There are 5 messages totaling 1645 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. Best recent exemplars of cycling cities? (2)
  2. Crash stats...
  3. Cycling and Sustainability, Ed. Parkin, J. ISBN: 9781780522982 Publishing
    29th May 2012
  4. CYCLING-AND-SOCIETY Digest - 25 May 2012 to 27 May 2012 (#2012-60)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 28 May 2012 08:38:19 +0000
From:    Adrian Lord <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Best recent exemplars of cycling cities?

We had mixed success with the Cycling Towns and Cities programme for Cycling England.  To try to understand this we commissioned a bit of research on the 'process' rather than results monitoring.  This process is captured in the report 'Making a Cycling Town' (available at 'The Hub' on the CILT website http://www.ciltuk.org.uk/pages/home).

Schools seem to the venues in which cycling can nearly always be pioneered in towns that don't have much cycling already.  This starts with secure cycle parking and cycle training, which on their own can be enough to increase levels of cycling, even more so if supported by encouragement from things like Sustrans Bike It programme.  Add in after schools activities such as British Cycling's Go-Ride programme and the initial interest can be sustained through maintenance classes, races and inter-school events.  The school can also be the venue for community based events such as 'try a bike' days, cyclo-cross races in the school grounds, local charity rides and so on, which draw in the parents and wider community to get them cycling themselves.  Few parents, local people or politicians will dare to stand up and object to parking restrictions and cycle/pedestrian-friendly infrastructure around schools because 'everybody' wants to make it safer for children.

The same process of safe cycle parking, engaging directly with users to offer training, events, promotions can also be repeated at workplaces and stations, and to a lesser extent in other 'destinations' such as town/city centres and tourist attractions - but in these latter locations there is less chance of a sustained relationship with the potential cyclists.  We tried this successfully at workplaces, stations and leisure venues in a programme called 'Finding New Solutions' with good increases at all sites.

It's important to offer a variety of events, some people are motivated by saving time/money on travel, others by getting fit, others by the opportunity to take part in a new sport or just to get out and explore their local area.

If you'd asked me 10 or 20 years ago I'd have said that the infrastructure needs to be in place first, but now I'm not so sure as much of the increase in Cycling England funded projects occurred before route infrastructure was completed.  I think cycling has become trendy enough that many people are willing to give it a go and just need a small amount of help to get started.  When I first started campaigning/working in cycling in the 1980s and 90s it was dominated by sporty or ultra-green people and regarded as outside mainstream society.  Now its more 'normal' and people who try cycling generally find the roads aren't quite as scary as they perceive them to be when they are driving.  However, like trying anything new, people do often need an event or some sort of activity with 'peers' to help them dip their toe in the water.

  It is vital to provide good infrastructure and especially frequent cycle parking in town centres and safe places to park a bike at work, home, rail stations etc etc.  If there are opportunities to promote and enhance existing infrastructure - that is also important because off-road and back road cycle routes are often 'invisible' to non-cyclists.  However, I'd say that the idea of creating a comprehensive Dutch style network as a prerequisite to cycling is a pipe dream, better to address safety at major barriers to cycling such as ring road crossings and major radials and to try to create low speed and traffic -free central areas in town and city centres.



Adrian Lord
Associate

Arup
Admiral House, Rose Wharf, East St, Leeds, LS9 8EE  United Kingdom
t +44 (0)113 242 8498  d +44 (0)121 213 3650
f +44 (0)121 213 3001  m +44 (0)785 031 8882
www.arup.com<http://www.arup.com/>

____________________________________________________________
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systems are scanned for acceptability of content and viruses

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 28 May 2012 10:21:40 +0100
From:    Richard Mann <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Best recent exemplars of cycling cities?

It's not terribly recent, but in Oxford I'd trace the step-change in
middle-class "normal" cycling (ie outside the education sector) to the
large number of cycle/bus lanes that were installed in the late seventies
and eighties. Since then it's been a steady accretive approach of gradually
adapting the main roads further (taming them by various means, chipping
away at the parking and installing cycle lanes). In terms of numbers, the
volume (barring the approach to a few secondary schools) is all on the main
roads. It's been supported by the development of quiet routes, but that's
not where the numbers are.

