For better, safer and more For better, safer and more cycling in the Cambridge cycling in the Cambridge areaarea

CambridgeCambridgeCyclingCyclingCampaignCampaign

•Is cycling a serious mode of Is cycling a serious mode of transport?transport?

•Does it matter?Does it matter?

•Alternative futures for Alternative futures for cycling in the areacycling in the area

The Cycling CampaignThe Cycling Campaign

Formed in 1995 to give a voice Formed in 1995 to give a voice for cyclists in the Cambridge areafor cyclists in the Cambridge area

• A voluntary pressure group lobbying A voluntary pressure group lobbying for better conditions, safer roads, for better conditions, safer roads, increased convenience and more increased convenience and more provision for cyclingprovision for cycling

• Around 700 membersAround 700 members

• Spread evenly across and around Spread evenly across and around the Citythe City

• Wide range of ages andWide range of ages andabilitiesabilities

Why does Cambridge need a Why does Cambridge need a cycling campaign?cycling campaign?

• A good place to cycle?A good place to cycle?

• Years of increasing trafficYears of increasing traffic

Why does Cambridge need a Why does Cambridge need a cycling campaign?cycling campaign?

• A good place to cycle?A good place to cycle?

• Years of increasing trafficYears of increasing traffic

• Blue-sign-on-the-pavement Blue-sign-on-the-pavement syndromesyndrome

Why does Cambridge need a cycling Why does Cambridge need a cycling campaign?campaign?

• A good place to cycle?A good place to cycle?

• Years of increasing trafficYears of increasing traffic

• Blue-sign-on-the-pavement syndromeBlue-sign-on-the-pavement syndrome

• Bike bans in City CentreBike bans in City Centre

Cycling – a serious Cycling – a serious modemode

Is cycling a serious mode of transport?Is cycling a serious mode of transport?• Does it matter?Does it matter?

• Does the question even need asking here Does the question even need asking here in Cambridge?in Cambridge?

• What does ‘serious’ mean, especially What does ‘serious’ mean, especially when viewed in a European context?when viewed in a European context?

Does it matter?Does it matter?

• Drivers might not care, but shouldDrivers might not care, but should– Marginal nature of congestion (wet Marginal nature of congestion (wet

weather, school holidays)weather, school holidays)

– Cycles using Trumpington Road corridor Cycles using Trumpington Road corridor alone would stretch to Harston if in carsalone would stretch to Harston if in cars

• Of course it matters to cyclistsOf course it matters to cyclists– A sizeable proportion of Cambridge’s A sizeable proportion of Cambridge’s

populationpopulation

Cycling FuturesCycling Futures

What might happen to cycling in What might happen to cycling in the area in the future?the area in the future?

• Driver behaviour; cyclists’ frustrationDriver behaviour; cyclists’ frustration

• Perception, especially presentationPerception, especially presentation

• Settlement and work patternsSettlement and work patterns– Impact on existing cyclistsImpact on existing cyclists– Ability to generate cyclingAbility to generate cycling

Cycling FuturesCycling Futures

National Cycling StrategyNational Cycling Strategy• NCS targets – double journeys from NCS targets – double journeys from

1996 to 2002; treble by 2010 1996 to 2002; treble by 2010

• ““But we’re different here”But we’re different here”

• Trebling unlikelyTrebling unlikely

• Doubling feasible only with primary Doubling feasible only with primary focus (e.g. Groningen)focus (e.g. Groningen)

Scenario AScenario A

Cycling levels collapse Cycling levels collapse dramaticallydramatically

• Base of regular, committed, serious Base of regular, committed, serious cyclists disappearscyclists disappears

• Only really envisage two triggersOnly really envisage two triggers– Cycle helmets made compulsoryCycle helmets made compulsory

– Use of ‘cycle facilities’ made compulsoryUse of ‘cycle facilities’ made compulsory

Scenario BScenario B

Cycling levels decline graduallyCycling levels decline gradually• Increasing traffic levelsIncreasing traffic levels

• Negative ImagesNegative Images

• Bad weatherBad weather

Scenario CScenario C

Cycling levels stay about the sameCycling levels stay about the same• Proportion of journeys inevitably fallsProportion of journeys inevitably falls

