Scheme to boost cycling hailed a success (From York Press)
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Scheme to boost cycling in York hailed a success
9:47am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News
The Cycling City York campaign is being credited with getting scores more people in York back on their bikes
A SCHEME to encourage residents of York to use their bikes more has generated “very promising” results, a new report has found.
The Cycle City York campaign, which ran from December 2008 to March last year, aimed to increase cycling in York and to double the number of children who cycled to school.
The final programme report into the scheme was released by the Department for Transport yesterday, and showed that the target for commuter cyclists had been more than exceeded, as had the overall number of cyclists in the city, although the target for schoolchildren was not met.
Graham Titchener, programme manager, said in the report: “It is fair to say that the increases which we have seen within just the two and a half years that the programme has been active are very promising indeed.
“It became clear early on that one of the three main measurable targets – to double the number of children cycling to school – was an unrealistic goal, although one which would continue to be striven for.”
The scheme was one of only 12 around the country, and was funded by a grant of £3.68 million from Cycling England, matched by City of York Council. It also covered improvements to current and new cycling infrastructure in the city.
The report showed that overall participation rose from ten percent to 15 per cent, doubling the initial target, and commuter cycling was “well over the ten per cent increase” the scheme aimed for.
David Hall, regional director of Sustrans, who helped run the scheme, said: “As part of Cycling City York we’ve seen new routes across the city, helpful information and cycle training to help people do more of their daily journeys by bike. We know that this combined approach, ambitious targets and sustained investment are what it takes to increase the levels of cycling and we hope York City Council will be inspired to continue to invest in getting more people travelling actively.”
Mr Titchener’s report also acknowledged that the programme had been hindered by bad publicity, particularly as it became a party political issue leading to heavy debate during last May’s local elections.
The final programme report on the York Cycling City project can be found on the DfT website.
Cycle initiative was big success
NORMAN Tebbit would approve. New figures reveal that more people in York are getting on their bikes to go to work than ever before.
The end of programme report by Cycling City York – a cycling initiative which came to an end last March after running for two years – reveals just how much of an impact it had on the city.
The proportion of workers at the city’s four major employers who cycle to work more than doubled, from 17 to 35 per cent. Nestlé alone saw a 15 per cent increase in its staff cycling to work and the University of York a 34 per cent rise.
An extra 10km of cycle routes were created; the cycle hub station opened; and a host of guided cycle rides were introduced to encourage more people to enjoy the benefits of exercise and fresh air.
As anyone who has ever read the letters’ pages of this newspaper will know, cyclists and motorists don’t always get on. The report acknowledges that lessons have to be learned from the way the controversial changes at Clifton Green were handled.
But the bottom line is that the more people who cycle, the fewer there will be driving to work.
That means fewer cars choking the city’s streets; fewer traffic jams; less pollution; and a fitter, healthier population.
If York were to become a true city of cyclists, it would be a much cleaner, greener, more pleasant place for us all.
We’re a long way away from that still. But Cycling City was an excellent start.
Comments(33)
RingoStarr
says...
10:49am Sat 11 Feb 12
Especially from one regular contributor to this website?
smudge1
says...
11:01am Sat 11 Feb 12
smudge1
says...
11:01am Sat 11 Feb 12
monkeyhanger
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11:05am Sat 11 Feb 12
Stuart Jones
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11:27am Sat 11 Feb 12
ak7274
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12:04pm Sat 11 Feb 12
pedalling paul
says...
12:25pm Sat 11 Feb 12
smudge1 wrote:I'd like to publicise my hope that the present Con-Lib government will not allow the lessons leaned from the Cycling City experience to dissipate. Inviting Local Authorities to bid against each other for a limited funding pot, viz the Local Sustainable Transport Fund is not an acceptable long term strategy. Hopefully they will accept that Cycling England-style modest expenditure should be rolled out across the UK. Far more sensible than trying to build one's way out of congestion. New roads only encourage more car use.
Over to you peddaling Paul ??
roskoboskovic
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1:05pm Sat 11 Feb 12
Dioddefwyr
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1:16pm Sat 11 Feb 12
cherokee
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4:07pm Sat 11 Feb 12
Buzz Light-year
says...