You can spend a very long time building enough of a culture to generate the
political will to do something about the main roads (and the techniques for
doing so are probably as Adrian describes). Or you can look at cities that
are a little further along with the process and take some shortcuts.

In terms of international examples, Berlin and Munich are usually cited,
having experienced substantial modal shift (probably from public transport,
and not from a hyper-low base). They would cite infrastructure (pavement
tracks, and a very cheap-and-cheerful approach to adding cyclists to
pedestrian crossings: both measures that are now being phased out in favour
of cycle lanes...)
Richard


On Mon, May 28, 2012 at 9:38 AM, Adrian Lord <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>  We had mixed success with the Cycling Towns and Cities programme for
> Cycling England.  To try to understand this we commissioned a bit of
> research on the ‘process’ rather than results monitoring.  This process is
> captured in the report ‘Making a Cycling Town’ (available at ‘The Hub’ on
> the CILT website http://www.ciltuk.org.uk/pages/home).****
>
> ** **
>
> Schools seem to the venues in which cycling can nearly always be pioneered
> in towns that don’t have much cycling already.  This starts with secure
> cycle parking and cycle training, which on their own can be enough to
> increase levels of cycling, even more so if supported by encouragement from
> things like Sustrans Bike It programme.  Add in after schools activities
> such as British Cycling’s Go-Ride programme and the initial interest can be
> sustained through maintenance classes, races and inter-school events.  The
> school can also be the venue for community based events such as ‘try a
> bike’ days, cyclo-cross races in the school grounds, local charity rides
> and so on, which draw in the parents and wider community to get them
> cycling themselves.  Few parents, local people or politicians will dare to
> stand up and object to parking restrictions and cycle/pedestrian-friendly
> infrastructure around schools because ‘everybody’ wants to make it safer
> for children.****
>
> ** **
>
> The same process of safe cycle parking, engaging directly with users to
> offer training, events, promotions can also be repeated at workplaces and
> stations, and to a lesser extent in other ‘destinations’ such as town/city
> centres and tourist attractions – but in these latter locations there is
> less chance of a sustained relationship with the potential cyclists.  We
> tried this successfully at workplaces, stations and leisure venues in a
> programme called ‘Finding New Solutions’ with good increases at all sites.
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> It’s important to offer a variety of events, some people are motivated by
> saving time/money on travel, others by getting fit, others by the
> opportunity to take part in a new sport or just to get out and explore
> their local area.****
>
> ** **
>
> If you’d asked me 10 or 20 years ago I’d have said that the infrastructure
> needs to be in place first, but now I’m not so sure as much of the increase
> in Cycling England funded projects occurred before route infrastructure was
> completed.  I think cycling has become trendy enough that many people are
> willing to give it a go and just need a small amount of help to get
> started.  When I first started campaigning/working in cycling in the 1980s
> and 90s it was dominated by sporty or ultra-green people and regarded as
> outside mainstream society.  Now its more ‘normal’ and people who try
> cycling generally find the roads aren’t quite as scary as they perceive
> them to be when they are driving.  However, like trying anything new,
> people do often need an event or some sort of activity with ‘peers’ to help
> them dip their toe in the water.  ** **
>
> ** **
>
>  It is vital to provide good infrastructure and especially frequent cycle
> parking in town centres and safe places to park a bike at work, home, rail
> stations etc etc.  If there are opportunities to promote and enhance
> existing infrastructure – that is also important because off-road and back
> road cycle routes are often ‘invisible’ to non-cyclists.  However, I’d say
> that the idea of creating a comprehensive Dutch style network as a
> prerequisite to cycling is a pipe dream, better to address safety at major
> barriers to cycling such as ring road crossings and major radials and to
> try to create low speed and traffic –free central areas in town and city
> centres.****
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> ** **
>
> *Adrian Lord***
>
> Associate****
>
> * *
>
> *Arup*****
>
> Admiral House, Rose Wharf, East St, Leeds, LS9 8EE  United Kingdom****
>
> *t* +44 (0)113 242 8498  *d* +44 (0)121 213 3650  ****
>
> *f* +44 (0)121 213 3001  *m* +44 (0)785 031 8882****
>
> www.arup.com****
>
> ** **
>  ____________________________________________________________
> Electronic mail messages entering and leaving Arup  business
> systems are scanned for acceptability of content and viruses
>

