Improving cycling networks

[Teabaseddiet]

This was discussed at today's briefing and seems quite encouraging. I'm all up for better cycling infrastructures etc, might get me off my arse (although work is 25 miles from home, so not for commuting).

There will be a big demand for bike mending skills.
We have a couple of bikes in the garage that just need badic repairs but I don't have the knowledge or physical ability to do it.

I'm sorry but 2billion is ridiculous! I know climate change is a huge problem but it strikes me as unfair on the disabled and people who cannot do this! Cyclists should pay road taxes and have it regulated.

It’s what the environment and NHS needs. Less cars on the road and a healthier population

The government have been growing dodgy money trees in the back garden but ask them for money for care homes to buy ppe or something we need snd it's all vague!
I am fuming about this but if cyclists are taxed like cars are maybe I could get on board with it a bit more. ? I bet they don't.

The way teenagers ride bikes round here without helmets I'm more likely to be mown down by then than catch the virus! How will the police ' police ' this then?

As a long term cycle to work person I am unconvinced! Most of my colleagues thought I was mad I cannot see it being remotely something most people will think about cycle lanes or not!

People will all buy new bikes then go back into their cars at the first sign of a rain cloud!
It's all bollocks I'm afraid!

I can't cycle to work anyway because like most people I have limited time between nursery drop off and my start time.
As there is talk of having different shift patterns at work to accommodate social distancing, you possibly don't know what time you would start work or what time you might need to drop your DC at nursery.

Cyclists should pay road taxes and have it regulated

Why? Cars don't, any taxes paid just go into general taxation and many cars dont pay any taxes as they are low emission.

You need to try and re educate yourself, cycling can be a great way to get around.

What do you want "regulated" ?

67% of us are over weight, CV affects fat people far more than thinner people, so overweight BJ ended up in hospital, Hancock/cummings/whitty didn't, so until a vaccine comes along, getting healthy could literally keep you alive!

With less cars on the roads, cycling is possible once again and we are not going back to packed trains and buses any time soon.

I do not care, I cannot ride a bike and I cannot afford one , so I'll walk. I'm too old now to try and the roads are bad enough without me on a bike. The teens on bikes round here are lethal ; they need educating first as I can foresee a lot of accidents!

If people can’t commute to work on public transport and if the distance is too far to cycle, they will use their car when they might not have previously. So roads could be more congested than they are now.

We’ve had loads spent on cycle paths etc in our area including messing up everyone’s commute for 6 months. But most of the cyclist won’t use them they still stay on the road. I only work 6miles from home and would love to cycle but due to drop off etc I’d never be on time to work. But good news is I probably won’t have a job; so will not be contributing by driving anywhere.

My neighbours son has been told to drive into work ( London) and has to take a pay cut! He can't cycle it as it's too far and they are concerned about public transport etc.
So there will be more cars than bikes and climate change will still be a huge problem.

@The80sweregreat no one pays road tax. There is vehicle tax which is based on emissions. Bikes have zero emissions.

Are some cyclists tossers? Yes. As are many car drivers, some people from Scotland, some blind haired women. But I don't judge a whole group of people on the behaviour of a few.

Air pollution kills. Outside London 50% of all journeys by car are under 3 miles. That's pretty disgusting for most able bodied people. And it needs to change.

Many cycle paths are badly designed. We have one that costs thousands but it constantly crossed the bus lane and footpath. And cars park on it and pedestrians walk on it.

Some are badly surfaced making them unsafe on a road bike.

I do agree that climate change needs addressing but i' m suspicious of all this money appearing from nowhere! It wasn't around when people needed it yet suddenly there is billions for cycle lanes etc? People will be losing their jobs and homes but that's ok they can all go and buy a new bike?
I can walk to work so I'm lucky. Cycling to work is not possible for many. What are they meant to do?
I don't have the answers but anyone really happy about this isn't looking at the bigger picture either ! Plus please educate the young on bikes as they really are more lethal than people in cars sometimes and ride like idiots.

In principle it’s a lovely idea especially if the funds were already allocated.
In practice, I can’t be the only one who doesn’t like cycling in the wet and cold. Which is a long part of the year. It would be doable for short journeys but not for going to London or whatever big city one needs to go to for work where train and tube if easier and quicker than driving and cycling there wouldn’t be practical.
Not sure how this new e-scooter idea is going to work either. Would they have their own lanes? I don’t like them, I wouldn’t use one and don’t like driving near them.
Since the lockdown cycling near where I live has changed. At first there were very few cars but driving too fast. Then lots of cyclists using the middle of the road (maybe to keep away from pedestrians on pavements). Then traffic started increasing and at the same time inexperienced cyclists took to the road.
All my regular and very experienced cycling friends have been saying cycling on the roads has become a lot more dangerous since the lockdown.
But if we get proper cycling lanes, even then I’d feel out of my depth mixing with proficient cyclists as I’d just get in the way becoming another hazard. I’m happy cycling off the road and through the woods , countryside etc but don’t feel safe and am not fast enough or confident enough for proper road cycling. I wouldn’t join in. I’m sure I’m not unique.

Oh unless there would be some sort of road cycling fast track courses - that might be useful.

I've been cycling since lockdown and found it better. Quieter. Bit busier today, but mostly sensible overtaking. I live in Yorkshire though, so might be area dependent.

It's been safer for cyclists everywhere lately but once lockdown has properly lifted and people return to work and school the roads will be back to as they were at the start of the year. Congested and maybe even worse because public transport cannot SD easily at all , so more cars than ever.

I can't cycle to work anyway because like most people I have limited time between nursery drop off and my start time.

So do I (shift worker)... I still manage to drop DS off at nursery (I tow him there in a child trailer) then cycle on to work in time. Where there’s a will there’s a way! Admittedly I feel like the only person in the country doing this. I travelled extensively in Germany last year and transporting children by trailer and cargo bike seemed to be the norm. There’s an incredible infrastructure there for cycling though, we could do so much here.

That sounds lovely but I can't see it being feasible for most people, I speak as a lifelong cyclist but I don't cycle on the roads now because I just don't feel safe

I can't cycle to work anyway because like most people I have limited time between nursery drop off and my start time.

In our case cycling from school to work is faster than bus or walking and driving is impossible because there isn’t parking (nor space to increase parking).

This policy worries me.

Infrastructure for cycling is great. I can't cycle to work now, but I used to, and am all for it.

But -

1. from past experience, give councils money for cycle lanes and they will waste it on something so badly designed that no one will use it.
2. why are they doing this? What are they really saying? Does this mean that they don't expect public transport to get back to normal in the time it will take to spend 2 billion on cycle lanes? Because that is scary to me.

It's scary firstly because it would mean they expect disruption for well over a year. Secondly, it is scary because faced with no public transport, some people may cycle but many more will drive. City centres can't cope with that. My worry is that they know a massive increase in traffic is coming, and they want to be able to say they did something about it, while doing nothing actual to stop it.

I think the more you cycle the more you get used to it. I used to have a commute which involved a lengthy train journey. I kept a bike at the destination train station and then I had a 15 min cycle the other end. I had to cycle or I wouldn’t get to work on time. The train got in too late for the 30 min walk. There wasn’t a bus or tram route to work. I cycled in all weather, snow, gales, rain. I figured it was only 10-15 mi s and I wouldn’t die. I bought a £200 duvet jacket.

Then I changed job and figured if I could cycle 10-15 mins every day I could cycle 40 mins every day. And I do it whatever the weather, apart from very strong winds. So last year I think I had less than 10 days when I didn’t cycle. Even if it’s pouring it down I put waterproofs on and I go.