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The
National Cycling Forum has published this leaflet to describe
the potential benefits to local authorities arising from measures
to get more people cycling. It explains what central and local
government and the Forum itself are doing to encourage cycling.
It is intended to assist Councillors to develop and implement
successful local cycling strategies to meet the needs of local
voters. There are more than 20 million bicycles in the United
Kingdom, and more people now own a bicycle than ever before. Recent
statistics show that the steady decline in cycling witnessed in
the United Kingdom since the 1950s appears to have been halted.
Cycling may now be on the increase, and there is growing interest
in cycling for everyday journeys - to work, to the shops and to
school, as well as for leisure purposes.We know from experience
in other countries, and from several of our own cities, that given
the right conditions and support more people will choose to travel
by bicycle, bringing benefits to themselves and their communities.
The benefits of cycling
Cycling is advantageous in three key areas:
- as
a sustainable alternative to the car;
- as
low-cost transport;
- and
as a means of encouraging physical activity in our increasingly
sedentary society.
In
particular, the benefits to local authorities are:
- Safer
roads and traffic
- A
contribution to Health Improvement Programmes
- Improvements
to the public realm
- Reduced
congestion leading to reduced costs and less time lost
- An
increase in the number of School Travel Plans
- Increased
flexibility and health for commuters and business
- Increased
demand for rural & urban services
- Increased
Mobility
- An
ability to give the public the travel choice they want
These
benefits are discussed in more detail later in this leaflet, when
a number of references are referred to. Particularly recommended
is Cycling: the way ahead for towns and cities, a guide published
by the European Commission specifically for elected members of
local authorities.
Government policy supports cycling
In
its White Paper, A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone,
the Government recognises that cycling can play an important part
in a national integrated transport system, it is a flexible, relatively
cheap, environmentally friendly and healthy way to travel. But
we need to make it safer and more convenient.
Both the Speed Policy Review and Tomorrow's Roads - Safer for
Everyone address the safety issues.
The Government has also published Transport 2010:The 10 Year Plan.
This is an investment plan to modernise Britain's transport system.
Cycling is an integral element of the plan, and all modes of transport
will benefit from greatly increased public and private funding
over the next ten years.
In addition, the Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation strategy stresses
the importance of environmental influences on health and the importance
of routine physical activity in people's daily lives.
Local
Government is responsible for delivering improvements
To support the National Cycling Strategy, the Government wants
to see better provision for cyclists. It has already required
local authorities to establish a local strategy for cycling, and
to consider the role of Travel Plans in support of traffic reduction
and safety objectives, as part of their Local Transport Plans
(LTPs).
All councillors have had an important role to play in this process.
Although the production of LTPs has largely been the responsibility
of councillors and officers involved in transport issues, the
views and concerns of those in other service areas will have been
taken into account. If local people are to benefit from cycle
provision that meets their requirements, the role of cycling in
Council business, particularly transport policies and road safety
strategies, will be crucial.
LTPs are strategy documents drawn up at the local level in partnership
with the community and there should be opportunities for local
people to comment on progress in implementing the LTP.
As part of the LTP process, authorities are required to produce
a report containing an assessment of existing levels of local
road traffic and a forecast of expected growth. The report should
also contain targets for reducing the level of local road traffic
or its rate of growth, if they consider targets are appropriate.
Community Strategies
Part I of the Local Government Act 2000 places principal local
authorities under a duty to prepare community strategies for promoting
or improving the economic, social and environmental well-being
of their areas, and contributing to the achievement of sustainable
development in the UK. It also gives authorities broad new powers
to promote local well-being, which will help them to implement
those strategies.
The strategy should reflect the long-term visions and aspirations
of local communities.Where local people feel that the current
cycling facilities (such as cycle lanes and secure parking areas)
are lacking, the strategy is therefore likely to reflect this
and promote action to improve the situation.
CTC's CycleSafe and Benchmarking
The CTC has launched two initiatives to help local authorities
realise the cycling strategies in their Local Transport Plans.
The CycleSafe initiative has twin objectives - encouraging more
cycling, and improving safety for all cyclists. The CTC has also
initiated a Benchmarking Programme, which aims to develop a series
of best value performance indicators. The project will include
working with a network of local authorities to develop and disseminate
a model cycling policy.
Why
promote cycling
Safer
Roads
The National Cycle Forum believes that simply exhorting more people
to cycle, or concentrating solely on reducing numbers of injuries,
are inappropriate strategies. Instead, efforts should be directed
towards creating a safer environment in which to cycle, and at
the same time encouraging safe, responsible and confident behaviour
by both cyclists and drivers. A concerted programme will bring
down accident rates to cyclists, and persuade more people to cycle.
Health Improvement Programmes
The health gap between various groups of people in our community
is getting wider. Addressing inequalities is a key aspect of Government
policy across all central Departments. Health authorities and
local authorities are working in partnership to produce Health
Improvement Programmes (HImPs). HImPs are broad local strategies
which aim to include all agencies who work in partnership to improve
people's circumstances. HImPs cover the full range of health issues
and should include links to LTPs. All HImPs are required to include
action plans to reduce coronary heart disease, these include initiatives
to encourage physical activity. Vibrant cycling strategies that
meet the needs of the community can be integrated into the HImPs
and play an important part in action to reduce inequalities in
health.
