£6.8 million boost to help thousands more rail commuters travel by bike

14 June 2019

Thousands of new cycle spaces will be added to rail stations around the country thanks to new investment in the Cycle Rail programme.

Xavier Brice, CEO for Sustrans, commented:

“Walking and cycling should be the easiest way for everyone to get to their local station, making our towns and cities better places to live by reducing congestion and air pollution, and improving our physical and mental health. But it’s not always easy.

"Train operators and their partners have come up with a range of schemes that will make it easier for people to get to and from their station under their own power, which we hope will encourage more people to choose cycling and walking as part of their everyday journey.

"The Cycle Rail programme has already tripled the number of cycle parking spaces at more than 500 stations, bringing the total to over 80,000.”

Find out more about the Cycle Rail Programme

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Sustrans Reaction to vote on 20mph

13 June 2019

Sustrans Scotland is hugely disappointed at the Scottish Parliament’s rejection of the 20mph (restricted roads) Bill. 

We had worked alongside many third sector bodies and charities to present evidence of the benefits of 20mph in making our streets safer, and our towns and cities better for people.  This remains Sustrans position and will continue to advocate for 20mph as one of the best ways to improve places for people walking and cycling.

We welcome the contributions made by many MSPs, from the SNP, from Scottish Labour and from the Scottish Greens in support of the Bill.  It is clear that road safety is not just a health issue, but also a social justice issue, and commend the MSPs who highlighted this. 

We are also heartened by the broad support for 20mph in principle, even amongst many who do not support the 20mph (restricted roads) Bill. 

We respect the vote of the parliament and will reflect on the vote against. We are also committed to working with any interested local authorities looking to roll out 20mph.

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Sustrans and Wandsworth organise borough’s first ever Play Street

12 June 2019

We’ve been working in partnership with the London Borough of Wandsworth and Granard Primary School to transform the road outside the school into the borough’s first ever Play Street, making it safer, less polluted and more enjoyable for pupils to walk, cycle or scoot.

Making positive change happen

Our extensive experience with schools and local authorities throughout London means that we can make positive change happen. In Wandsworth, we worked with Granard School on creating a Play Street event for the children and their families and we liaised with the borough on behalf of the school for permission to close the road. We will be monitoring parents’ views of the Play Street and providing Wandsworth with a report and evaluation which is part of our work to support the borough in their ambition to role out regular School Streets more widely. 

“ It’s great to be working with Granard School and the London Borough of Wandsworth, as they take the first step in creating a safer and cleaner environment outside the school. ”

-   Sustrans’ London Director, Matt Winfield Pedal power and freedom to play

Children were able to walk, scoot, cycle and play freely outside their school in the afternoon of Wednesday 12 June 2019 when the council closed Cortis Terrace to motor traffic in the afternoon. By opening the street to children and parents they provided children with a safe space to play. The aim of closing the street outside the school was to ease congestion, improve air quality and road safety. These are issues that many families are concerned about, particularly during drop-off and pick-up time.

Our June Play Street included fun playground games, scooter and bike skills and a smoothie making bike! Everyone had great fun making their own delicious, nutritious drinks using pedal power.

Big step to a safer and cleaner school environment

Organising a Play Street is a great first step to making the roads outside schools safer and less polluted. A Play Street can also lead to a more permanent School Street, where the road restricts motor traffic access every school day at drop-off and pick-up times.

“ By demonstrating that closing the road outside our school is achievable, and by measuring its impact and sharing our findings, we are aiming to encourage more regular street closures. ”

- Headteacher Cheryl Grigg Together we make a difference

We already have a great relationship with Granard Primary School, delivering our bespoke schools behaviour change programme Bike It Plus. Our Bike It officer, Emma, works closely with the school delivering activities such as bikers breakfasts, classroom activities and topical assemblies. 

Sustrans’ London Director Matt Winfield said:

“It’s great to be working with Granard School and the London Borough of Wandsworth, as they take the first step in creating a safer and cleaner environment outside the school.

“All the schools across London are in locations which breach World Health Organisation limits for air quality. Urgent action is needed, and we want national government to support local authorities to make it safer and easier for parents and children to walk, scoot and cycle to school. To do that, the roads outside schools need to feel safe. A great start is eliminating motor traffic at the beginning and end of the school day.

“It’s wonderful that Granard School has ambitions to do this on a more regular basis and that Wandsworth is keen to roll out School Streets to other locations in the borough. Hopefully, others will follow Granard’s example.”

Granard’s Headteacher Cheryl Grigg said:

“The streets around our school are often dominated by idling cars and traffic at drop-off and pick-up times, resulting in air pollution and an environment that is generally unpleasant for walking and cycling.

