Increasing cyclist numbers?

[JohnW]

lots more motor miles as they drive to their rides.

Don't get me started! As a cyclist & pedestrian I'm banned from my local recycling centres (Nb. Not withstanding this I routinely drop the recycling in, on my four mile walk to catch a train - get some very disapproving looks from the "outdoor" environmental types, bicycle racks on the backs of their 4/4's ).

The irony of it is that I'm fully aware that recycling is a bit of a nonsense....

Don't get me started either, gbmz.

Actually I find that the 4x4 brigade welcome an increase in cycling - it gives them more chance to kill people without getting into trouble.

[gbnz]

Actually I find that the 4x4 brigade welcome an increase in cycling .

I got my own back today.

Found myself passed, at speed, inches away from me, just 20' feet away from a T Junction by a Range Rover 4/4 on an otherwise empty country road. So.....

Pulled alongside drivers door 2-3 seconds later and "accidently" blocked the drivers view for 20-30 seconds while stretching my arms et al, preventing them from pulling out. It felt great (Nb. Otherwise I got appreciative waves from several tipper truck drivers just down the road - they have an uphill struggle out of the quarry, directly into a blazing sun at 16.00Hr's, myself being the only other vehicle on the road - so helped out by pulling the bike onto the verge on hearing their engine notes change as they couldn't overtake - courtesy's due to some other road users when appropriate)

[cycle tramp]

Definitely seeing more 'sporting cyclists' on the Somerset levels..... many it appears aren't even carrying any tool kit,
However i've also spotted one gentleman who know does his weekly shop by trailer and bicycle. Brilliant!
Haven't had a recent traffic survey in this area for years. Sorry

[cycle tramp]

lots more motor miles as they drive to their rides.

Don't get me started! As a cyclist & pedestrian I'm banned from my local recycling centres (Nb. Not withstanding this I routinely drop the recycling in, on my four mile walk to catch a train - get some very disapproving looks from the "outdoor" environmental types, bicycle racks on the backs of their 4/4's ).

The irony of it is that I'm fully aware that recycling is a bit of a nonsense....

Don't get me started either, gbmz.

Actually I find that the 4x4 brigade welcome an increase in cycling - it gives them more chance to kill people without getting into trouble.

Sorry, this next question is a little off topic, why have cyclists and walkers been banned from the recycling centres?

[mjr]

Sorry, this next question is a little off topic, why have cyclists and walkers been banned from the recycling centres?

When they tried here, the argument was that they are in danger of being struck by motor vehicles but now not only are we not banned but they accept cycle tyres for free (unlike motorists' ones).

[gbnz]

Sorry, this next question is a little off topic, why have cyclists and walkers been banned from the recycling centres?

It's an absurd situation. Cyclists & walkers have been banned because of the risk they may be hit by motor vehicles.

In respect to the recycling centre I use it's absurd, as the centre is modern (<10 years since opening), with clear sight lines, a well laid out site, segregated commercial/refuse vehicle access and modern (<10 years in age) seperated pedestrian access up to the gates of the recycling centre

Having served with both the public authorities who would prosecute and offer a defence should an injury/death arise on this site, it's a farce. Expenditure of perhaps £2-3k* would be more than sufficient to install suitable pedestrian/cyclist routes (Nb. Routes could be marked out for approx.£200.00, but without physical barriers meeting certain requirements would be insufficent to offer in defence following injury/death).

(Nb. To be fair as a Northern Authority, the local authority did suffer it's budget being reduced from £650-450 million by the Tory's over a two year period.)

[Cyril Haearn]

Sorry, this next question is a little off topic, why have cyclists and walkers been banned from the recycling centres?

When they tried here, the argument was that they are in danger of being struck by motor vehicles but now not only are we not banned but they accept cycle tyres for free (unlike motorists' ones).

New old cycle shop ('outlet') near me has a drive-in lane, like at McBurgers so one may collect the new bike by car, no need to ride it home

[fastpedaller]

Sorry, this next question is a little off topic, why have cyclists and walkers been banned from the recycling centres?

I assumed (perhaps incorrectly) that there's no means of identifying you on their cameras (ie numberplate), so if you carry 30kg of waste on your body or bike they can't monitor how much you dump (oops recycle). Or maybe if you bring in body parts they need to identify you by your vehicle on the CCTV

[JohnW]

Sorry, this next question is a little off topic, why have cyclists and walkers been banned from the recycling centres?