• Traffic levels rise, but constrainedTraffic levels rise, but constrained

• Quality of provision significantly Quality of provision significantly improvesimproves

• Road space reallocatedRoad space reallocated

Scenario DScenario D

Cycling levels increase markedlyCycling levels increase markedly• Transport strategies focussed on Transport strategies focussed on

thisthis

• Positive marketingPositive marketing

• Major incentives/disincentivesMajor incentives/disincentives

• New settlement generates tripsNew settlement generates trips

Cycling FuturesCycling Futures

Where next?Where next?• In a state of resisting declineIn a state of resisting decline

• Much depends on development Much depends on development patternspatterns

• Impact of new settlement on cyclingImpact of new settlement on cycling

• Capability of new settlement to support Capability of new settlement to support and generate cyclingand generate cycling

Development impactDevelopment impact

• Traffic levels Traffic levels will will riserise

• A proportion can be absorbedA proportion can be absorbed– Public transport, park & ride, guided bus, Public transport, park & ride, guided bus,

cyclingcycling

• A proportion could be deterredA proportion could be deterred– Levy, restrictionsLevy, restrictions

Development impactDevelopment impact

• Traffic levels Traffic levels will will riserise

• Not convinced settlement location Not convinced settlement location makes much difference to thismakes much difference to this

• New traffic widely distributedNew traffic widely distributed– Mitigation needs to be everywhereMitigation needs to be everywhere– New facilities shouldn’t just benefit new New facilities shouldn’t just benefit new

communitiescommunities

• Employment areas more concentratedEmployment areas more concentrated

Journey generationJourney generation

• Cycling culture less likely in Cycling culture less likely in newcomersnewcomers

• Self-contained settlements internal Self-contained settlements internal cyclingcycling

• Unlikely to be much externally if Unlikely to be much externally if distances largedistances large

– Rules out all but City proposal or similarRules out all but City proposal or similar– Lots of other reasons for and againstLots of other reasons for and against

Journey generationJourney generation

• Settlements offer opportunities Settlements offer opportunities hard to do elsewherehard to do elsewhere

• People friendly environmentsPeople friendly environments– Home zones and low speed zonesHome zones and low speed zones

Journey generationJourney generation

• Settlements offer opportunities Settlements offer opportunities hard to do elsewherehard to do elsewhere

• People friendly environmentsPeople friendly environments– Home zones and low speed zonesHome zones and low speed zones– Cycle friendly traffic calmingCycle friendly traffic calming– Links between streetsLinks between streets– Local services linked to and near housingLocal services linked to and near housing– Safe routes to school built with the schoolSafe routes to school built with the school

Driver attitudesDriver attitudes

• Not just traffic volume, but also Not just traffic volume, but also behaviourbehaviour

– Widespread infringement of speed limitsWidespread infringement of speed limits

• Tempers in Cambridge on a knife-edgeTempers in Cambridge on a knife-edge– A proportion of highly aggressive driversA proportion of highly aggressive drivers– Using cars to intimidateUsing cars to intimidate– The ‘Milton Road’ effectThe ‘Milton Road’ effect

Driver attitudesDriver attitudes

•Marked contrast to European Marked contrast to European experienceexperience

– Infrastructure not the main Infrastructure not the main impressionimpression

– Driver tolerance and politeness Driver tolerance and politeness exemplified by right turnsexemplified by right turns

InfrastructureInfrastructure

• Is importantIs important– Needs to cater for a wide rangeNeeds to cater for a wide range– Legacy of poor qualityLegacy of poor quality– Continued limited visionContinued limited vision

• Recognise scope to treat cyclists Recognise scope to treat cyclists differentlydifferently

– One-wayOne-way– Traffic signalsTraffic signals

InfrastructureInfrastructure

• Not just ‘cycle facilities’Not just ‘cycle facilities’