Research has shown that cycling is as beneficial as other exercise
in promoting health. Regular cycling can bring a wide range of
health benefits. It can help protect against coronary heart disease,
stroke, non-insulin dependent diabetes, falls, fractures and injuries
(through improved strength and co-ordination), colon cancer, overweight
and obesity. Cycling can also promote psychological wellbeing,
notably self-esteem. Regular cycling can be an easy way to achieve
the recommended 'half an hour a day' of physical activity for
health. Many cyclists find that when they cycle to work they arrive
more alert and refreshed than their sedentary colleagues. A review
of road users' exposure to air pollution, carried out by the Institute
of European Environmental Policy on behalf of the Environmental
Transport Association, found that most studies indicate that car
drivers are exposed to higher levels of pollutants than cyclists
and pedestrians.
Improvements
to the Public Realm
Cycling can impact on many interrelated issues. Increases in the
level of cycling have the potential to dramatically improve the
public realm. For example, increased cycling can lead to lower
levels of car use, which can in turn mean less air and noise pollution.
More people cycling and walking can create a clear manifestation
of the vitality of a community. A sense of community can be created
as more people become aware of local issues. Increased numbers
of people on the streets can also improve people's perception
of security and create a 'virtuous circle' as more people are
encouraged to leave their cars at home.
Tackling congestion
An important benefit to business is that any actions taken to
encourage alternative forms of transport can help reduce the economic
burden of congestion. Since commuting and school traffic account
for the majority of peak time congestion, it is clear that business
will benefit from modal shift in these two areas.
School Travel
The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR)
encourages local authorities to work with schools to develop and
implement School Travel Plans. There are packages of measures
designed to reduce car use and improve safety in the context of
an individual school or group of schools. Authorities were asked
to include in their LTPs a school travel strategy and targets
for reducing car use for journeys to school.
Supporting Local Business
Improving facilities for cycling can also enable councillors to
create positive conditions for local businesses. Cycling helps
businesses by increasing travel choice for staff and customers,
by helping to tackle congestion, by increasing demand for local
services, and by improving the perception of security in town
centres.
Cycling to work
A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone recognises that
employers can play their part by preparing Travel Plans for employees
which help them to use alternatives to driving to work. A Travel
Plan is a package of measures to reduce car dependency for business
and commuter journeys. Local authorities can support businesses
by creating the conditions to allow Travel Plans to be put into
action. Local authorities also have a role as major local employers
to 'lead by example' and prepare travel plans covering their own
employees.
Cyclists as customers
Cycling brings direct benefits to the local economy. Cyclists
are more likely than other vehicle users to shop in their local
centres and to support local businesses, so reducing the "leakage"
from local economies.
It is often assumed that car-borne customers buy far more goods
and so are the most profitable. However surprisingly large amounts
of goods can be transported by cycle using equipment such as panniers.
In many instances this will represent a more convenient option
that carrying goods to a bus stop or to car parks located away
from the immediate environment. Some innovatory schemes to increase
the capacity for shopping by bike have been evaluated. These include
a bike hod trailer schemes run by Chichester District Council
and Tesco. Customers can register on the scheme and then borrow
a bike trailer to get the goods home.
In rural areas, routes for cyclists often suffer from a lack of
local amenities. Cyclists using rural routes will need accommodation,
food and drink so there is potential to generate revenue for smaller
local communities from this activity.
Increased Mobility
Cycling can help previously isolated sectors of society to access
local facilities and services. A well developed cycling strategy
will increase residents' mobility, and widen the area within which
unemployed people can seek work.
One of the components of a good cycling strategy is a target to
improve public transport interchanges and increase opportunities
for integrated transport journeys. Creating conditions to make
it easier for people to cycle to local bus stops and train stations
can significantly improve transport opportunities for many people.
This is as true in the countryside as in built up areas. For example,
the 'catchment corridor' of rural bus services can be considerably
expanded if passengers are able to cycle to bus stops. In 15-20
minutes the average person will walk one mile but will cycle 3-4
miles.
Public opinion
There is often a perception that members of the public are hostile
to improved facilities for cyclists. Motoring lobby groups can
be very vocal in their support for car use, so it is easy to presume
that similar support does not exist for cycle facilities. However,
the evidence has shown that when the right conditions are in place,
people readily use bicycles as a viable alternative form of transport.
A survey by the RAC Foundation for Motoring found that 28% of
respondents said they would prefer to cycle, rather than travel
by car, if congestion charging were to be introduced. Widespread
support for cycling was also revealed in a MORI poll. Here, 87%
of those interviewed said they would like the Government and local
authorities to create safe cycling facilities, and 66% of respondents
said they didn't cycle because of safety concerns.
Partnerships
Working in partnership with other organisations - both in the
private and public sectors - can play an important part in developing
a cycling strategy, and in integrating cycling into other council
policies. Many local authorities have set up cycling forums, which
involve local cycling groups along with other interested parties
such as local police and health authority representatives.
Some local authorities have used constructive partnerships in
implementing cycling strategies. Southampton City Council has
worked with the Southampton General and the Princess Anne Hospitals
to reduce the number of cars coming onto the hospital sites. Extra
cycle parking has been provided, together with inducements to
staff to give up car parking spaces. Reductions of over 750 vehicles
per day using the hospital sites have been noted since the scheme
began.
Many local authorities already have partnerships with private
sector companies to deliver transport related services and facilities
to local residents. For example, Dover District Council has been
working in partnership with Kent County Council, Pfizer Ltd and
other bodies, including the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, to promote
and increase cycling facilities in
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