To maximise cycling's benefits for local communities, councils should give it a central role in their transport plans and link it strongly with other policies and strategies...
CTC View (formal statement of CTC's policy):
Local authorities should:
- Commit to cycling by: giving full recognition to its environmental, health and other benefits; linking cycling with the wider aims of local transport and other policies, especially by aiming for more as well as safer cycling and tackling the deterrents (e.g. speeding, bad driving, hostile road conditions and lorries); linking cycling plans with other strategies/policies (e.g. planning, health, education and the economy); and forging partnerships with other local partners in health, education, business public transport, the police and voluntary sector groups.
- Make the physical environment cycle-friendly by: ensuring that developments are accessible and permeable by cycle; that highways are engineered, laid out, signed and maintained with cycle users in mind; and enhancing provisions for recreational and off-road cycling.
- Promote cycling by: making national standards cycle training (Bikeability) available to people of all ages; supporting school and workplace travel plans and incentives; and encouraging cycling with promotional material, campaigns and personal advice.
- Resource the plan well by: committing capital, revenue and staff resources to cycling, training staff appropriately and harnessing the support of the voluntary sector.
- Evaluate and monitor the plan effectively by: committing to substantial increases in cycle use; measuring cycle casualties per mile or per trip; monitoring how safe people think cycling is; identifying suitable data collection and reporting mechanisms; and seeking feedback from key partners, including local communities and the voluntary sector.
