I gave evidence to the Transport Select Committee with Living Streets and Cycling UK as part of their active travel inquiry. Our message was clear: without adequate funding, the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy will fail. The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) has three aims by 2025. One is incredibly unambitious – to increase walking to 300 stages per person per year - which we will meet as its less than one walking stage per day. The other two – arguably also fairly unambitious compared to continental Europe, and yet, at least stretching for England, we are currently on course to fail. The aim is to double cycling based on 2013 levels and increase the numbers of children aged 5-10 walking to school to 55%. Last year the number of these children walking to school fell by 2% to 51%. So where are we going wrong?We have a strategy in place for walking and cycling; a Government that is looking at some of the safety issues that affect those actively travelling through reviewing the Highway Code; and an ambitious set of Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) being formed. These are positive steps, but without the funding to change the public realm and put in place a network of protected cycleways across our towns and cities they will be undermined and ineffective. Yesterday, I was asked what the obstacles are that prevent people choosing to walk and cycle short journeys. Truthfully, there are many complex reasons but I highlighted five areas that particularly prevent people making an active choice: Safety and perceptions of safetyMany people are still put off cycling in particular, because of fears for their safety. In our Bike Life surveys of 7,700 people across seven cities, 30% (27% of women) of those surveyed felt cycling safety was good in their cities and only 21% felt children’s cycling safety was good. Poor infrastructure/infrastructure in the wrong placeWe need high-quality infrastructure, such as pedestrianised areas with seating and protected cycleways which go to places people want to go. This is particularly important for women. Women make nearly three times fewer cycling journeys than men in this country1. Women are more likely to trip chain (a chained trip includes a stop on the way to another destination) and do radial trips which are not as well catered for2. Only 46% of women in Bike Life cities felt cycling infrastructure was good. Count data from cities across the USA revealed that females account for a greater percentage of bike riders when better bicycle infrastructure such as protected cycleways, are in place. ConvenienceWe need to make walking and cycling the natural choice. This often means taking space from motor vehicles such as removing car parking spaces to create protected cycleways and widening pavements; and there is an appetite for this. Bike Life found 78% of people would like more protected space for cycling even if this meant taking space away from motor vehicles. ConfidenceMore cycle training is needed. Many people often don’t feel confident on a bike. We do need more training both in schools where cycle training should be available to all primary school children to instil confidence and skills from a young age but also with adults. Perceptions of health: Air quality and exposureThe belief that you are more exposed to air pollution outside a car than inside a car is particularly an issue in cities. This is wrong apart from on the busiest roads if you are situated right behind a tailpipe. Importantly, the benefits of being physically active compared to sitting in the car far outweigh the costs of exposure anywhere in the UK. Three out of five of these obstacles: safety, poor infrastructure and convenience can be largely overcome through good cycling and walking infrastructure and at present Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) are being formed in a number of local authorities in England. The potential of LCWIPs is large. They are an opportunity for local authorities to put long-term plans in place for walking and cycling, such as planning in cycling networks across the towns or cities in their area. The formation of the plans is funded but they are in danger of gathering dust on a shelf unless there is funding to roll-out the cycling and walking projects identified in the plans. This funding currently doesn’t exist. This is why all three of our organisations yesterday called for the UK Government, as part of its forthcoming Spending Review, to adopt a second CWIS (CWIS2) with resources that are consistent with its stated aims and ambitions. This will require CWIS2 to amount to 5% of total transport spending in 2020/21, rising to 10% over the five years of the next spending round (i.e. by 2024/25). Based on figures for 2016/17 transport spending in England excluding London, this would amount to £17 per person annually (for walking as well as cycling) in 2020/1, rising to £34 per person in 2024/5. This is not unprecedented. Scotland has committed to 10% of its trunk road budget to go towards walking and cycling. England urgently needs to follow suit and give the LCWIPs the financial backing they need to be a success and to create an environment in which other local authorities can begin to produce and enact these plans. It’s not too late to turn things around and reach the CWIS targets for walking and cycling. The forthcoming spending review is an opportunity for the UK Government to show exactly how committed they are to achieving these targets. References1. Department for Transport (2016), National Travel Survey 2. Sustrans (2018) Are we nearly there yet? Exploring gender and active travel. from Blog https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/call-uk-government-re-balance-transport-spending-improve-safety-and-achieve-cycling-and-walking via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/182273080700