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 28 May 2012 09:29:54 +0000
From:    "Dreaves, Hilary" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Crash stats...

Hi,
A personal anecdotal reply from another sport....................

I do know that when they brought in body protectors in equestrian sports, the numbers of broken collar bones and shoulder injuries massively increased, but don’t think there was much proper research – possibly A&E data issues??

Hilary Dreaves
Research Fellow (HIA)
IMPACT
International Health Impact Consortium
Department of Public Health and Policy
Institute of Psychology, Health and Society
University of Liverpool
Liverpool 3GB

Tel:      +44(0)151-794 5004 (office)
Email:    [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Website: www.healthimpactassessment.co.uk<http://www.healthimpactassessment.co.uk>

2009 winner Research Councils UK Knowledge Transfer award for Public Policy and Service Impact
www.liv.ac.uk/news/features/impacts-award.htm<http://www.liv.ac.uk/news/features/impacts-award.htm>




From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of burton richard
Sent: 13 May 2012 17:19
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Crash stats...

Has anyone done the before and after comparison for when the helmet rule came in for competition riding?  For deaths, spinal injuries and serious head injuries.

I have read that when they brought in helmet rules for some contact sports, spinal and head rotation injuries rose.
On 13 May 2012 15:35, Dave Holladay <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
Two of the cyclists who fell off their bikes hit their heads and had suspected spinal injuries. They were both immobilised with the use of spinal boards and neck collars and were taken by land ambulances to New Cross Hospital.



Bike race - so all wearing helmets - interesting that the 2 cyclists who hit their heads had suspected spinal injuries, but no comment on head injuries.

http://officialwmas.posterous.com/nine-injured-in-cycle-race-crash

DH

------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 28 May 2012 10:24:01 +0000
From:    "Parkin, John" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Cycling and Sustainability, Ed. Parkin, J. ISBN: 9781780522982 Publishing 29th May 2012

Dear colleague,

Please be aware that 'Cycling and Sustainability', the first volume in the series 'Transport and Sustainability' is published by Emerald on 29th May 2012.

http://emerald.ehaus2.co.uk/display.asp?isb=9781780522982&CUR=GBP

Synopsis
This book explores the reasons for difficulties in making cycling mainstream in many cultures, despite its claims for being one of the most sustainable forms of transport. The topic is considered from the varying perspectives of people, the environment and the economy with multi-disciplinary contributions from the UK, Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Australia, China, New Zealand and the USA. Initially, it examines the cultural development of cycling in countries with high use and the differences in use between different sub-groups of the population. It then explores issues of urban form, and the attributes of the network and the system for appropriately accommodating cycle users. Cross-cultural issues are once again investigated through an exposition of research in developing countries and the environment in which scheme promoters and users operate. The book draws to a close with an exploration of state-of-the-art thinking on demand model.


--
John Parkin
Professor of Transport Engineering
Department of Urban Engineering
Faculty of Engineering Science and the Built Environment
London South Bank University
103 Borough Road
London SE1 0AA
T: +44 (0)20 7815 7160
M: +44 (0)7848 029 902
skype: john.parkin9
F: +44 (0)20 7815 8156
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Web: www.lsbu.ac.uk<http://www.lsbu.ac.uk>

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------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 28 May 2012 07:19:32 -0700
From:    Lake Sagaris <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: CYCLING-AND-SOCIETY Digest - 25 May 2012 to 27 May 2012 (#2012-60)

Tom Godefrooij, of the Dutch Cycling Embassy, cites a similar German study. I will copy this to him and see if he can send us the original source.

