News from Elsewhere

:excerptstart05/08/20Reported annual walking activity, in terms oftrips made and miles walked, decreased in 2019after increasing in recent years

I’ll say from the outset that I am a supporter of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) and as a result, I am trying to overcome my confirmation bias when engaging with people who do not support them. However, I don’t think there’s enough honesty coming forth from some of the objectors.

For those who don’t know, low traffic neighbourhoods are areas which maybe take no more than 15 minutes to walk across and from which through-motor traffic has been removed using modal filters to create a system of filtered permeability (I’ve written a whole guide to it for City Infinity). They are an integral part of the Sustainable Safety approach pioneered in the Netherlands and can be seen all over the world.

Starley network to provide vehicle-free routes or lanes separated from traffic

Nazia ParveenTue 11 Aug 2020 16.55 BST
Coventry is famous for its motor industry heritage but long before this, from the 1860s onwards, it was considered England’s bicycle city – and it gained an international reputation for quality engineering and fine craftsmanship.

However, in the late 19th century, with the motoring industry snapping at its heels, this thriving industry, with 450 bicycle makers in the city, slowly began to decline.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_Travel_England

Active Travel England

Formation––Announced 28 July 2020; 5 days ago
Type–– Inspectorate
National Cycling and Walking Commissioner––Vacant
Parent organisation––Department for Transport

Active Travel England is an inspectorate and funding body being set up in 2020 by the Government of the United Kingdom

[1] The organisation will be led by the National Cycling and Walking Commissioner.

A century ago John Switzer Owens discovered how far pollution could travel, but his research was ignored

Gary FullerThu 13 Aug 2020 21.30 BST
In August 1921, John Switzer Owens had a UK holiday. He went to Holme, Norfolk, and took his latest invention with him. Each day he took his device to the beach to sample the air. He also flung thistledown into the sky and noted its passage over the sand to understand where the wind came from

Customers can hire bikes on monthly or annual basis after bike demand rises during pandemic

Julia KolleweWed 12 Aug 2020

Apr 23, 2020;Youtube 

Mark Sutton, 28 July, 2020; England and Northern Ireland finally have a first set of cycling infrastructure design standards, providing local authorities and planners with a reference point from which to build safe lanes.

Traditional shops are overloaded but there are alternatives – and some take £50 repair vouchers, too