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In summer 2018, Lindsay and her family took on the (in)famous John o’Groats to Land’s End (JOGLE) long-distance ride. Here, she tells us how they got on with this challenge – before and after. Part one: planning the journeyOur 12-year-old son chose our family holiday this year, inspired by an adult friend of ours who cycled from Land’s End to John o’Groats in ten days last year. As a result, we leave home in just over two weeks to start our nearly 1200-mile journey. We are a family of four, with boys Oscar (14) and Silas (12), and we are not aiming to complete it in the fewest days possible, but rather to see something of the country while we cycle. Where we can, we will use cycle paths (thank you, Sustrans!), and will cover about 60-65 miles a day, completing the distance in 19 days. Planning has been what seems like a full-time activity for weeks now, and we have enjoyed sharing the responsibility. My husband Andrew has planned the route (to find the safer and more scenic roads and paths), I’ve researched options for stopping points each day (cafes, shops, etc.), Oscar is working out our options for where to eat out in the evening and Silas is going to pull together a big spreadsheet of all the data about our trip – miles covered each day, metres climbed, average speed, what percentage of the way we have covered each day and many other bits of information too! Preconceptions about the rideSilas says he is most worried about what the weather will do (we have had some painful practice rides in cold rain and on very muddy towpaths), and whether the midges in Scotland will live up to their fearful reputation. I am looking forward to the trip enormously, and will be fascinated to see how the country unfolds in front of our eyes. - Lindsay The big unknown for all of us is quite how hard it will be, or whether we will all cope better than we think. Will there be a day where all four of us struggle, or will just one person find a particular day hard and the other three can encourage them on? Finally, we’re also raising money for charity. We didn’t want the children to feel that they are tagging onto our idea, so we have all chosen a charity to support so that fundraising is more “our own”. The packing list is my current headache – packing as lightly as possible but having enough to cover our essentials. Part two: experiencing the rideWhat an amazing experience it is to cycle from John o’Groats to Land’s End! It’s quite extraordinary to see the stunning views of Scotland, the Lake District and the rolling Devon hills (and everything in between) all in the same trip. During the many hours in the saddle, my main distraction was to see how different the towns and countryside were from 100 miles before. I don’t think all members of the family thought about the scenery as much as I did, but I wanted to be free from my phone and any navigation system so that I could enjoy what I could see. The other members of the family all watched the route on maps, counted up (or down) the miles for the day, or worked out how much more climbing there was in the day. These were good distractions too! We spent about six hours cycling a day with an extra two or three hours for various stops – whether for coffee and cake (a daily occurrence), or buying lunch, or a picnic overlooking an amazing Lake District view, or just for water or “comfort” stops. It is deceptive how quickly the stops add up. We only suffered four punctures in the whole trip, and no other equipment malfunctions of any sort. Battling the elementsOur trip was during the summer heatwave, but thankfully we missed some of the extreme heat in Scotland. Cycling in the Lake District in 30°C+ is definitely energy-sapping; a day including a 1:5 hill coming out of Settle was one of our hardest, and we had never been so excited to see a Premier Inn as when we finally glimpsed the sign in Burnley at 8pm! We endured thunderstorms coming into Worcester (with a slow puncture that needed pumping up every three miles so that we could change the tyre in the dry of the hotel), and torrential rain and a massive headwind all day the next day, from Worcester to Bristol. Even though that day had very little to recommend itself to us at the time (puddles in our shoes, being so wet through to the skin that we didn’t even want to stop for coffee or food and needing heaters in the evening to try to get everything dry), it’s those days of hardship that actually make the trip epic and memorable. Take-aways from the journeyThings I liked: the bonding between us over the trip – we all supported each other when needed (Silas encouraged me bit by bit up a hill on one hot day when I had “hit the wall” shortly before lunch, then, coincidentally, he hit the wall a couple of hours later, but by then I had the energy to work with him pedal by pedal up another hill – thanks, Devon!). We had such a good laugh, most particularly in the evenings of the hard days – we were almost delirious with hilarity in the Brewer’s Fayre in Burnley. I enjoyed pushing myself to do those last 10 miles of the day when all you want to do is stop. I loved the sense of progress as we tracked our way down the country. We met lovely people: at viewpoints while having a break, café staff and hotel receptionists or B&B owners who all went out of their way to help us have a comfortable