Carlton Reid
May 8, 2019, 07:00pm
Cyclists ride through Parliament Square near to the Houses of Parliament in London, U.K.
Respondents to British Cycling’s largest ever member survey said they want “mutual respect” shown to cyclists on the road. However, British Cycling’s policy adviser Chris Boardman told Forbes.com he is “not keen on the wording” of that sentiment because “somebody in a car is not equal to somebody on a bike.”
Nevertheless, British Cycling is pushing ahead with the wishes of its members and has today called on the U.K. government to create a “mutual respect campaign for all road users.” The organization is additionally recommending that the government ought to ring-fence funding for cycling and walking.
British Cycling is also asking the Department for Transport to establish a network of major employers to better understand how small and large businesses could encourage more of their employees to cycle to work.
The demands are being put to the government by British Cycling and other members of the Walking and Cycling Alliance ahead of a spending review due later in the year. The Alliance – which also comprises the Bicycle Association, Cycling UK, Living Streets, Ramblers and Sustrans – has called for spending on cycling and walking to rise to 5% of total transport spending in 2020/1, rising again to 10% over the five years of the next spending round.
State of Cycling
Almost nine in ten of those who responded to British Cycling’s survey reported experiencing a “close pass” overtake at least weekly while cycling.
The survey results are included in British Cycling’s “State of Cycling” report, which the national governing body is billing as its “largest-ever analysis.” 15,200 members took part in the survey.
In a foreword to the report, Boardman wrote:
You may be wondering why we only sought the views of our members, a group largely made up of regular and committed riders. The answer is quite simple – if cycling isn’t an enjoyable experience for these people, our efforts to convince the hesitant or reluctant to get on a bike don’t stand a chance.
In a press statement, Boardman, who is also Greater Manchester’s walking and cycling commissioner, added:
Despite the evidence repeatedly telling us that it’s sustained investment in better infrastructure that keeps people safe, for 20 years society has continued to tell us that the answer lies in safety equipment. It speaks volumes that 96% of those surveyed do wear a helmet on the road, and yet today’s report still reveals the shameful fact that the vast majority [of cyclists] don’t feel safe.”
Ending Hostility Towards Cyclists More Important Than Hi-Vis Or Helmets, Argues Chris Boardman – Forbes
Carlton Reid May 8, 2019, 07:00pm Cyclists ride through Parliament Square near to the Houses of Parliament in London, U.K. Respondents to British Cycling’s largest ever member survey said they want “mutual respect” shown to cyclists on the road. However, British Cycling’s policy adviser Chris Boardman told Forbes.com he is “not keen on the wording”… [Read More]