All best
Lake

Lake Sagaris



________________________________
From: CYCLING-AND-SOCIETY automatic digest system <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2012 7:00:32 PM
Subject: CYCLING-AND-SOCIETY Digest - 25 May 2012 to 27 May 2012 (#2012-60)

There are 4 messages totaling 431 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. Literature on politician's attitudes towards cycling (2)
  2. Best recent exemplars of cycling cities? (2)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 27 May 2012 18:28:07 +1200
From:    Glen Koorey <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Literature on politician's attitudes towards cycling

The Warren Centre in Australia did some research about a decade ago looking into Sustainable Transport in Cities. Part of this work was a report on "Community Values" where the public and "key decision-makers" were surveyed on various question regarding investment in roads vs public transport & demand management. A consistent finding was that, while the decision-makers said they were personally very supportive of sustainable trpt initiatives as a better way forward, their perception was that the public weren't as supportive; this however was refuted by the study's own findings. For example, 79% of DMs favoured "demand management" over "more freeways", but they felt that public support was only 50%; the study however found the public at 64%. You can find a bit more info about this at the Warren Centre website, although the original reports online seem to have gone astray (I have a 2-page PDF summary if anyone is interested):
  http://thewarrencentre.com.au/projects/past-projects/sustainable-transport-in-sustainable-cities/

I suspect this kind of "talking past each other" is quite common (I have seen similar research where retailers have underestimated the use of non-car modes by customers to get to their shops). It would be a very interesting study to survey each of THREE general groups: the public, the politicians (or whoever holds the purse strings or final go-ahead), and the "practitioners" (e.g. traffic engineers, planners). I would  get each group to rate their own personal preferences for transport spending (or a specific sub-area like cycling) and their perceptions of what the other two groups are likely to think. At times I have heard all three groups blamed by the others for inaction on sustainable transport, and it would be interesting to see whether these beliefs are matched by reality.

Dr Glen Koorey, MIPENZ
Senior Lecturer in Transportation Engineering
Dept of Civil & Natural Resources Engineering
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
Room E418, extn 6951
Tel: +64-3-364 2951,  Fax: +64-3-364 2758
Email: [log in to unmask]
Personal webpage: www.civil.canterbury.ac.nz/staff/gkoorey.shtml
Master of Eng in Trptn (MET) Programme: www.met.canterbury.ac.nz


________________________________

From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list on behalf of Tadej Brezina
Sent: Fri 25/05/2012 10:22 p.m.
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Literature on politician's attitudes towards cycling



Dear mailing list readers!

The attitudes and opinions of cyclists and non-cyclists regarding
cycling are rather frequently subject of qualitative research, e.g.
recently by Daley et al. 2011.
But I could not find any surveys of similar kind focussing on
politician's and stakeholder's attitudes towards cycling.

Does anybody know some fitting literature?
Thanks
Tadej

Daley, Michelle & Rissel, Chris (2011); Perspectives and images of
cycling as a barrier or facilitator of cycling; Transport Policy 18:
211-216.

--
WED and THU at the University.
--
Tadej Brezina, Dipl.-Ing.
Research Center of Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering
Institute of Transportation
Vienna University of Technology
Gußhausstraße 30/230-1 | A-1040 Wien
--
[log in to unmask]
Tel: +43-(0)1-58801-23127
Fax: +43-(0)1-58801-23199
http://www.ivv.tuwien.ac.at <http://www.ivv.tuwien.ac.at/>
--
(PC TUW-IVV)



This email may be confidential and subject to legal privilege, it may
not reflect the views of the University of Canterbury, and it is not
guaranteed to be virus free. If you are not an intended recipient,
please notify the sender immediately and erase all copies of the message
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------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 27 May 2012 14:50:10 +0100
From:    John Meudell <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Literature on politician's attitudes towards cycling

You may like to look at papers by Birgitta Gaterslaben, of Surrey,
particularly a paper comparing the perceptions of residents, elected members
and officers around transport problems (Local Environment August 2003).

