em_clarkson
Alex and I are SO excited to be partnering up with @specialized_uk to show you their e-bikes! I’ve got no shame in telling you I’ve always been a nervous city cyclist and although Alex has been trying to get me cycling in London for the best part of a decade, it took until now for me to GET it. But I’m here. Probably cos riding an electric bike is about 10 million times easier than the bikes I rode before (statistic made up by me) – although you still have to pedal it really does take the sting out of the hills 🤪 they’re fun and practical but mostly they’re just so comfortable. We got into central London quicker than we’d have done in the car (and didn’t have to pay congestion) and saw so much more of it than we would have done on the tube. It sounds odd but cycling has just made me really… happy a HUGE thanks to @iamspecialized for partnering with us on this, we’re loving it #iamspecialized #comosl #vadosl #ebike #electricbike #bikeride #gogreen
Review of National policy statement for national networks – GOV.UK
National policy statement for national networks, the strategic plan for major road and rail schemes, to be reviewed for net zero commitments.
Department for Transport
In 2019, our roads handled 88% of all passenger travel by distance, the vast majority of it by car or van. Even doubling rail use across the country would only reduce this proportion to 75%, assuming that overall demand did not rise. The roads also carry more than three-quarters of freight traffic, and of course nearly all pedestrian, cycling, bus and coach journeys.
Continued high investment in our roads is, therefore, and will remain, as necessary as ever to ensure the functioning of the nation and to reduce the congestion which is a major source of carbon. Almost half of our £27 billion programme for England’s strategic roads, though often described as for road-building or capacity expansion is, in fact, for renewing, maintaining and operating the existing network or for funds to improve safety and biodiversity, deliver active travel schemes and tackle noise or pollution.
Government gets tough on active travel | London Cycling Campaign
The Gear Change: One Year On report announced last week is the central document that holds all of the updates the government announced last week. Its key takeaways include:
• “We will reduce funding to councils which do not take active travel seriously, particularly in urban areas. This includes councils which remove schemes prematurely or without proper evidence, and councils which never installed them in the first place. As Gear Change said, an authority’s performance on active travel will help determine the wider funding allocations it receives, not just on active travel. We will require more from all local authorities, urban or rural.” (For more on this, see our separate story on funding freezes for some London boroughs and new network guidance below)
No cycling, no cash, London boroughs told | London Cycling Campaign
Councils on the naughty step
One of the shock announcements from the DfT and Andrew Gilligan in the Prime Minister’s office last week was of three councils outside London and seven inside that faced a freeze on future funding opportunities due to their actions around active travel schemes.
In London, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, K&C, Redbridge, Sutton, and Wandsworth, it was announced would not be able to bid for the next round of active travel funding schemes from TfL “pending further discussion”, but also might lose out on other transport funding in general for a period (joined by Brighton, Liverpool and West Sussex outside London).
Millions more people vulnerable to flooding in next decade, study shows | Flooding | The Guardian
Populations in flood-prone regions is increasing, with 57 countries especially susceptible
Katharine Gammon
From Germany to New York City, this summer has demonstrated the destructive force of floods. Now, a new study shows that many more people will live in flood-prone areas in the coming decade and reveals the population in areas likely to flood is increasing at a greater rate than other places.
The study, which was published in the journal Nature today, used daily satellite observations of floods during 913 large flood events between 2000 and 2018.
Oxford Street: the status quo is not an option | West End Extra (Peter Hartley)
The future could see buses and taxis diverted
Oxford Street and the West End generally is a huge economic powerhouse in the London and UK economy supporting thousands of businesses and millions of jobs.
Long before the pandemic Oxford Street was suffering from a change in shopping habits due to online activity and the attractiveness of centres such as Westfield.
The issue of traffic in the West End is fundamental to dealing with its future.
For too long we have allowed free access to motor vehicles to rat run through our streets with the resultant heavy pollution and an appalling level of collisions.
PETER HARTLEY
Chair, Westminster Living Streets
Black Unity Bike Ride across London back for second year | road.cc
The 24km ride ended in Shoreditch Park yesterday afternoon (Sat 7/7/21) …
Last year’s inaugural ride, organised during the Black Lives Matter protests that swept across the world in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in the US, saw 1,500 ride across London from Walthamstow Central to Brockwell Park in Brixton.
The 24km ride is fronted by black-led cycling groups to help drive change and encourage unity and empowerment among the black community.
Participants set off from Walthamstow at 11am and are expected to reach Shoreditch Park between 3-4pm.
With riders of all backgrounds, ages and abilities welcome, the ride supports underrepresented demographics to increase the diversity of cyclists in the capital.
The Meatpacking District is keeping its Open Streets for the long haul – Time Out
Shaye Weaver
The Meatpacking District is set to become one of the most walkable neighborhoods in NYC.
After over a year of Open Streets, the Meatpacking Business Improvement District realized the benefits of closing streets to vehicle traffic and decided to make its Open Streets program a long-term neighborhood feature.
After all, the Open Streets program made it possible for the Meatpacking District’s recent L.E.A.F. Flower Festival and outdoor performance series, The Seven Deadly Sins.
Lockdown a tipping point for converting potential cyclists, finds study – Cycle Industry News
Mark Sutton5 August, 2021
A new study of 2024 people in the UK from Cyclescheme has found that the permission to get out an cycle for exercise during lockdown was a significant trigger for people who had long said they would like to start cycling.
57% of people surveyed said that they has considered taking up cycling prior to the pandemic and the routine break provided that opportunity. Now that lockdown has eased, 82% of people expressed that they want to keep cycling for exercise, while 73% deem it an exercise form that has a positive mental health effect. Half are to keep cycling as part of a commute and 63% prefer to fit it in as part of seeing friends and family, according to the study.
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