Places in Britain with a good cycle lane infrastructure

[Threegreenbirds]

I loved the Netherlands and how it is do easy to get around by bike. I really wish the Britain could embrace this.

We are considering a move, is there anywhere in Britain with a good cycle lane system so we can ditch the cars and feel safe on the roads?

Visited Cambridge recently and was impressed with their cycling infrastructure.

Cambridge city centre (not Cambridgeshire) is probably the best if you’ll stay in a single city. Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire better if you’ll want longer or more scenic rides (you get the same hire bikes in MK as London). London is extremely good for experienced riders with UK driving licenses (car or motorbike) - but I wouldn’t recommend if you haven’t learned or are a bit wobbly.

I’d actually say London, you do need confidence and a plan though!

New Towns. Basildon. MIilton Keynes. Although the cycle lanes are really only suited to "recreational" cyclists and families. Serious cyclists would still use the roads.

London's better than you'd think. Lots of quiet back streets even in busy areas.

York's pretty good. It could be better but it's not bad.

The Netherlands is really good for cycling. It's just such a part of their culture.

Cycle lanes in London are so much better. I love cycling in now

London has improved immensely in the last ten years. Still a lot to do but great now.

Cambridge, London, Bristol and York are probably your best bet.

It’s quite easy to get in to Cambridge from the villages by bike now with the Greenways project.

As PP said, Cambridge is probably the single best city centre. London's really pretty good now too, although you do have to be confident. More and more cycle lanes are segregated, there are the cycle superhighways, the canal towpaths, lots of quiet backroutes, and tons of people cycling.

I grew up in Milton Keynes. The city has a grid work of main arterial roads with no pavements. Pedestrians and cyclists use the ‘red ways’ which don’t follow the same route as the roads. This was designed to keep cars and everyone else separate.

it is brilliant for that purpose. However the downside of this is it can be a little unsafe at night (a lot of underpasses and you often didn’t see another person for ages). I moved away so I don’t know what it’s like now but a bit mote
about it here : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Keynes_redway_system

What do you mean by serious cyclists? High speed lycra types?

I think we need to separate functional cycling/active travel, from sport cycling and recreation. If you are shopping or commuting or going round to a friend, and don't want a speed trial, you just want a safe and convenient route. You are still a serious cyclist!

Yes people travelling at speed. They're not necessarily "sport" cyclists though. I know someone who does a 40 mile round trip daily for his commute. He'd be dangerous on a cycle path and no one wants him on the road either

Now I have an e bike I guess I'm a high speed cyclist, I still use the cycle paths (

Agreed OP - spent a week in the Netherlands this summer, we hired bikes and cycled everywhere! It was fabulous and didn’t have to worry about children cycling at all.

can’t help with positive recs but can definitely not recommend Edinburgh - bike / bus lanes, and huge pot holes everywhere.

Thank you all, very sad that there really does appear to be very little in Britain to encourage us all to use our bikes to get around safely.

@Threegreenbirds DH recently bought a new Dutch bike and received a book about cycling with it. It was a total revaluations, the Dutch approach is just so different. Bikes come first m, always. They are the default method of transport, not an add-on. Bikes first, cars second (or third). In Holland most people cycle without helmets - because cycling is only dangerous when you have to share a lane with cars! And in Holland bikes have their own lane.

East Kilbride

Cardiff is introducing cycleways. A lot has already been completed in the city centre. It's just a shame that the cyclists ignore them and cycle in the now narrowed roads.

I live (and cycle!) in Chelmsford. It’s not bad at all.

Quite a lot of cycling paths in Nottingham, DS had lived there since Uni , cycles most places, and 9 years later is thinking of learning to drive because the train strikes are making getting home to us difficult.

@Watchagotch72 , must say I was startled when staying in central Amsterdam not long ago, to see thousands of cyclists whizzing around with no helmets. Two of our small party of friends were not the most mobile, and I have to say that crossing roads could be hazardous.

The scariest thing I saw was a woman whizzing along, with of course no helmet, with a young baby in one arm, who missed by a whisker colliding with a pedestrian.

For those of you who do like cycling, please consider joining your local cycle campaign group and writing to your local councillors in support of cycle infrastructure!

Re the Netherlands, is there any data on the average length of a typical cycle journey? I'm asking because I've visited Amsterdam several times but I've never seen people cycling round in Lycra on racing bikes, which makes me wonder if journeys are shorter.

London has become much more bike friendly recently at the expense of average traffic speed. This irks me on behalf of those who rely on vehicular transport.