4:44pm Sat 11 Feb 12
cherokee wrote:Cherokee - how many times do you have to be told about how the roads are paid for?
In view of the amount of tax paid by car owners some of which will have been used to promote this scheme I expect the non-paying cycling fraternity to show a little gratitude starting by not cycling on the pavement,having proper lights on their bikes and,of course obeying the Highway Code
How many times do you have to be told that cyclists do pay?
Are you stubbornly refusing to understand?
Or are you actually incapable of deductive reasoning?
You really do nothing for the public perception of your intelligence by continuing - for years and years - to come out with these falsehoods.
(Or, let's just for a second say you were right... maybe that's why so many use the pavements - because they can't in good conscience ride on the road as they haven't paid? Good honest decent moral folk those cyclists you know.)
Dallwan
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6:21pm Sat 11 Feb 12
I don't mind encouragement for cycling but for that cost over a few years???? What on earth did they spend that on. What a disgrace. Come on Cyc , explain that one.
brummiebob
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7:24pm Sat 11 Feb 12
RoseD
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8:58pm Sat 11 Feb 12
brummiebob wrote:Exactly. Some cities seem to lend themselves to cycling, with wide roads, but York has narrow medieval roads. When I drive and need to pass a bike I am often amazed they are out on the road at all--doesnt seem always safe.
I cycle into York every day, I do so because buses are too expensive and slow, petrol has gone up in price and parking charges are prohibitive, NOT because there has been £ 7 million spent. Where has this money gone? I don't see any improvements, what a complete waste of money, a few White lines painted here and there, the council need to get out on a bike and so how dangerous many of Yorks roads are.
When I was in high school, I rode my bike to and from for 4 yrs: 2 miles each way, up a massive hill on the way home. Was in excellent shape. But the roads were much wider and there were less cars 30 yrs ago! Now I must drive, not much choice, and even if I could take a bike, I am unconvinced it is safe. Several of my friends bike everywhere, and good for them, but it's not like York has room to put in proper dedicated bike roads with little traffic lights and so on.
livewithit
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9:02pm Sat 11 Feb 12
piaggio
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11:00pm Sat 11 Feb 12
Caecilius
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8:56am Sun 12 Feb 12
RoseD wrote:Yes but the only part of York that has narrow medieval roads is the city centre. There's plenty of room for bikes and pedestrians: the real issue is that these roads are too narrow for vehicles. What you're actually saying is that York doesn't lend itself to cars.
brummiebob wrote: I cycle into York every day, I do so because buses are too expensive and slow, petrol has gone up in price and parking charges are prohibitive, NOT because there has been £ 7 million spent. Where has this money gone? I don't see any improvements, what a complete waste of money, a few White lines painted here and there, the council need to get out on a bike and so how dangerous many of Yorks roads are.Exactly. Some cities seem to lend themselves to cycling, with wide roads, but York has narrow medieval roads. When I drive and need to pass a bike I am often amazed they are out on the road at all--doesnt seem always safe. When I was in high school, I rode my bike to and from for 4 yrs: 2 miles each way, up a massive hill on the way home. Was in excellent shape. But the roads were much wider and there were less cars 30 yrs ago! Now I must drive, not much choice, and even if I could take a bike, I am unconvinced it is safe. Several of my friends bike everywhere, and good for them, but it's not like York has room to put in proper dedicated bike roads with little traffic lights and so on.
M.Blanc
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9:19am Sun 12 Feb 12
I cycle to work, but have to use the roads during the winter when we have snow and ice as the cylce paths near Poppleton are never cleared.
Caecilius
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9:29am Sun 12 Feb 12
Says the paper that printed a report on the result of the Clifton Green consultation without even mentioning that the consultation was about the removal of a cycle lane. And that claimed the only people who responded were "residents and motorists". Incidentally, a little bird tells me that the majority of responses were in favour of leaving the road layout as it is.