There is a mistake here - I did NOT write : "Sorry, this next question is a little off topic, why have cyclists and walkers been banned from the recycling centres?", or anything along those lines.

[Cyril Haearn]

My impression is of a large increase in cycling 'roadie' numbers here in Snowdonia over the last 10 years. And it's no longer rare to see solo female 'roadies'.

I cycle approx 360 days a year and have done for the last 6 years. Even on a short 7 mile pootle to the nearest village and back am almost guaranteed to see other cyclists (nearly always 'roadies'), even on weekdays. Mind you, our village is at the bottom of one of North Wales' iconic climbs

But there's also been a large increase in general non cycling tourist numbers as well.

By 'roadies' I mean all age range cyclists on mudguardless, 'road' bikes, full lycra gear and at least 99.9% helmeted + sunglasses whatever the weather

Did you not mention that motor traffic was increasing too? If I lived there I would walk a lot, Croesor, Moelwyns, Siabod, Nantlle Ridge etc etc

[TrevA]

I'll inform our older members that they are no longer welcome on club rides because they drive to the start. Or perhaps I won't.

Or maybe clubs should start rides from the populated area instead of being driven out of town - in both senses.

Not when the only flat way out of town is along a busy A road.

Perhaps our situation is unusual because we are constrained by a river with few crossings on one side and a range of hills on the other. The sensible way out of town is along the flood plain, but unfortunately the only road is a busy A road. If we meet on the edge of town, we have to go east along the busy A road at the start of the ride for 5 miles. Going west would mean crossing a city. You can't go south because of the river. Going north would involve a significant climb at the start of the ride, which would not be popular with our older members.

Hence why we meet a few miles out of town, where people can ride in singles or small groups to the start. From there, we can go south, east or north, as there is a bridge across the main river and another river valley that cuts through the ridge of hills to the north.

Of the 30-odd members who go on club rides (spread over 4 groups), less than 5 drive to the start. Some of these are in their late 70s. I'd like to see these people keep riding as long as they can, even if that involves some car assistance to get to the start. Perhaps the rise of the e-bike will mean they don't have to use their cars.

[TrevA]

Of course lots of roadies out in the countryside may well mean lots more motor miles as they drive to their rides.

quote TrevA: Isn't this just the snobbery of the old-school cyclist who thinks that everyone should cycle everywhere?/quote]


I object to this interpretation. I merely pointed out the irony of more cyclists meaning more car journeys. I made no comment on it.

Edited because I messed up the quoting thing.

Apologies. However, I don't agree with your assertion.

I participate in a Saturday ride where as many as 80 people will meet at the same place (there are 6 groups that go out). Of those 80, only around 5 will have driven to the start.

So the albeit anecdotal evidence is that, on the whole, roadies ride to their rides.

[Barks]

Surely this question should be broken down into two parts, cycling for fun/fitness/leisure and utility cycling. While the former is great for nations fitness and well being and has been growing in parallel to UK international competition succcess, surely the big concern should be about whether or not there are more people or not using bicycles for transport as they go about there daily lives - it is thus that will reduce volume car use and bring the health benefits to the nation has a whole. Is there a way of differentiating the two types of activity in the data that is collected?

[Vorpal]

Looking solely at overall modal share for the entire country does not give the complete picture. A 25% increase from a 2% modal share is still a 2% modal share.

Overall, people are taking fewer trips, and going longer distances. This applies accross all transport modes. There has been shift away from driving and towards cycling and public transport.

DfT only publish trends for the previous decade every 5 years. So, the last on was in 2015 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... l-week.pdf

This shows significant increases in both number of trips and distance travelled by cyclists since 2015.

Changes in cycling numbers also vary from one place to another. On some streets in London, cyclists now make up 1/3rd of the traffic at peak times. A remote village or rural lane may have seen no increase whatsover. Most places fall in between the two extremes.

[Grandad]

Of the 30-odd members who go on club rides (spread over 4 groups), less than 5 drive to the start. Some of these are in their late 70s. I'd like to see these people keep riding as long as they can, even if that involves some car assistance to get to the start. Perhaps the rise of the e-bike will mean they don't have to use their cars.

Age and atrial fibrillation mean that I now have to limit the number/steepness of hills in a ride. Most of my rides are on the flatlands the other side of a river and our house is at the top of an almost mile long climb up from the bridge. Keeping enough in reserve to ride this means cutting the ride down so - confession - I drive out.