stay. And, eating as much as you want for the entire trip is great fun, especially for those of us who normally can’t! Not so good: some drivers, particularly in the Lake District zooming around corners when it’s only one lane wide, weak hands from resting on the handlebars so many hours a day (it made changing tyres really hard, and I couldn’t squeeze the toothpaste tube for the last week either), getting very wet and/or cold as it makes you slow down which makes you wet and/or cold for longer. After the trip, all our various aches and pains didn’t take too long to subside, but our weak hands took about a month to get back to full strength. As we finished, I had absolutely no desire to do the trip again. Within three months, however, I realised I would love to do it again! I’m trying to think of ways to persuade the family that to cycle from the north to the south coast of France would be an excellent thing to do… Want to plan an adventure of your own? Read more about JOGLEBuy the official Land’s End to John o'Groats guidebookfrom Blog https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/epic-cycle-challenge-family-john-o-groats-lands-end via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/182266680525 How and why we are working to raise the standards in walking and cycling projects across Scotland1/23/2019 It’s an exciting time to be involved in active travel. The messages concerning the health and environmental benefits of walking and cycling are working their way into policy and the public consciousness. After doubling the budget for active travel in 2017 then appointing Lee Craigie to the new post of Active Nation Commissioner for Scotland in 2018, the Scottish Government has shown its commitment to the goal of making cycling and walking a safe and attractive option across the country. That doesn’t mean the battle is won, we need to work together to maintain and build the momentum for change. Our annual Raising the Standards Day is a great opportunity to look at the how and why we work. To inspire and be inspired. To come together with our partners, local authorities, and other interested parties, to exchange ideas on how to tackle challenges and approach issues in innovative and creative ways. An opportunity to reflect on what we have accomplished but also look to the future at what we can achieve. Change is comingIt’s also a good time to think about the standards we work to. With this in mind we’ve listened to our partners and people applying for grants. We understand that more could be done to simplify access to funding so we are unifying and streamlining our current three match funding streams - Community Links, Community Links PLUS and Safer Routes to Schools - into one fund. This change will make it even easier to apply so you can spend more time delivering. The work to put those changes in place is already underway, and we will provide more information over the coming weeks. Co-operation and collaborationIt’s all too easy to become focused on your own work. Creating artificial barriers when collaboration is mutually beneficial. At Sustrans we promote co-operation, with our teams becoming more integrated at all stages in the design and delivery process. And this is something we’d like to see across the industry. Cross specialist teams can make quicker decisions based upon multiple different viewpoints which should serve a greater number of needs compared to one department making all the decisions. Open, collaborative partnerships are the only way that we can continue to deliver ever more ambitious projects. The bigger pictureWe have to remember not to just think of infrastructure as new paths and cycleways but to look at the bigger picture. We want walking and cycling to be accessible to all and infrastructure that makes it easier for people to change life-long travel habits. As an example of the kind of ambition we’re seeing, it is a huge privilege to be funding, and working as partner on Edinburgh’s City Centre Transformation. We will soon be supporting Glasgow in reviewing their Local Transport Strategy, rebalancing it towards investment in walking, cycling and public transport. These projects demonstrate a move toward remembering that our streets are just that, streets for playing, shopping, and living, not just roads for vehicles. There are many reasons we are so passionate in our mission – the health benefits, a reduction in air pollution – but mainly the idea of creating better places for people to live. Research shows that people who walk and cycle are more likely to stop and spend on the high street helping to revitalise communities and town centres. And Sustrans are proud to be at the heart of a movement that is reclaiming towns and cities for people. Find out more about our work in Scotlandfrom Blog https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/how-and-why-we-are-working-raise-standards-walking-and-cycling-projects-across-scotland via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/182241250475 In the next couple of months, the Scottish Parliament will debate making 20mph the default speed limit on residential roads. This is a simple change, but one that can help make our streets places for people to live safer, happier lives. Why 20mph?There is overwhelming evidence to show that 20mph streets save lives and prevent injuries. Findings from the South Edinburgh pilot area points to a reduction in casualties of 20%. For many, the thought of fewer accidents and less serious accidents is enough to end the debate, and in fact, there is major public backing for slower streets with 66% supporting the measure. But there are