Basic problem is the unwillingness of politicians and officers to give
"balanced regard" to views of residents.

(I've got plenty of examples....)

Cheers

John Meudell



-----Original Message-----
From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Glen Koorey
Sent: 27 May 2012 07:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Literature on politician's attitudes towards cycling

The Warren Centre in Australia did some research about a decade ago looking
into Sustainable Transport in Cities. Part of this work was a report on
"Community Values" where the public and "key decision-makers" were surveyed
on various question regarding investment in roads vs public transport &
demand management. A consistent finding was that, while the decision-makers
said they were personally very supportive of sustainable trpt initiatives as
a better way forward, their perception was that the public weren't as
supportive; this however was refuted by the study's own findings. For
example, 79% of DMs favoured "demand management" over "more freeways", but
they felt that public support was only 50%; the study however found the
public at 64%. You can find a bit more info about this at the Warren Centre
website, although the original reports online seem to have gone astray (I
have a 2-page PDF summary if anyone is interested):

http://thewarrencentre.com.au/projects/past-projects/sustainable-transport-i
n-sustainable-cities/

I suspect this kind of "talking past each other" is quite common (I have
seen similar research where retailers have underestimated the use of non-car
modes by customers to get to their shops). It would be a very interesting
study to survey each of THREE general groups: the public, the politicians
(or whoever holds the purse strings or final go-ahead), and the
"practitioners" (e.g. traffic engineers, planners). I would  get each group
to rate their own personal preferences for transport spending (or a specific
sub-area like cycling) and their perceptions of what the other two groups
are likely to think. At times I have heard all three groups blamed by the
others for inaction on sustainable transport, and it would be interesting to
see whether these beliefs are matched by reality.

Dr Glen Koorey, MIPENZ
Senior Lecturer in Transportation Engineering Dept of Civil & Natural
Resources Engineering University of Canterbury Private Bag 4800,
Christchurch, New Zealand Room E418, extn 6951
Tel: +64-3-364 2951,  Fax: +64-3-364 2758
Email: [log in to unmask]
Personal webpage: www.civil.canterbury.ac.nz/staff/gkoorey.shtml
Master of Eng in Trptn (MET) Programme: www.met.canterbury.ac.nz


________________________________

From: Cycling and Society Research Group discussion list on behalf of Tadej
Brezina
Sent: Fri 25/05/2012 10:22 p.m.
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Literature on politician's attitudes towards cycling



Dear mailing list readers!

The attitudes and opinions of cyclists and non-cyclists regarding cycling
are rather frequently subject of qualitative research, e.g.
recently by Daley et al. 2011.
But I could not find any surveys of similar kind focussing on politician's
and stakeholder's attitudes towards cycling.

Does anybody know some fitting literature?
Thanks
Tadej

Daley, Michelle & Rissel, Chris (2011); Perspectives and images of cycling
as a barrier or facilitator of cycling; Transport Policy 18:
211-216.

--
WED and THU at the University.
--
Tadej Brezina, Dipl.-Ing.
Research Center of Transport Planning and Traffic Engineering Institute of
Transportation Vienna University of Technology Gußhausstraße 30/230-1 |
A-1040 Wien
--
[log in to unmask]
Tel: +43-(0)1-58801-23127
Fax: +43-(0)1-58801-23199
http://www.ivv.tuwien.ac.at <http://www.ivv.tuwien.ac.at/>
--
(PC TUW-IVV)



This email may be confidential and subject to legal privilege, it may
not reflect the views of the University of Canterbury, and it is not
guaranteed to be virus free. If you are not an intended recipient,
please notify the sender immediately and erase all copies of the message
and any attachments.

Please refer to http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/emaildisclaimer for more
information.

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 27 May 2012 16:59:02 +0100
From:    Alan Munro <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Best recent exemplars of cycling cities?

