence. This could be taken one step further. Why not make cycling part of the national curriculum; a skill we use and hone throughout our school days so it’s second nature by the time we are travelling independently? This could instigate a culture change away from the importance we currently place on young people learning to drive.

The next barrier, “faff factor�, is a complex one but combating it boils down to making cycling easier than other forms of transport. This partly requires changes to infrastructure, and the proposals for segregated cycle lanes, mini-Holland schemes and cycling corridors will make trips easier. Many bike commutes currently feel like challenging obstacle courses and the stress puts people off.

But this also comes down to simple things like having somewhere to store and park your bike. It sounds trivial but it’s the little things that stop people cycling. If there was bike parking at my daughter’s nursery I’d cycle every day but bleary-eyed at 8.30am, I often opt for the car because it’s easier.

The Government plans to install bike hangers and on-street bike storage, and hopefully these measures will be executed with prior public engagement and flexibility to suit specific communities and situations and address the little details.

The bike repair vouchers are a great idea. The scheme, run by The Energy Saving Trust, crashed initially as it was over-subscribed. More will be available soon, but if you don’t get a voucher, look out for Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival scheme which runs Dr Bike sessions in August and is also free. This is just the start but it’s a strong one. Let’s just hope it goes the distance and that the long-term commitment is there to create a sustainable, happier, healthier, greener transport system.

https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/c...-a4513416.html

On Sunday, August 2, 2020 at 10:43:13 AM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
QUOTE:
If the Prime Minister wants to get us all on our bikes, he needs to seriously look at what’s been stopping us for so long. His announcement on Tuesday to “shift gears and press ahead with our biggest and boldest plans yet to boost active travel�, is a welcome opportunity to harness and propel the momentum and growth in cycling that has been one of the precious few silver linings of Covid-19.

Of course the cycling plans are also convenient for the Prime Minister, giving his image a boost — “Bike Boris� is much more of an endearing image than “Brexit Boris� or “Bodged Pandemic Boris�. How far do the Government’s plans really build on the boom in cycling and make this two-wheeled transport revolution a reality?

After a slow start to the year running my cycle business, I panicked at the thought of economic shutdown. But in lockdown our sales soared. Phones did not stop ringing with new cyclists wanting a stylish helmet to go with their new set of wheels. How can we keep this up?

I’m looking at this from a female perspective. Fear of cycling in traffic has always been the biggest barrier to women getting around on bikes. So often I hear women saying they would cycle if there were segregated lanes, so the Government’s promise to build “thousands of miles of protected cycle routes in towns and cities� is a positive step.

But how long will these lanes take to build? Do we have space for segregated lanes on our historic road network or will tough decisions have to be made to close some roads to traffic altogether? How about more car-free days to let people taste the freedom and sense of community that arises when our roads are not dominated by motorised transport. And how do we stop dangerous drivers in the meantime to prevent cycling casualties?

One method encouraged recently by the Met is to ask cyclists to attach headcams and give footage of dangerous driving to the police. But do we want to cycle with cameras on our heads? I don’t.

A scheme I like is to stop motorists who speed on school streets and put them in front of a jury of kids from the school. That could strike a stronger emotional chord than a fine for drivers to change their behaviour. What’s certain is that a holistic approach is needed to get more people on their bikes, one that makes cycling desirable, accessible and fun.

To truly make it safe, cycling in the capital needs to take priority over driving. Perhaps the proposed 23 more miles of bike lanes for London is not quite enough to make cycling for everyone.

It boils down to making cycling easier than other forms of transport. Part of the answer is infrastructure

The government proposal to provide free training for any child and adult is also a strong approach to increase confidence. This could be taken one step further. Why not make cycling part of the national curriculum; a skill we use and hone throughout our school days so it’s second nature by the time we are travelling independently? This could instigate a culture change away from the importance we currently place on young people learning to drive.

The next barrier, “faff factor�, is a complex one but combating it boils down to making cycling easier than other forms of transport.. This partly requires changes to infrastructure, and the proposals for segregated cycle lanes, mini-Holland schemes and cycling corridors will make trips easier. Many bike commutes currently feel like challenging obstacle courses and the stress puts people off.

But this also comes down to simple things like having somewhere to store and park your bike. It sounds trivial but it’s the little things that stop people cycling. If there was bike parking at my daughter’s nursery I’d cycle every day but bleary-eyed at 8.30am, I often opt for the car because it’s easier.

The Government plans to install bike hangers and on-street bike storage, and hopefully these measures will be executed with prior public engagement and flexibility to suit specific communities and situations and address the little details.

