Space for Cycling. Delivering healthy streets. Roger Geffen Policy Director, Cycling UK

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1 Space for Cycling Delivering healthy streets Roger Geffen Policy Director, Cycling UK

2 About Cycling UK 65,000 members, founded 1878 Cycling activities, membership services (legal, insurance, magazine) Campaigning nationally and locally Cycling development e.g. cycle training, projects for underrepresented / disadvantaged groups

3 Our campaigning Covers 6 themes: Commitment to cycling: cycling s place in transport, planning, economic, environmental policy Design for cycling: the planning and design of roads, streets and junctions, new developments, highway maintenance Safe drivers and vehicles: traffic law and enforcement, lorries etc Smarter choices : cycle training, promotion of cycling in schools and workplaces, to under-represented groups etc Public transport integration: trains, buses, tram / transit systems, aviation, shipping and hire bikes! Off-road access rights of way, canals/riversides, key landowners and designated sites / areas etc

4 Benefits of cycling: personal Cycling is: Fun Fast Flexible Free (almost!) Keeps you Fit Stops you getting Fat Your Food is your Fuel

5 Benefits of cycling: Cycling is good for: societal Congestion: A typical traffic lane carries c7x more bikes than cars Productivity: Regular cyclists are more alert and take fewer sick days Air quality: No fumes Climate: Switching a typical-length car commute to cycling would reduce the average Brit s carbon footprint by 7% Freeing up space: 10 bikes can park in one carparking space Health and quality of life

6 Benefits: Health Cycling in mid-adulthood gives you a level of fitness equivalent to being 10 years younger and a life expectancy 2 years above the average km cycled per person per year UK Cycle use and obesity in Europe circa 2002 (years vary) Greece Finland Germany Belgium Netherlands Denmark Obesity, % of population Cycle use Obesity A relationship between cycle use and obesity?

7 Cycling is healthy not dangerous You are less likely to be killed in a mile of cycling than mile of walking Health benefits far outweigh risks, by c20:1 Those who do NOT cycle to work have a 39% higher mortality rate than those who do (Copenhagen heart study) Child cyclists Deaths in Britain All cyclists 3508 All road users Obesity Coronary heart disease related to inactivity It is dangerous NOT to cycle!

8 What does Space for Cycling mean in practice? A range of solutions to create safe, direct, coherent, comfortable and attractive cycling conditions for all local journeys. In general: Protected space for cycling along or across major roads / junctions. Low traffic volumes and speeds in town or city centres, in residential neighbourhoods, and on rural lanes. Traffic-free routes using parks and open spaces or rights of way to complement (not substitute for) a cycle-friendly road network Safety and priority at junctions are crucial

9 Protected space for major roads Physical protection preferred The higher the traffic volumes and speeds, the more important this is Permeable protection OK at lower speeds. Has some advantages: flexible for cyclists, adaptable, avoids costs of relocating drainage. Dedicated space without physical protection May be OK at low volumes / speeds, but not acceptable just because space is tight. If so, and traffic is too fast/busy for child/less confident riders, then reduce traffic volumes and/or speeds Junction priority and safety is critical

10 Low traffic volumes and speeds 20mph the norm for most urban streets, 40mph or less for rural lanes Filtered permeability to remove through traffic from town centres, residential neighbourhoods (a few bollards can work wonders!) Community-friendly design better than intrusive traffic calming add physical measures only where needed

11 Routes free of motor traffic Good widths, surfaces, maintenance, signing Generally better not to segregate peds and cyclists, if peds are wandering or playing (rather than walking) Avoid access controls else must compliant with Equality Act, i.e. permeable to cyclists with disabilities using non-standard cycles Clearly visible/reflective bollards will do! Finding the funding Use opportunities from new developments and planned maintenance: road resurfacing is an opportunity for a cycle-friendly redesign

12 Junctions and crossings Unsignalised priority at side roads Separate cycle signals Dutch-style roundabouts Bridges or underpasses N.B. In NL, DK etc, turning drivers give way to straight-ahead cyclists, even on green lights. Forthcoming revision of Highway Code is a chance to adopt this principle, at least for unsignalised junctions

13 Key issues for transport planners Professional development and training Network planning: use Propensity to Cycle Tool Quality audit processes Stakeholder engagement Liaison with planning and planned highway maintenance: make the money go further

14 What it could look like: Aberdeen

15 What it could look like: Birmingham

16 Space for Cycling Delivering healthy streets Roger Geffen Policy Director, Cycling UK