Well, Press editorial writer, if the above quotation represents what the paper really believes, how do you think the effective removal of a safety-critical section of one of the new cycle routes (by councillors who know it's a nonsense but who are meekly toeing the party line and pandering to a vocal car lobby) is going to contribute to achieving that goal?
Sillybillies
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10:40am Sun 12 Feb 12
The report showed that overall participation rose from ten percent to 15 per cent, doubling the initial target, and commuter cycling was “well over the ten per cent increase” the scheme aimed for.
I don't think so, where are the figures and who obtained them? Most important were they wholly independently obtained?
Overall I see a load of lies to justify a failed policy, York has as few cyclists as anywhere else. You can travel around all day and see absolutely no justification for all the hundreds of thousands of pounds squandered on cycling provision, and Cherokee how right you are
cherokee says...
4:07pm Sat 11 Feb 12
In view of the amount of tax paid by car owners some of which will have been used to promote this scheme I expect the non-paying cycling fraternity to show a little gratitude starting by not cycling on the pavement,having proper lights on their bikes and,of course obeying the Highway Code
YSTClinguist
says...
12:13pm Sun 12 Feb 12
There is a way to make the roads safer in the short term that could pay for itself. If North Yorks police force put their officers on major junctions with cycle boxes for a bit and fine every driver who goes into one (providing the monies go to the police fund) But we'll allow them to start after the snow has gone, due to so many pavements being unsafe places for pedestrian to stand and observe from (let alone workers to commute along.)
ps. That amazingly useful sustrans route from Leeman Road to Holgate, in particular the Wilton Rise section? I don't know how long that road will last since it has started breaking up horribly since the temperature dropped. Get ready for shredded tyres aplenty and cyclists faceplanting on this private road.
Sillybillies
says...
4:34pm Sun 12 Feb 12
Participation rose from 10 to 15%. It's a start.
Where do these figures come from, by whom obtained? One of the pedalling idiot's wet dreams?
Never mind the cycle boxes, I've yet to see a vehicle in one, and even a bike is a rare event. The police should concentrate instead on bikes without lights when it's dark, cycling on the pavement, ignoring traffic lights, and texting whilst cycling with no hands on the handlebars, a common occurrence. Saw one idiot going around a roundabout doing that the other day.
ak7274
says...
7:02pm Sun 12 Feb 12
t?..................
......again.........
. "thought not"
piaggio
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10:16pm Sun 12 Feb 12
AND also fine every cyclist with no lights/riding ont footpaths/ignoring red lights/.
and finally wearing those STUPID helmets.nobody in holland/belge wears em.only the stupid brits,and yes i ride a bike as well .
skeifr
says...
8:58am Mon 13 Feb 12
I agree with you on the cyclists with no lights/ on footpaths/riding through red lights. Could we also have strict enforcement on drivers driving through red lights, driving without a full set of working lights, stopping in advance stop boxes, parking on footpaths? After all, we're all in this together...
Sadly, cycling and cycle provision in York has become far too political. It's depressing to see how local politicians have been attracted to this.
meme
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9:26am Mon 13 Feb 12
However I fail to see where the £7 million has gone and even if it was all spent wisely it seems a huge figure when cycling is not exactly a high tech way to travel.
I am also a car and motorcycle driver/rider but there certainly are times when the bicycle is handier especially for short trips into town so why not give it a try It beats the hell out of finding a car space and allows you to have a few pints and ride home!!
Von_Dutch
says...
11:18am Mon 13 Feb 12
Sillybillies wrote:I'm pleased everyone is continuing to ignore Sillybillies assertions that York has few cyclists. Even in the snow last week i continued to see (& overtake) countless numbers of them, so Sillybillies is either blind or is trying to prove a false point. And in answer to his question, as far as i know the numbers of cyclists used to work out the percentages were taken from automatic counters on some of the routes - it's difficult to see what motive a mechanical device could have for 'exagerating' the numbers...