• The whole road environmentThe whole road environment– Speed limitsSpeed limits– People-friendly environmentsPeople-friendly environments– Junction treatmentsJunction treatments– Bus lanes (Bus lanes (butbut usefulness threatened by usefulness threatened by

bus driver behaviour)bus driver behaviour)– Left-turn lanesLeft-turn lanes

Examples abroadExamples abroad

• Always continuousAlways continuous

• Both sides of roadBoth sides of road

• Integration with signalsIntegration with signals

Positive images & Positive images & safetysafety

• Cycling isn’t an unsafe activityCycling isn’t an unsafe activity

• Somewhat riskier than using a carSomewhat riskier than using a car– In this countryIn this country– Not the same as ‘unsafe’Not the same as ‘unsafe’– Need to take the benefits into accountNeed to take the benefits into account

• Depends how you measure itDepends how you measure it– Exposure to riskExposure to risk– Dilution effect of long fast journeysDilution effect of long fast journeys

Positive images & Positive images & safetysafety

• Over-emphasis on safetyOver-emphasis on safety– Leads to a wholly negative image of cyclingLeads to a wholly negative image of cycling– Outweighs positive effects in minds of potential usersOutweighs positive effects in minds of potential users– Used as an excuse not to cycleUsed as an excuse not to cycle

• Results in paranoiaResults in paranoia– Look at ‘Give-Way’ issue againLook at ‘Give-Way’ issue again– Effect is to put cyclists in the wrongEffect is to put cyclists in the wrong

Positive images & Positive images & safetysafety

• Helmets say to peopleHelmets say to people ‘cycling is dangerous, don’t do it’ ‘cycling is dangerous, don’t do it’

• Dutch experienceDutch experience

Positive images & Positive images & safetysafety

• Perceived safetyPerceived safety– Remedial measures based on casualty statisticsRemedial measures based on casualty statistics– Personal behaviour based on risk balanced by gainPersonal behaviour based on risk balanced by gain– the two don’t matchthe two don’t match

Some conclusionsSome conclusions

• So many people cycle here it must be considered seriouslySo many people cycle here it must be considered seriously

• Prospects for cycling not good if traffic increasesProspects for cycling not good if traffic increases

• Vicious circle as more people turn to carsVicious circle as more people turn to cars

• Without physical and financial restraint on traffic we get the Without physical and financial restraint on traffic we get the vicious circle and gridlock – consequences for cyclingvicious circle and gridlock – consequences for cycling

Some conclusionsSome conclusions

• Mitigation from new settlement must be City and area-wideMitigation from new settlement must be City and area-wide

• Local expansion round Cambridge is more likely to lead to cycle Local expansion round Cambridge is more likely to lead to cycle tripstrips

• High levels unlikely given intakeHigh levels unlikely given intake

• Cycling not the only reason to build people-oriented environmentsCycling not the only reason to build people-oriented environments

Some conclusionsSome conclusions

• Quality of provision for cycling, though improved, is still an order Quality of provision for cycling, though improved, is still an order of magnitude below the bestof magnitude below the best

• Much more effort needs to be devoted to improving the cycling Much more effort needs to be devoted to improving the cycling experienceexperience

• Continued public emphasis on safety is having a negative Continued public emphasis on safety is having a negative impact. We need positive marketing and imagesimpact. We need positive marketing and images

Penultimate wordsPenultimate words

Grounds for pessimismGrounds for pessimism• Little to match European cycling experienceLittle to match European cycling experience

• Many positive things aren’t happening, many negative ones areMany positive things aren’t happening, many negative ones are

• Could end up with ‘Brookside’ developmentsCould end up with ‘Brookside’ developments

• Groundswell of dissatisfaction among committed cyclistsGroundswell of dissatisfaction among committed cyclists

Penultimate wordsPenultimate words

Grounds for optimismGrounds for optimism• Doesn’t have to be like thatDoesn’t have to be like that

• There are solutionsThere are solutions

• Could raise our eyes beyond the mediocre visionCould raise our eyes beyond the mediocre vision

• Translating the intellectual acceptance that cycling is a serious mode, and Translating the intellectual acceptance that cycling is a serious mode, and does matter, into a practical resultdoes matter, into a practical result

Realized visionsRealized visions

Cycle parking inCycle parking inGroningen and MGroningen and Müünsternster

Realized visionsRealized visions

For better, safer and more For better, safer and more cycling in the Cambridge cycling in the Cambridge areaarea

CambridgeCambridgeCyclingCyclingCampaignCampaign