Please for the love of god put some proper cycle lanes in. Not these that are on the road with a faint line, or share it with pedestrians where road signs block the path, an actual, dedicated lane with something seperating the cars and pedestrains. I’d love to cycle more but I just stick to the limited cycle lanes we have around us (which admitedly are probably better than a lot have it), there’s no way I’m going on the roads.
Dedicated and separated cycle lanes are the way to go. Cars, cycles, and pedestrians all need their own space. The challenge for the UK is our often quite narrow existing roads. Making space for physically separated cycle lanes is often going to mean taking lanes away from cars. Which is not necessarily a bad thing but obviously creates a lot more friction to be implemented.
Many cities in Europe have had an easier time with this due to more post-war modernisation/rebuilding that created wider roads.
Doubt
This sounds very promising and it’s clearly in step with the government’s overall policy programme, which suggests it will happen in some form.
I especially like the hint that they’d redirect some of the capital funding earmarked for new roads to walking and cycling, (‘Asked about the £16bn of trunk road projects, […] Haigh said: “We’re looking at all capital projects, and where that money should be best spent.”’).
Ultimately, we’ll have to wait for the outcome of the transport infrastructure spending review before we know whether this is anything to get excited about.
Welcome of course, but too fucking late. We’re already at 1.5°, a few bike lanes isn’t going to cut it.
I’d say this is less about reducing CO2 and more about making cities and towns nicer places to live and helping people live healthier lives.
I have no idea what the stats on this are, but I’d guess that the amount of emissions saved in people cycling more vs using a petrol car or electric car wouldn’t actually be much compared to measures that reduce emissions from goods transport.
I wish more would be done to link up walking routes. There’s a lot of footpaths in the country but they often poorly connected to each other. Local authorities are supposed to have plans on implementing new routes but progress seems very slow.