many additional reasons why 20mph is better for people and places. Firstly, traffic speed is one of the most commonly cited reasons why parents don’t let their children walk or cycle to school. Lowering speeds to 20mph encourages people to walk and cycle. Slower streets also encourage people to spend time on their street. Children are more likely to play outside and people interact more with neighbours. Noise levels also reduce when traffic speeds are lower and the dominance of vehicles decreases. The benefits of a national approachThe bill intends to swap the default 30mph speed limit on ‘restricted roads’ with a 20mph default. These restricted roads, more or less, correspond to residential streets, the type of places that people live and spend their time. Whilst many of these streets are 20mph already, there are lots of people living on 30mph streets across Scotland who would benefit from slower traffic. People living in disadvantaged communities are more likely to be involved in road collisions and more likely to be hospitalised as a result. When you consider that people living in these areas are also least likely to have access to a car it becomes clear that this is also an issue of social justice. We need to make sure that all communities benefit from slower streets, and a national approach is the best way to do this fairly. That’s why it is time for a national approach. How a national approach would be more successfulIt will avoid confusion. One of the barriers to implementing new 20mph areas in cities is that it is claimed that motorists find it confusing to chop and change between different speeds. A national approach, accompanied by a national awareness campaign, should make sure as many people as possible know about the change. All of this means it is more likely that people will know they should drive more slowly on residential streets. There will always be a need for enforcement and sometimes physical traffic-calming measures too, but this gives slower streets the best chance of success. So what next?With all the known benefits of 20mph, the only question left is whether we keep going with the current, local, bit-by-bit approach or take the plunge with a national programme. We think a national bill is the right approach for Scotland for public safety, for social equality and to make better communities. It will make, safer, fairer, better places, and why wouldn’t we want that in as many parts of Scotland as possible? Tell your MSP that you support the bill for safer streetsRead our consultation responsefrom Blog https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/nationwide-20mph-speed-limits-save-lives-and-create-better-places-live via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/182054356760 Will, a Sustrans supporter from Manchester, and his son Charlie got into cycling together. So when Charlie, then 11 years old, suggested they attempt the long ride from Land’s End to John o’Groats (LEJOG) together, Will couldn’t think of a good reason not to. Each of them gave their take on the experience. Charlie’s storyI had the idea for this trip because I love cycling. This is because you see a lot more wildlife and scenery than in a car and it is really fun to glide along down a descent after a tough challenge uphill. I fancied doing it now because it was my last chance until after my GCSEs and I wanted to complete it before I got to secondary school. I was expecting it to be tough and I didn’t know if I would be able to do it but I was determined to complete a big bucket list challenge. I found the first couple of days very tricky as there were a lot of long, steep hills but after that it wasn’t as tough (although I am not saying it was easy). My favourite bit was Cornwall because, even though there were a lot of hills, the views were spectacular and everyone was very kind. - Charlie Before I left, my teacher and my classmates sent me inspiring quotes to help me along the way which encouraged me to achieve my goal. I am also very grateful to my grandpa and uncle who supported me and my dad throughout our journey if we ran out of energy bars or needed a spare pump. It feels great to have done it and I highly recommend it if you are thinking about giving it a go. Will’s storyWe fell into multi-day cycling really. It started when, fed up with the cost in time and money of driving, I bought a bike for short journeys. A colleague got wind of this and suggested we cycle from Morecambe to Bridlington. Not, I grant you, a short journey. I couldn’t see how this could be done without using the M62, but I was persuaded and spent a great few days cycling the Way of the Roses. My colleague and I followed this up with Coast and Castles South and I was hooked. It also struck me that the National Cycle Network, on which these routes were based, would be a fabulous resource for adventures with kids. Charlie was showing an interest in and aptitude for cycling and we made our first foray when he was 8, riding from York to Boroughbridge, a safe, flat 20 miles or so. He too caught the bug. Coast and Castles was next, in 2015, and over two trips and six days we cycled from Alnmouth to Leuchars. Charlie’s ambitions, confidence and ability grew so our next challenge was the Way of the Roses in 2016. Throughout this time he was nurturing a desire to ride really big distances and when in October he announced he’d like to try LEJOG, my initial scepticism was defeated by his determination and a realisation that I could not say that he was incapable of doing it (and my own desire to make the trip). - Will Of course undertaking such a journey with a child demands a lot of