“By demonstrating that closing the road outside our school is achievable, and by measuring its impact and sharing our findings, we are aiming to encourage more regular street closures.

“Ultimately, we want to affect a permanent change in the way children travel to school and also hope to inspire more schools to try this approach and to raise awareness to the public about travel and its impact on health, well-being and the environment.”

While vehicle traffic is normally prevented from entering any school streets, it does not apply to local residents who live in the streets or drivers with a disability who need access. The schemes apply only during term times.

Read more about our work in London

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Double boost for cycling in Londonderry

12 June 2019

Cycling in Derry~Londonderry got a double boost with two new resources launched in Bike Week (8-16 June).

A new online map was launched by Derry and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) which marks out all local cycling routes, bike parking and useful cycling facilities such as bike repair stations.

Launching the new resource, Derry City and Strabane District Mayor, Councillor Michaela Boyle, said it would be a really valuable guide for people who cycle, especially those new to the area.

“I’m delighted to see the launch of the online map which offers quick and easy access to the latest information on all our local greenways, park cycle paths, shared use paths and on road cycle lanes in our District,” she declared.

“Making it easier for people to travel in a more active way is a key objective for Council as it’s good for our environment, reducing congestion and carbon emissions. And it’s great for people’s physical and mental health.

“With our ever-expanding traffic-free greenway network and the development of our parks and green infrastructure we are making really positive strides towards developing a more sustainable region.”

New bike storage unit

Commuters who would like to cycle but don’t have access to a bike can now benefit from a new bike unit which has opened this week at Ebrington Square in the city.

Six new bikes will be available from the bike storage unit as part of the Leading The Way programme, funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA) in the north west. Sustrans delivers the programme to encourage commutes by cycling or walking to public sector staff from the Western Health and Social Care Trust, DCSDC and PHA.

Krysten Maier, Sustrans Active Travel Officer said: "We’re really pleased to be able to extend the use of six new bikes to employees through the Leading the Way project. Ebrington is a wonderful public space in Derry and it will be a great meeting point for staff across the various organizations to come together for a range of cycle-based activities.

“With a close proximity to the Peace Bridge and Derry’s extensive riverside greenway network, we’re hoping this new bike storage unit will be a great way to break down some of the barriers that staff in the North West face when it comes to cycling and inspire them to get back on the bike more and more.”

View the new cycling map by visiting the Council’s website Find out more about our routes in Northern Ireland To find out more about the Leading The Way programme contact Krysten.  

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John Lauder, Deputy CEO of Sustrans, calls on Scottish Parliament to back the 20MPH (restricted roads) Bill.

12 June 2019

John Lauder, Deputy CEO of Sustrans, and National Director Sustrans Scotland, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland calls on MSPs to support the 20MPH (restricted roads) Bill.

On 13 June, the Scottish Parliament will be voting on making 20 mph the default speed limit on residential roads across Scotland.

There is strong evidence that slower speed limits save lives and prevent injuries (studies have shown a fatality risk of 1.5% at 20 mph versus 8% at 30 mph).

There is also major public support with 66% approving plans to lower speed limits on residential streets. Encouraging more people to walk and cycle, helping to create safer places for people to live, work and travel.

A national approach, rather than a local authority by authority roll out, would be cheaper and help avoid confusion amongst motorists.  

Sustrans Scotland believe the evidence presents an overwhelming and irrefutable argument towards lowering residential speed limits and call on MSPs to follow the example set recently in Wales and legislate to set the restricted roads default speed limit at 20mph in Scotland.

Read more about the 20MPH (restricted roads) Bill

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Sustrans response to new Cycle to Work Scheme

10 June 2019

Responding to the Government’s updates to the Cycle to Work Scheme, Xavier Brice Chief Executive at Sustrans, the walking and cycling charity, said:

“We warmly welcome the new Cycle to Work Scheme guidance published today which highlights the UK Government’s ambition to make cycling an activity for everyone.

“Removing the cap an employee can spend on a bike will open up cycling to more people, enabling them to purchase specially adapted or electric cycles, which was not previously possible due to their high cost.

“Encouraging more people to get on bikes means that more people can enjoy the National Cycle Network. Sustrans is busy making paths on the Network more suitable for everyone by removing 16,000 barriers, as well as increasing the number of people who can actively travel to work with a smile on their face.

“There’s no doubt that cycling is good for our health and the environment which is why we would like all employers and their workforces to take full advantage of the Scheme. In future we would like to see similar schemes on offer for those not in work so that more people can access cycles no matter their age or employment status.”

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One third of disabled people in UK cities would like to start cycling

6 June 2019

The “Inclusive cycling in towns and cities” report, published today by Sustrans and Arup highlights that women, older and disabled people continue to be neglected in cycling. This is despite the UK having a legal obligation through the Equality Act 2010 to protect everyone from discrimination in wider society.

