Bike blog | The Guardian – Page 12

Coronavirus outbreak, Cycling, Environment, Infectious diseases, Life and style, World news - March 20, 2020

Why not encourage cycling during the coronavirus lockdown?

Bikes allows people to maintain isolation but provide important respite from being indoors

It’s an increasingly urgent question for those who still have to travel into work, or to collect supplies or visit vulnerable people – how can you get around without contracting – or spreading – the coronavirus? One answer could be cycling.

The immediate caveat to mention is that this is not a call for every trip to be made by bike. If you’re going 25 miles at night to collect 50kg of supplies for a food bank … well, you could do it with a cargo bike, but for most people it’s a non-starter.

Why cycling in Palestine is an intensely political act

Riding is way of thumbing the nose at occupation and connecting with the land

Are you annoyed by the anti-motorcycle barriers or speed bumps on your local bike path? Spare a thought for Palestinian bicycle advocates. According to the UN, the Israeli occupation of the West Bank imposes 705 obstacles to the free movement of Palestinians.

These obstacles include military checkpoints where only those with permits can pass, a 440-mile separation barrier, and roving patrols that can turn a joyous bike ride into humiliating roadside detention.

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Cycling, Transport policy - February 12, 2020

Investing in cycling pays off, but ministers are ignoring the evidence

A report shows that when bike lanes are built, people cycle more and drive less

If you took a time machine back to John Dobson Street in central Newcastle in 2013, you’d be struck by its transformation in the years since.

An inhospitable dual carriageway has been replaced by a single carriageway with wider pavements and a 400m bike lane. The result: a fourfold increase in people cycling along the route.

The government must invest in cycling. Here's how to do it

Co-chair of all-party parliamentary group on cycling and walking sets out a manifesto for active travel

The all-party parliamentary group for cycling and walking has, in collaboration with its 80 member groups, set out a manifesto for cycling and walking. The economic case for investment in these modes of travel is strong. We get £5.50 for every £1 we invest and the benefits are cross-cutting: a healthier population; stronger, safer local communities; better access to jobs and education; and lower levels of pollution.

Almost three years ago the government committed to a cycling and walking investment strategy for England, with a stated aim to return walking levels to 300 stages (ie part of a journey) per person per year, double cycling stages by 2025 and increase walking to school. As many people pointed out at the time, the investment strategy had little in the way of actual investment. Indeed, dedicated funding for cycling from government since then has been sporadic and meagre, with only a handful of cities investing at the levels required to catch up with the level we see in neighbouring, successful countries for active travel such as the Netherlands.

Why Finland leads the field when it comes to winter cycling

Progressive policies help get people get on their bike, even in below-freezing conditions

In London, where I live, the idea of winter cycling generally involves little more than remembering some gloves and making sure your bike lights are charged. In Joensuu, the compact city in eastern Finland, where I am now, it’s arguably a more serious business.

When I got off the train from Helsinki the temperature was -16C (3F), and hasn’t yet risen higher than -6C. Every roadway, pavement and cycle route is covered in a layer of compacted snow.

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Bike blog | The Guardian RSS

Why not encourage cycling during the coronavirus lockdown?

Why cycling in Palestine is an intensely political act

Investing in cycling pays off, but ministers are ignoring the evidence

The government must invest in cycling. Here's how to do it

Why Finland leads the field when it comes to winter cycling

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