planning. One can’t arrive in a town with nowhere to eat or sleep; Charlie needed to know that all he had to do was ride and everything else would be fine. So I devised a route to suit our own particular needs, travelling it virtually through Street View to make sure I knew what to expect, and I booked accommodation well in advance. We carried our own kit (we always have) but had some great back-up from family members who put themselves nearby with a car and a bike rack, just in case. After battling headwinds across Dartmoor (we had to pedal just to go downhill) I had a bit of a wobble in Exeter and thought perhaps we might need that rack. Charlie was unbowed, however, and once through the South West our strength and confidence grew. It was a remarkable journey, each day bringing a new county, and each county displaying different terrain, vegetation, wildlife and history; we saw the UK in many guises. A particular, and unexpected, highlight for me was the run from Chatelherault Country Park, south east of Glasgow, to Tarbet on the shores of Loch Lomond: a safe, flat and relatively easy ride through the biggest city on our route to some of the most beautiful countryside along National Route 74, 75 and 7 and Regional Route 40. This was, without question, the trip of a lifetime, but there is only one question at the end of any such adventure – what’s next? Are you feeling inspired? Read about other long-distance routes and why not challenge yourself this yearBuy the Sustrans guide to LEJOGfrom Blog https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/long-distance-bike-adventure-son-national-cycle-network-lands-end-john-ogroats-lejog via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/181807323350 It is a sad reflection on the past that although it has one of the lowest rates of car ownership in Scotland by head of population, Glasgow is a city that has been shaped by cars, and has high levels of inequality as a consequence. A lack of green, public spaces, along with a quarter of the land in the city centre dedicated to road space – the second highest level in a UK city – has impacted hugely on the health and quality of life of its residents and the local economy. These challenges, along with others identified as part of the recent Glasgow Connectivity Commission report, highlights some of the issues and impacts that poor planning and transport decisions can have on a city and the people that live there. What the Connectivity Commission report showsI find much to agree with in the report. It argues the need for greater road space re-allocation to pedestrians as well as to create spaces in Glasgow which could encourage people to spend time and linger. It also criticises the low provision for cycling and recommends longer, safer routes on corridors through the city centre. It compares cycling journeys to car journeys, highlighting how cycling lacks the consistent journey times and coherent routes of journeys that motorists are afforded. But, despite a bold, ambitious introduction and unflinching identification of the transport challenges faced by Glasgow, the actions then proposed in the report are small and low-key. In short, the report’s actions add up to less than the sum of its parts. I am therefore a bit worried about the report and anxious to see what the second part of the report, which will focus on actions beyond the power of Glasgow City Council. Here’s what I think: The case for transformational change in GlasgowFirstly, it is important to recognise that Glasgow is making progress. Sustrans is a proud partner in the delivery of a number of projects in the city which make it easier for people to choose to walk and cycle. For example, the South City Way, part of our Community Links PLUS programme funded through the Scottish Government, is delivering exactly the type of street - prioritising people on foot and bike - that the report calls for. And, like the authors of the report, we want to see this approach more widely in the city and can see how they would make a difference to the people of Glasgow. However, it is not enough to simply do more of the same, but faster. This report was a chance to acknowledge larger, structural problems. The issues faced in Glasgow’s city centre are largely a product of suburbanites travelling in by car from the Greater Glasgow area. And without addressing this, a vital chance to re-think transport and social inclusivity in Glasgow will be missed. It lacks a detailed discussion of the positive impact greater numbers of people walking and cycling can have on retail and recreation. And stops short of proposing any truly radical and far-reaching changes which the current situation demands. How Glasgow can learn from othersWhile it is always contentious to compare the two, nevertheless, Edinburgh’s recent City Centre Transformation consultation presented the public with wide-ranging, ambitious, transformational ideas. In doing so, it highlighted problems created by the access of private cars across and through the city. It proposed a walkable city centre to prioritise people over vehicles. It discussed improving the numerous town centres of the capital to make them places that people want to spend time and access on foot and bike. It has also benefitted from a whole-city remit, recognising the impact of people living and travelling in wider Edinburgh, the Lothians and visitors from all over Scotland and further.
In Edinburgh, public consultation offered ‘business as usual’, slow change and the opportunity to radically change the capital for the better. Glasgow’s decision on what to do next must present wide-ranging options.