Hi,
I'm really not sure how to frame this question but here goes!

I'm looking for some of the best recent exemplars of cycling cities
- particularly cities that started off not very cycle friendly
- that are now good exemplars of a cycling city.

I'm really trying to understand the processes by which they came to be a cycling city, from things as diverse as protest and bike user groups to such things as the ways in which local government helped/hindered them and what changes made them better.

Sorry, this is a big ask. I'm looking quite closely at the moment at Portland and New York, but really would like to find good examples in the UK and Europe. A bonus would be if you are in contact with people involved and could suggest contacts.

I'm asking this because at the moment we are in quite significant engagement with the Scottish Government on cycling after a very successful protest - the biggest organised in Scotland. I feel we need some good illustrations of just what can happen to fire the imagination, but also we need to understand just where the barriers and opportunities are, politically and logistically, and how they were overcame. 

alan munro

http://pedalonparliament.org/

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 27 May 2012 20:45:27 +0100
From:    Dave Holladay <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Best recent exemplars of cycling cities?

Alan

There have been events and interventions here in Scotland/UK which have
proof of either s spot surge in cycle use, or steady growth.  Really
important is how Glasgow has - for approaching 2 decades, steadily
installed cycle parking in public places, and monitored the use.  I've
taken pictures of one site especially - outside RSAMD in Renfrew
Street.  Pre parking installation one pioneer bike user wedged his U
lock in the ridges on a bollard for a secure place to park.  Now there
are a theoretical 32 spaces outside, often full and people have returned
to locking to the bollards again.  For most locations the racks empty at
night and fill during the day so it would be fair to presume that these
bikes represent regular journeys. The monitored sites indicated at one
stage 30+% year on year increases in cycle use.

The Glasgow regime is one to commend to other Scottish authorities

I and - by observation - a number of other cyclists are increasingly
shunning the stores who are less friendly to cycles.  We use
supermarkets where we can roll out bikes in to load from the check-out
rather than places where the trolleys get a covered shelter but cycle
parking is in a distant corner, insecure and open to all weathers.  I
challenged the CEO of Tesco after I went to their 24 hour store in Crewe
to get provisions for an overnight train - at 23.00 the store was
empty.  Ironic really that I recall Tesco making huge PR play on having
a naturist shopping evening, and screening the store windows, yet the
suggestion of a cyclists shopping session, when the store is
quiet/closed to the public seems totally alien to them - surely one
major chain should take this up for the Summer of Cycling.

Council offices, and other development should provide for the cycling
callers, short term roll-in for delivery or collection, which will make
the bike a perfect tool for the delivery and collection of packages,
especially when 90% of the packages currently being collected by vans -
double parking, parking on footway and generally clogging city streets
as they defeat their own objectives by piling in more vans to combat the
delays from ... traffic congestion. On a bike, with cycle friendly shops
I can get round 3-4 calls in under 30 minutes, even at 4 pm!  Try that
by car.

There may also be the market for PUDO points for parcels, serviced by
large vans where callers can collect their parcel or arrange for a
cycle-based delivery service.

The privatisation of Dundas Street in Glasgow is an example local to me
where my route has been closed off, as has happened with much of Central
Glasgow where the back lanes and vennels set at the block pitches ideal
for walking have been built over or 'blocked' by premises like Princes
Square.  I have been hounded from near deserted shopping malls for
walking inside with my bike (and luggage) in search of a cash machine or
particular shop. Only in Nottingham has Broad Marsh had the bottle to
retain the public thoroughfare round the clock as a main route from the
city to the station, you'll probably be asked to walk the bike through
when the place is busy, although at night it is a wonderful well
illuminated way to go. Dundas Street was a direct walking route from
Queen St Station to Buchanan Bus Station, taking less than 3 minutes
when you needed to change between train & bus - now try the routes
available when Debenhams, or the Glasgow Concert Hall are shut. Routes
like this are vital to make the city work for walking, and should permit
walking with a cycle (as this is recognised by the courts as being a
pedestrian).

