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Cycling UK urges councils to “be brave” over bike lanes

Charity highlights that polls consistently show majority in favour of active travel interventions

Cycling UK as urged councils to “be brave” in the face of opposition to initiatives aimed at encouraging active travel, with the cycling charity highlighting four surveys undertaken nationally this year that show widespread support for more such measures.

The surveys – commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT), Cycling UK, #BikeIsBest and Greenpeace – consistently show that around six in 10 people in the UK want to see more cycle lanes.

A YouGov poll of 2,000 adults undertaken for Cycling UK found that 56 per cent of respondents backed emergency active travel interventions such as bike lanes and low traffic neighbourhoods introduced by councils this year in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, some schemes have been removed due to vocal opposition from a small minority, backed by certain elements of the press, such as segregated cycle lanes on Kensington High Street in London.

Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said: “We need local authorities to be brave and to push ahead with more and better active travel projects and not feel bullied into abandoning schemes without any proper evaluation of their benefits just because a minority of people object.

“The simple fact is that we need to make it more appealing for people to cycle and walk, particularly for short journeys, to avoid clogging up our cities with polluting motor traffic and to help make us all fitter and healthier.

“Let’s be bold. Let’s tackle these problems head on and get the country moving again, safely, healthily and cheaply, by foot or by bike where it’s safe and sensible to do so,” he added.

Cycling UK is sending copies of its report, which you can find here, to transport planners in local government across the country.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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3 comments

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Bungle_52 | 3 years ago
1 like

What I don't understand is why cycling UK doesn't ask us all for footage of close passes like Road CC does. It could then make these available online and refer to them as evidence of why cycle lanes are needed. Surely that would enhance their case. At least thay are doing something though so thank you Cycling UK

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David9694 | 3 years ago
1 like

be brave? Be Labour, Lib Dem or Green might be better advice. 

salisbury people friendly : watered down 3 or 4 times before it went in which was weeks later (Shrodinger's lack of consultation at play here, clearly), then lasted four weeks, before going the way of Kensington High Street.  

One cycle lane on my side of town survives, starting nowhere in particular I think, and ending on a massive roundabout. "Cyclists have their own motorway network (why aren't they using them)?" 

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HarrogateSpa | 3 years ago
7 likes

I agree, and if improvements are made quickly, it works, people see that it works, and they support what you did - lessons from Seville.

Other lessons from Seville:

  • you can't keep everyone happy, so aim to satisfy most of the people
  • consult on how to add bike lanes, not whether to add them - make it clear that something is going to be done

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