Actions are more powerful than wordsA second report will be published by Glasgow’s Connectivity Commission in early 2019, which will address actions beyond the powers of Glasgow City Council. We should wait to see what actions are identified that regional and national powers can help with. This is still an emerging picture of what change Glasgow needs. I am more optimistic than ever for the future of Scotland’s urban communities, whether they are in a largely rural area or across the Central Belt. A wide range of stakeholders, led by the Scottish Government is helping more people to choose to walk and cycle, to live more healthy lives and delivering better places for people to spend their time. But we need this renewed interest in changing our places for the better to deliver ambitious actions and bold results. What really matters now is what our local authorities do with the findings of reports and consultations. This affects Edinburgh as it develops its plans based on its consultation just as much as Glasgow as it waits for the second part of the Commission’ reporting. It is actions that deliver the cities and places that people want, not just words. from Blog https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/glasgow-needs-bolder-vision-true-transport-transformation via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/181074683320 In the third blog in our budget focus series, Steve Brooks, Sustrans Director for Wales, discusses how decisions taken in Wales this month will influence the future of the Nation. It’s perhaps a cliché to say that politics in Wales is at a crossroads, but decisions taken this month will have a huge bearing on Wales’ direction of travel throughout much of the 2020s. The Welsh Labour party will shortly elect a new leader, someone who is likely to be appointed as First Minister. While he or she will lead a government midway through delivering a programme of government, there is a huge opportunity to strike a more radical path on sustainable development and transport in particular. Despite landmark legislation like the Active Travel Act and the Well-being of Future Generations Act, Wales has still too little on the ground change to show. Earlier this year, I warned Assembly Members that in transport, like many other subject areas, Wales was facing a ‘delivery gap’. Laudable national policy is not being translated into practice. This is in part down to funding, but it is also about leadership. It is about the Welsh Government demanding and enabling its delivery partners, like local government and Transport for Wales, to raise the quality of what is being done in Wales. The new First Minister will have to make some ‘machinery of government’ changes. Transport, as a portfolio, has generally sat in two departments. Under Rhodri Morgan transport was often part of a wider environment brief, often including planning and sustainability. Under Carwyn Jones, transport has largely sat within the wider economy brief. Neither is right or wrong, but it is essential that the new government gives proper airtime to transport. That might be a below cabinet level minister taking charge of the issue reporting into a cabinet secretary for the economy or the environment. Top of the in-tray for the new minister should be implementing the recommendations of the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee inquiry into the implementation of the Active Travel Act [1]. In the new year, Sustrans Cymru will publish a report outlining how the government can, on a very practical level, take these welcome recommendations forward. Another subject will occupy the mind of the next Transport Minister, and that is the M4 relief road. At the time of writing, Assembly Members will approve or reject the proposal this month. Earlier this autumn, Sustrans worked with the Commissioner for Future Generations Sophie Howe [2] to model how the £1.4billion earmarked for the road could be better spent to solve Newport and the Southeast’s transport woes in a way that didn’t harm the environment and life chances of future generations. Unsurprisingly, Sustrans is strongly opposed to the relief road, and I hope Assembly Members reject the plan. But if that were to happen, we cannot repeat the mistake of the then transport minister Ieaun Wyn Jones who rejected the scheme last time it was considered in 2009. Whilst the CBI’s prescription to South Wales’ transport woes is wrong, their diagnosis – that congestion is hurting Wales, is the right one. If Assembly Members reject the M4, an independent task and finish group should be commissioned to identify what measures the new government should adopt to solve congestion, expand public transport and active travel. Lastly, the small issue of the Welsh Government’s budget will be decided in December. In many ways, this is a season finale. This will be the last Welsh Government budget before the new UK Comprehensive Spending Review kicks off in the New Year, and probably the last budget before Brexit. As Sustrans detailed in our evidence to the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee earlier this year, Wales has historically underfunded walking and cycling. Thanks to in-year increases and new money from the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan, Wales is now starting to spend at the lower end of what is needed. And whilst turning the funding tap on is welcome, the new minister must ensure that the plumbing is in working order to handle this. Whilst we still need to increase capital spending to bring Wales closer to Scottish levels of spending, additional revenue money needs to be allocated too. This revenue money will help address the lack of staff capacity within local authorities, provide crucial money for maintaining what has previously been built, and invest in ‘softer’ behaviour change measures like Sustrans’ Active Journey’s schools