1 East Midlands Cycle Event Derby, Saturday 6 th May 2006 Derby Cycling Group

2 East Midlands Cycle Event Derby Cycling Group Cycle Demonstration Towns An East Midlands cycle campaign? Cycling trends in selected towns Building an East Midlands cycle campaign

3 1The Derby Cycling Group Aims Structure Strategies

4 Aims To increase levels of cycling -enjoyment, health, economy, environment To achieve modal shift from car to bike -improving conditions for cycling

5 Structure High membership (~500) – low subscription Chair, Secretary, Treasurer + committee elected very year at AGM Monthly meetings throughout the year

6 Strategies Campaigning to achieve better cycling conditions and raise cycling up the political agenda Promoting cycling to the general public

7 Campaigning - the political agenda Quarterly meetings with city council Consultative report writing Representation on many different organisations Web site and quarterly e-newsletter

8 Promoting cycling to the general public Dr Bike Clinics information stalls cycle parks cycle tryouts at public events short, family friendly, cycle rides – aimed at the less confident cyclist

9 2Cycle Demonstration Towns Cycling England (Department for Transport) initiative Very limited levels of cycling despite investment in infrastructure Focus resources onto selected target populations of 100,000 Derby’s bid targeted at under 25s

10 Derby as a Cycle Demonstration Town £1.5m from Cycling England, match funded to £3m, for 3 years, for: cycle training in primary schools after school cycle clubs better information and new city cycle route map cycle rides and events throughout the year increased cycle storage at schools filling in gaps in the cycle network improving cycle route signing bicycle recycling scheme and a city centre bike park -overall, programme aimed at ‘hearts and minds’ rather than simply providing more infrastructure

11 3An East Midlands cycle campaign? Why? – Transportation policy and planning increasingly at a regional level Success in Derby may ultimately mean more government investment for cycling Share experiences and gain mutual benefits

12 4Cycling trends in selected towns Cycling trends since 1971 Transport to work census data

13 Percentage of workforce cycling to work in Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, (Data Source: Census of England & Wales, 1971, 1981,1991, 2001)

14 Percentage of workforce travelling to work by car (driver or passenger) in Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, (Data Source: Census of England & Wales, 1971, 1981,1991, 2001)

15 Percentage of workforce cycling to work in York, Cambridge, Oxford & Hull (Data Source: Census of England & Wales, 1971, 1981,1991, 2001)

16 Percentage of workforce cycling to work in the six cycle demonstration towns, (Data Source: Census of England & Wales, 1971, 1981,1991, 2001)

17 Percentage of workforce cycling to work in Hackney, Inner London, England & Wales (Data Source: Census of England & Wales, 1971, 1981,1991, 2001)

18 5Building an East Midlands cycle campaign? Need to reverse the declining cycling trends Recognise that - today’s school children – tomorrow’s workforce cycling must continue into adulthood must convert car journeys to work (school/shops etc) to cycle journeys

19 Barriers to cycling inadequate and inappropriate infrastructure? marginalisation of cycling in transportation planning? lack of safety and security? lack of cycle training? predominance of the car based economy?

20 Cycling faces: -Rising sea of motorised traffic -Ever cheaper car travel -No effective means of demand management

21 Consequences - Cycle infrastructure/training cannot compete with ever growing car traffic Leisure cycling to the rescue????? – does it really lead to utility, car replacing cycling???? Must focus campaigns on transportation policies that control car use Exhortations about health, environment, economy will not do!

22 “if the quantum leap in cycling that is required is to occur the message about the safety and health benefits [of cycling] must be received and accepted by the general and in particular the car-addicted population as a more than viable alternative to total car dependency” (Chief Executive, Cycling England, Choosing Cycling, Choosing Health Conference, 4 th April, Nottingham) But this quantum leap is highly unlikely to occur as long as car use remains virtually unrestrained?

23 Transportation policy Community Cycling Infrastructure Three pronged regional cycle campaign

24 Transportation policy Community Cycling Infrastructure Three pronged regional cycle campaign Regional Government Office

25 What might the campaign do? Will whatever it does create modal shift from car? - combat road expansion plans in East Midlands co-ordinated campaign for increased parking restrictions in urban areas support speed restrictions in all urban residential areas help promote car free home zones better cycle access to all train stations

26 How might the campaign develop? work through EMTARS and CTC? Website? e-Newsletter? meetings? events? regional city cycle workshops?

27 Who might be involved? All cycle campaign groups Sustrans and the CTC Sports cycling groups Mountain Biking groups i.e. everyone who is involved in anyway with cycling

28 Summary: 4 key points 1not just more cycling needed but more cycling as replacement for car journeys 2focusing on infrastructure and ‘hearts and minds’ alone will not be enough 3must also campaign on overall transportation policy – demand management 4need to draw together the all the disparate cycling groups in the region

29 Summary: 5 final thoughts 1what use is it if levels of cycling increase but only by abstraction from those who walk or use (ever more expensive!) public transport? 2what use is leisure cycling if it does not lead to car replacing utility cycling? 3if a reduction in (ever cheaper!) car travel is achieved, then is not cycling only one of three options for those leaving the car behind; walking and public transport are the other two? 4suppose car use really does decline and yet still nobody cycles as the walking and public transport options are resorted to instead. Could not the objectives of cycling – enjoyment, health, economy and environment - still be realised? 5so just what are cycle campaigners, campaigning for and why?

30 East Midlands Cycle Event Derby, Saturday 6 th May 2006 The Derby Cycling Group