The bike repair vouchers are a great idea. The scheme, run by The Energy Saving Trust, crashed initially as it was over-subscribed. More will be available soon, but if you don’t get a voucher, look out for Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival scheme which runs Dr Bike sessions in August and is also free. This is just the start but it’s a strong one. Let’s just hope it goes the distance and that the long-term commitment is there to create a sustainable, happier, healthier, greener transport system.

https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/c...-a4513416.html

You might find these videos interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gohSeOYheXg&t=519s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DNNIB_PdaA&t=540s

On Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:41:56 GMT, Adam Lea wrote:

On Sunday, August 2, 2020 at 10:43:13 AM UTC+1, Simon Mason wrote:
QUOTE:
If the Prime Minister wants to get us all on our bikes, he needs to
serio
usly look at what’s been stopping us for so long. His announcement
on Tuesday to “shift gears and press ahead with our biggest and
boldest plans yet to boost active travel�, is a welcome opportunity
to harness and propel the momentum and growth in cycling that has been
one of the precious few silver linings of Covid-19.

Of course the cycling plans are also convenient for the Prime
Minister, g
iving his image a boost — “Bike Boris� is much more of an
endearing image than “Brexit Boris� or “Bodged Pandemic
Boris�. How far do the Government’s plans really build on the boom
in cycling and make this two-wheeled transport revolution a reality?

After a slow start to the year running my cycle business, I panicked
at t
he thought of economic shutdown. But in lockdown our sales soared.
Phones did not stop ringing with new cyclists wanting a stylish helmet
to go with their new set of wheels. How can we keep this up?

I’m looking at this from a female perspective. Fear of cycling in
traffic has always been the biggest barrier to women getting around
on bikes. So often I hear women saying they would cycle if there were
segregated lanes, so the Government’s promise to build “thousands
of miles of protected cycle routes in towns and cities� is a
positive step.

But how long will these lanes take to build? Do we have space for
segrega
ted lanes on our historic road network or will tough decisions have to
be made to close some roads to traffic altogether? How about more
car-free days to let people taste the freedom and sense of community
that arises when our roads are not dominated by motorised transport.
And how do we stop dangerous drivers in the meantime to prevent
cycling casualties?

One method encouraged recently by the Met is to ask cyclists to
attach he
adcams and give footage of dangerous driving to the police. But do we
want to cycle with cameras on our heads? I don’t.

A scheme I like is to stop motorists who speed on school streets and
put
them in front of a jury of kids from the school. That could strike a
stronger emotional chord than a fine for drivers to change their
behaviour. What’s certain is that a holistic approach is needed to
get more people on their bikes, one that makes cycling desirable,
accessible and fun.

To truly make it safe, cycling in the capital needs to take priority
over
driving. Perhaps the proposed 23 more miles of bike lanes for London
is not quite enough to make cycling for everyone.

It boils down to making cycling easier than other forms of
transport.
Part of the answer is infrastructure

The government proposal to provide free training for any child and
adult
is also a strong approach to increase confidence. This could be taken
one step further. Why not make cycling part of the national
curriculum; a skill we use and hone throughout our school days so
it’s second nature by the time we are travelling independently? This
could instigate a culture change away from the importance we currently
place on young people learning to drive.

The next barrier, “faff factor�, is a complex one but com
bating it boils down to making cycling easier than other forms of
transport. This partly requires changes to infrastructure, and the
proposals for segregated cycle lanes, mini-Holland schemes and cycling
corridors will make trips easier. Many bike commutes currently feel
like challenging obstacle courses and the stress puts people off.

But this also comes down to simple things like having somewhere to
store
and park your bike. It sounds trivial but it’s the little things
that stop people cycling. If there was bike parking at my daughter’s
nursery I’d cycle every day but bleary-eyed at 8.30am, I often opt
for the car because it’s easier.

The Government plans to install bike hangers and on-street bike
storage,
and hopefully these measures will be executed with prior public
engagement and flexibility to suit specific communities and situations
and address the little details.

The bike repair vouchers are a great idea. The scheme, run by The
Energy
Saving Trust, crashed initially as it was over-subscribed. More will
be available soon, but if you don’t get a voucher, look out for
Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival scheme which runs Dr Bike sessions in
August and is also free. This is just the start but it’s a strong
one. Let’s just hope it goes the distance and that the long-term
commitment is there to create a sustainable, happier, healthier,
greener transport system.

https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/c...boris-johnson-
mus
t-do-for-a-real-cycling-revolution-a4513416.html

You might find these videos interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gohSeOYheXg&t=519s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DNNIB_PdaA&t=540s

The videos themselves are amusing & informative; but you've put
t=advertattheend!



--
Bah, and indeed, Humbug.