The report showed that overall participation rose from ten percent to 15 per cent, doubling the initial target, and commuter cycling was “well over the ten per cent increase” the scheme aimed for.I don't think so, where are the figures and who obtained them? Most important were they wholly independently obtained? Overall I see a load of lies to justify a failed policy, York has as few cyclists as anywhere else. You can travel around all day and see absolutely no justification for all the hundreds of thousands of pounds squandered on cycling provision, and Cherokee how right you arecherokee says... 4:07pm Sat 11 Feb 12 In view of the amount of tax paid by car owners some of which will have been used to promote this scheme I expect the non-paying cycling fraternity to show a little gratitude starting by not cycling on the pavement,having proper lights on their bikes and,of course obeying the Highway Code
And the fact that you agree with Cherokee's (Usherwood) usual ignorant incorrect points says it all really...
Sillybillies
says...
12:00pm Mon 13 Feb 12
- it's difficult to see what motive a mechanical device could have for 'exagerating' the numbers...
But the council has the motive to justify congestion causing provision for cyclists. This is why I and others want wholly independent surveys done which give the council no opportunities to fiddle the figures.
Von_Dutch
says...
1:16pm Mon 13 Feb 12
Do the council also go around planting pretend bikes at cycle parking locations at the station and the city centre too to perpetuate this grand hoax??
Look, it might not suit your argument but it's an obvious fact to anyone who travels round York that we have a high proportion of cyclists here. That's no lie.
If you really want to prove me wrong, maybe you (and Mike) would like a day out on some of the arterial routes to do your own independant surveys then if you don't believe what automated traffic counters are telling you? Maybe take a couple of deck-chairs and a thermos flask - make a day of it...
piaggio
says...
9:57pm Mon 13 Feb 12
some more than other,s!!
Magicman!
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2:19am Tue 14 Feb 12
Unfortunately, York has too many "sillybillies" and "cherokees" around, thrusting upon everybody else that they solely have "the right" to use york's streets and that cyclists do not - and so they punish cyclists for even daring to set off from home on two wheels, by cutting close when overtaking, racing a bike to a road narrowing point, overtaking then immediately turning left, ignoring cyclists right of way at roundabouts of other junctions, sitting in cycle headstart boxes (which, if you crossed the stop line to get into the cycle box when the red light was showing, by law carries the same offence as going through the red light), hogging cycle lanes in queues of traffic, honking horns at cyclists for holding up their precious journeys by 5 seconds, and the list goes on...
There is more that could be done to improve cyclists' experience in York... signage for pedestrians around the Goodramgate to Duncombe Place route that states they are not in a pedestrian-only area and cycles have right of way; improvements to traffic lights so that loop sensors in the road surface (a) detect cycles and (b) when the lights are green, allow a few extra seconds for the cyclist who has rode over the loop sensor enough time to clear the green light, and (c) change junctions where some flows are needlessly long (St Maurices' Road after 7pm, for example, is on green for 20 seconds too long) and others needlessly short (Huntington New Lane junction with Malton Road, even when there is a queue of traffic, will often only let 4 cars out before going back to red and there is no padding at all, so that if there is a gap of more than 3m between vehicles the lights go red); where a cycle lane is off road but next to the road, all side road entrances should have give way markings set back to allow cyclists the same right of way as they would have if a cycle lane were on the road (as they do in Holland) with signage on newly altered junctions to raise awareness of this; off road cycle lane from Nestle up Wigginton Road to at least the Bumper Castle, but ideally on to the A1237; off road cycle lane along the B1363 from A1237 to Wigginton; off road cycle lane parallel to A1237 from Clifton Moor to New Earswick OR a cycle lane direct from Bumper Castle under the train line to New Earswick (coming out somewhere near JR School)....
Sillybillies
says...
9:17pm Tue 14 Feb 12
let's remember the current council is also spending a considerable amount of money rolling back one particular scheme just to appease motorists who don't like giving over aproximately one FTR bus length of road to cyclists, and so have shouted and moaned for ages until the council have said, in essence "ok we'll change it, just to shut you lot up!"
The change caused serious congestion and was wholly unjustified, but was typical of how the LibDem regime pandered to cyclists. The councillors responsible would be surcharged to pay for the change back if there was any justice.
RingoStarr says...
10:49am Sat 11 Feb 12
Especially from one regular contributor to this website?