An estimated 84% of disabled people living in the UK’s biggest cities never cycle for local journeys, yet one third (33%) say they would like to start cycling. The significant interest in everyday cycling is mirrored amongst other demographic groups, including women (32%) and people over 65 years old (15%).

The report uses data from Bike Life 2017, the largest assessment of cycling in seven major cities, and interviews with 12 focus groups consisting of women, older people and disabled people with reduced mobility, learning difficulty, hearing loss, partial sight, or mental health conditions.

Findings

It finds that people from these demographic groups face systematic barriers to either beginning to cycle, or to cycling more, including:

An association that cycling isn’t an activity for people like ‘them’. Heightened safety concerns when sharing road space with motor vehicles. Lack of seamless and dedicated cycle infrastructure to connect people to everyday destinations suitable for different types of cycles. Access to and the high cost of adapted cycles, including electric cycles, and where government support exists e.g. through the cycle to work scheme, it is only available to those in employment.

Interestingly, many participants who cycle only do so for leisure, as they can choose their own routes through parks or along familiar quiet roads. This means cycling to everyday destinations like work, school, the shops and community services is out of reach for them.

“ If I had an adapted bike, I think I would feel less disabled and feel a bit cooler. I would feel more confident getting out and about. ”

- Participant with reduced mobility from Greater Manchester

Barriers to cycling can also often affect people’s independence and confidence to travel, and, in some cases, push people into isolation.

Recommendations

The report sets out a number of recommendations for towns and cities, including:

Ensuring the voices of underrepresented groups are integrated in policy and planning. Creating a dense network of cycling routes within and around where people live and amenities. Reducing through traffic in local neighbourhoods to improve safety. Better access to cycle training and to adapted cycles.

Sustrans and Arup will use the initial findings from the report as the basis for further work to engage with organisations representing women, older people and disabled people to inform the transport sector to make urban cycling fully inclusive.

Xavier Brice, CEO for Sustrans, said:

“Inclusive transport is at the heart of a fairer society, and cycling can play a vital role in enhancing social inclusion. Sadly, in the UK an estimated 70% of the population can face systemic barriers to cycling, which shape and often limit their mobility, life opportunities and independence.  

“Our urban areas are predominantly designed around the car and only those brave enough to share road space with motor traffic currently consider cycling as a mode of transportation. However, women, disabled people and older people, who on average are less likely to regularly drive, suffer from the impact motor vehicles create, such as congestion and air pollution, which is damaging to their health and wellbeing. 

“ Cycle lanes end too quickly. They don’t last very long and you’re back on the road again. I think they’re great, because they are segregated cycle paths. They’re safe, but the fact that they make then run for half a mile is pointless. ”

- Female participant from Glasgow

“This report acknowledges that the UK can achieve big social changes. While it’s clear central governments need to show leadership and prioritise investment in cycling, we urge cities and towns to work with us to make cycling inclusive, safer and attractive for more people, regardless of gender, age and abilities.”

Mei-Yee Man Oram, UK Access and Inclusion Lead at Arup, said:

“Inclusive travel is an extremely important issue and we hope that this collaboration with Sustrans will open up a wider public conversation about ensuring everyone can access the benefits of cycling.

“Given the backdrop of climate change and air pollution in our cities - it’s vital we get more people involved in activities, such as cycling, which are not only good for their own personal health and wellbeing but for the environment.

“We’re excited about moving onto the next stage of this project with Sustrans, we hope our findings will be a valuable tool for the transport sector in making cycling more inclusive.”

Isabelle Clement, Director of Wheels for Wellbeing said:

“We welcome this Sustrans/Arup report, which re-affirms our charity’s own research findings and many of our own recommendations. As the campaigning voice of Disabled cyclists in the UK, we are encouraged to see major players across the cycling world give detailed attention to this agenda.

“Vast numbers of Disabled people are hampered from cycling at all or as much as they’d like to, not by their impairments but by infrastructure, financial and attitudinal barriers to cycling. The resulting costs for them and for society at large are huge (avoidable physical and mental ill-health, social isolation, etc.). Identifying these barriers means they can be removed.

“We very much look forward to working with Sustrans and Arup on pushing for full implementation of the report’s recommendations during phase two of this project”. 

For further information, images and interviews, and the report, please contact:

Anna Galandzij, Senior Press Officer at Sustrans, anna.galandzij@sustrans.org.uk, 07557 915648
Liv Denne, Press and Media Officer at Sustrans, liv.denne@sustrans.org.uk, 07768 035318.

Read the report: Inclusive Cycling in Cities and Towns

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