programme, which encourages people to walk and cycle more. [1] http://www.assembly.wales/laid%20documents/cr-ld11566-r/cr-ld11566-r-e.pdf Don’t miss the other blogs in the three-part series: Sustrans budget focus: Investing in active travel part 1: Active travel in rural areas by Councillor Ellen ap GwynnSustrans budget focus: Investing in active travel part 2: An active metro by Councillor Caro Wildfrom Blog https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/sustrans-budget-focus-investing-active-travel-part-3-new-first-minister-set-wales-future via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/180757902675 Cary Thompson recently took part in Sustrans cycle training so he could be more confident commuting to work by bike. This was provided at the Active Travel Hub in East Belfast as part of the CHIPS programme. He was so pleased with the training that he wanted to write a blog to encourage other potential cycling commuters. Here’s what he wrote: Sustrans training for commuting by bike to work was practical, easy to digest and fun. For someone who hadn’t undertaken formal cycle training since Cycling Proficiency at primary school, it was a revelation. This wasn’t learning to cycle in a playground, National Standard training takes you out on the road. Staying safe is the main aimNo more wobbling shakily in and out of cones while trying to indicate right. Instead, we started with the A (Air), B (Brakes) and C (Chain) of your bike before moving on to how to do an emergency stop. Don’t worry about back brake before front brake, just be prepared to brake and keep your weight over the saddle to minimise the chances of a skid. When out on the road gone was that theoretical 18 inches out from the pavement that could still have you bumping across gratings and continually indicating to pull out around parked cars. - Cary Thompson Instead it was focused on keeping cyclists as safe as possible at all times. We were introduced to “shared” space and “controlled” space cycling. They are what they say. The former is when you are on the road, comfortably out from pavements, parked cars and other road obstructions and drivers can both see you and pass you with care. The latter is when you, to be safe, need to control the lane or side of the road you are in, for instance to turn right. Be clear in your movements, be decisive and be where drivers are going to see you. The training has given me a level of confidence to cycle on the road which I haven’t had since my twenties but this time for good reason. Certainly, enough to make me want to commute to work in the centre of town. I weighed up the various pros and cons to commuting on different modes of transport:
Route-planning guidanceAs part of the Sustrans training we looked at potential routes into town using a combination of shared use paths, cycle routes and lesser used roads. Whichever part of town you are commuting from you are faced with three issues: (i) avoiding busy major arterial routes into town; (ii) cycling in the town centre; and (iii) the uphill cycle on the way home. Coming from East Belfast you are also faced with the need to get across the River Lagan. Fortunately, in the east we have two excellent shared use paths the Comber Greenway (National Cycle Network Route 99) and the Connswater Community Greenway which bring you into the Titanic Quarter. So the first part of route planning was pretty easy, looking at which one was closest and easiest to get onto from my home (in my case the Comber Greenway). This route via Titanic Quarter opened up the prospect of using the Lagan Weir Bridge and joining the Lagan towpath cycleway (National Cycle Network Route 9) on the other bank of the river avoiding arterial routes completely and solving the bridge problem. But what about cycling in town? As I wanted to get to Great Victoria Street I discovered I could continue along the Lagan towpath to the Gasworks and then onto the road at Ormeau Avenue, and then a series of less busy streets until my final destination. So that solved the cycling in town centre problem. My last challenge was the uphill cycle on the way home, but I found that my bike gears solved this issue. I’ve found my commute home helps me to release the day’s frustrations either through putting my head down and pedalling hard or enjoying the environment as I meander home. Thanks to the Sustrans trainer’s up-to-date knowledge, I now have a much more direct route using a new cycle path from Titanic Halt to Queens Bridge using Middlepath Street. In conclusion, cycling really is fun, much quicker than walking, driving or taking the bus. I’ve found some new cycling kit which means you can be warm, dry and visible, and if there is a torrential downpour all day there is still the Glider option. Just on the lights, they are great, throw away your Ever Ready batteries (responsibly of course) and stock up with good quality chargeable lights. Finally, if you want to get some exercise but can’t find the time, commuting to work by bike is a great option. Hope to see you on the Greenway sometime! Find out more about on-road cycle training in Northern IrelandFind out more about the CHIPS programme in east Belfastfrom Blog https://www.sustrans.org.uk/blog/cycle-training-gave-me-confidence-commute-work-bike via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/180757408755 Running Track Relining in Stair | Athletics Track Line Markings #Relining #Track #and #Field #Surfaces #Stair https://t.co/GiLPIPAjTy
from Running Tracks UK https://ukrunningtracks.tumblr.com/post/180694756368 via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/180694957480 Running Track Contractors in Rose Hill | Athletics Track Installation #Rose #Hill https://t.co/UtXaEj6Rep
from Running Tracks UK https://ukrunningtracks.tumblr.com/post/180689949743 via IFTTT via https://runningtrackcontractors.tumblr.com/post/180690022340 |