Be Cycling
is a Push
Bikes campaign aimed at Birmingham Councilors and other agencies
responsible for cycling in the city.
We
are trying to achieve a safe Cycling network & model, whereby any young or inexperienced
cyclist can cycle anywhere in the city without using a busy roads.
Safe cycling needs
- slow
speeds on all residential roads, <20mph
- cycle
lanes by the side of busy roads, physically separate from the traffic
- slower
speeds on busy roads, 30mph or less
We will
also need
- more
consideration given to cycles by cars, such as more space, allowance
for mistakes, etc.
- Secure
cycle parking at bus stops for longer journeys where the cycle and
bus are both used
- better
town planning, so shops and cinemas etc are built near where people
live and can walk to, and not have to drive
- more
bus lanes in space occupied by cars, as this will provide an alternative
to car travel and will therefore reduce the density of traffic. Bus
Lanes are the only economic way of providing an alternative to car
travel (other than cycling or walking!)
- cycle
training
- more
publicity to promote the bicycle as cool
We are
talking to Birmingham Council, but their current strategy will achieve
a safe network by 4004 (and this is not an exaggeration). Their latest
strategy in its draft form (Nov 2004) would achieve 12% cycling by 2031,
but the measures discussed are not funded and crucial parts have been
left out. This would achieve 25% cycling, our goal, by 2061. We feel
this is inadequate, with details in our newsletters.
We are
aiming for 25% cycling as all/part of each journey by 2015. This has
been achieved in many European cities.
We have
also approached West Midlands police, and have made negligible process,
though a few individual officers have been extremely helpful.
The
Police as a force are simply not prepared to slow down traffic, even
to speed limits. Speeds on the city roads are exceeded 66% of the time;
there are many cars and motorbikes travelling at 90mph in residential
areas.
It
seems the city's emergency vehicles oppose many cheaper traffic calming
measures such as bumps, as it slows down their vehicles. So this is
the Catch 22, we need the emergency vehicles to treat the children and
accidents caused by speeding cars, but we are not prepared to slow down
the cars in the first place. Yossarian lives on in Birmingham!
Similarly, road traffic police in contact with Be Cycling favour more
cameras as the single most effective anti-speeding measure, but for
some reason few new cameras are appearing.