Leicester has no ban on cycling in any pedestrianised areas this should
apply across the UK BUT may require a stronger message that pedestrian
movement has priority over all vehicular movement.  We may need a formal
sign to define Pedestrian Priority as the UK already had worked out for
the Hong Kong Highway Code, with a mechanism to ensure those who failed
to allow this had a form of sanction to be imposed.

Provision of cycle specific infrastructure where the sheer number of
cyclists demands it, or a topographic detail needs a cycle-oriented
provision - contour routes to cycle around deep valleys (or public
transport lifts (Luxembourg Grunt-Ville)), cycle bridges, to provide
convenient crossings of rail, road, river barriers (Copenhagen) etc

Most cities manage their tram & light rail systems. In the UK cities
with tram & light rail consistently find reasons for not permitting
cycle carriage rather than looking at the options for trial of the
options available - and for Croydon this includes a report sponsored by
TfL which recommended officially permitting cycle carriage (it does
happen unofficially), and for the newest tram delivery, having the space
for cycles removed from vehicles diverted from a larger order for
Bergen, where cycles are carried, on the same vehicles.

Several permit off-peak carriage on buses, and in Denmark the law
requires that taxis are equipped to carry cycles and prams, as well as
wheelchair users.  In a London consumer survey 18% of those who
currently do not cycle responded that they certainly would cycle if the
option of getting a bus, taxi, or train, should they find their cycling
took them beyond their personal comfort zone.  Others responded that
they might cycle or their cycling limits would be expanded if such
facilities were commonly available without the uncertainty of
'negotiation'.  As some on this list will know this is an area where I'm
keen to evangelise, and extend the coverage, not least to have firm
evidence in the increased fare revenues/passenger numbers delivered
through cycle integration with public transport.  Nothing is a better
when dealing with a highly risk-averse industry than waving the
potential cash results from embracing cycling, under the nose of the CFO!

Protest is the least promising route - massive public take-up of an
initiative that delivers immediate and generally financial gains for
every participant is almost unstoppable - just track the cycle parking
at St Pancras - official provision 2000%+ between 2004 and 2007 or
Waterloo main cycle parking location 2002 = 30 spaces 2010 = 320 spaces,
and the general survey of onward travel from peak hour arrivals at
London rail termini compared the modal split for cycling between 2001
and 2011, and found an increase of over 400% in cycle trips, made.  This
is perhaps what has driven the increased provision of cycle parking at
London stations - demand so great that it a) cannot be ignored and b)
cannot be 'managed' by repressive measures because the demand is from
the customers, and poses a major problem if a confrontational policing
regime is applied.

Dave Holladay

Glasgow

On 27/05/12 16:59, Alan Munro wrote:
> Hi,
> I'm really not sure how to frame this question but here goes!
>
> I'm looking for some of the best recent exemplars of cycling cities
>   - particularly cities that started off not very cycle friendly
>   - that are now good exemplars of a cycling city.
>
> I'm really trying to understand the processes by which they came to be a cycling city, from things as diverse as protest and bike user groups to such things as the ways in which local government helped/hindered them and what changes made them better.
>
> Sorry, this is a big ask. I'm looking quite closely at the moment at Portland and New York, but really would like to find good examples in the UK and Europe. A bonus would be if you are in contact with people involved and could suggest contacts.
>
> I'm asking this because at the moment we are in quite significant engagement with the Scottish Government on cycling after a very successful protest - the biggest organised in Scotland. I feel we need some good illustrations of just what can happen to fire the imagination, but also we need to understand just where the barriers and opportunities are, politically and logistically, and how they were overcame.
>
> alan munro
>
> http://pedalonparliament.org/

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End of CYCLING-AND-SOCIETY Digest - 25 May 2012 to 27 May 2012 (#2012-60)
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End of CYCLING-AND-SOCIETY Digest - 27 May 2012 to 28 May 2012 (#2012-61)
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