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"Ministers drive to boost cycling backfires after rates fall"

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    The Scottish Government's Transport Scotland agency said that despite the year-on-year fall in cycling, the long-term trend was increasing.

    Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf said: ‘The vision will be challenging and will involve all stakeholders coming together to continue the long-term trend of rising numbers of people choosing to cycle or walk, and which will be supported by new initiatives such as Community Links Plus [new cycle routes] and the recently-launched Big Bike Revival [to encourage former cyclists to get back in the saddle].

    “Compared to 2013-14, we have increased investment in active travel by over 80 per cent.

    "

    http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/ministers-drive-to-boost-cycling-backfires-after-rates-fall-1-4241694

    Posted 7 years ago #

  2. gibbo
    Member

    So cycling is down 14% year-on-year.

    I have to say, I've done a lot less cycling this year.

    Part of it is the weather, but a lot of it is due to poor infrastructure and feeling less safe on the roads.

    Part of the infrastructure issue is that, every year the roads (and NEPN) are allowed to deteriorate (due to use and roadwords), the less enjoyable they are to ride on.

    It's one thing to cycle up a long drag, it's another to cycle up the same long drag into 2016's strong winds... and another to cycle up that drag into strong headwinds on a rutted surface that kills your momentum.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  3. dougal
    Member

    I have not given up or reduced my cycling this year - but every day that I commute on the roads there is another reason why that 1.x% number won't change. Road death by a thousand cuts.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  4. Murun Buchstansangur
    Member

    "The Scottish Government's Transport Scotland agency said that despite the year-on-year fall in cycling, the long-term trend was increasing."

    "There is no presence of American infidels in the city of Baghdad."

    Which one's the Comical Ali quote again?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  5. minus six
    Member

    Ministers drive

    i'll stop you right there

    Posted 7 years ago #

  6. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    According to the Big Bike Revival's website the nearest bicycle recycling centre to Edinburgh is in Carlisle or Newcastle.

    Cycling UK, eh?

    Posted 7 years ago #

  7. crowriver
    Member

    Yeah, figures were released yesterday. I had a good look at them.

    Regional tables show that Edinburgh's modal share is still lowest for driving, highest for cycling, highest for bus use. So we are rather exceptional in the Scottish context.

    If you drill into the stats on current transport mode versus the previous year, they show people are switching to driving. Once driving, they don't switch back to other modes.

    Reasons for switching to driving change slightly each year: in 2015 "moved home" increased in importance. A new flight to the suburbs perhaps?

    Also, the stats say 97% of drivers don't change modes, they carry on driving: other transport modes are much 'softer', with more churn year on year. Cycling seems one of the 'softest' transport modes, with the highest proportion switching to driving. 9.3% of last year's cyclists now drive; 9.2% of the prior year's train users now drive; highest % of switchers in each alternative mode now drive.

    This table makes depressing reading for anyone trying to encourage active travel: http://www.transport.gov.scot/report/j450918-09.htm#Table10

    Carmaggedon here we come.....it all goes to show that making driving easier by building new roads encourages more driving. The only way to reverse that is to introduce measures to actively discourage driving, make it less convenient than other transport modes. At the same time investment and road space need to be reallocated from motor vehicles to active travel. I honestly can't see any of that happening in meaningful ways under an SNP government

    Posted 7 years ago #

  8. Klaxon
    Member

    It absolutely terrifies me that the SNP are going to be able to sleepwalk into control of every council next year

    Their active travel credentials seem to be mediocre at best

    Posted 7 years ago #

  9. Baldcyclist
    Member

    I've cycled a lot less this yaer, barely 800 miles; from 6000 two years ago.

    I fall into the 'had a baby' (well, not me personally..) category for changing mode of transport to work.

    I must confess I miss cycling desperately, but not as much as I'd miss my boy if I was cycling every day.

    *edit I still cycle every day, but 3-4 miles to / from station Mon - Wed's and 1-2 miles to / from childminder Thurs -Fri; instaed of 42 miles 4 days a week. I also don't really 'Strava' any of those miles.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  10. crowriver
    Member

    Mea culpa, I am also cycling less this year.

    Cycling's still my main mode of everyday transport (apart from walking) but I am not doing as much leisure or 'sport' riding as I did a few years ago. So if I was in the statistical sample for Transport Scotland I would register as "no change". However I know I've not ridden a single audax this past season, nor done any cycle touring nor cycle camping as in previous years. It's mostly down to not managing to find the time somehow. Note to self: must try harder.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  11. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I'm also in the "we had a baby, I cycle less now" boat, although I've still not learned to drive or we still don't have (or want) a car, so it just means we use the bus/walk more and I work from home more. I realise this needs both a job that allows the latter and living in a city with a good, convenient bus service that goes past our street to do the former.

    Even in Edinburgh, people live on streets with great bus services yet still climb into their cars every morning to go a few miles across town and have the temerity to complain about "the traffic". If we can't get it right in Edinburgh with its bus service and compact size, or Glasgow with the largest urban rail network outside of London, what hope do we have in all those other towns/cities with public transport left to the whims of the disinterested local First/Stagecoach bus monopoly.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  12. Frenchy
    Member

    To buck the trend - I've already cycled further in 2016 than I did in 2015 :)

    Posted 7 years ago #

  13. Min
    Member

    I should think the vast quantities of hysterical hated splurged across every media is going to be off-putting to most people as well. If you want to cycle you have to really really really want to do it. You have to not be put off by verbal abuse, threats, physical danger and the fact that "everyone" hates you for doing it.

    It is quite a lot to be up against.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  14. nobrakes
    Member

    I am doing a lot more cycling this year than last, which is curious. The reason I am cycling more is because I was in crippling pain on my DF (unable to do more than 10 miles at a time) and switched to a recumbent in July. Am now able to do 50 miles in a single session without any back pain (yeah I know, small beer for some of you 'proper' cyclists on here, but for me it's been a dream to get back to doing some decent miles).

    What is curious is that before, I lived in Morningside and commuted every day to Edinburgh park by bike - 7 miles each way or thereabouts. Now I live in the Borders and was intending doing a couple of days full blown commute on bike (30 miles each way - extreme I know), but the reality has been that the A7 in rush hour is terrifying on a recumbent and I've chickened out. So I'm still doing way more miles than I was last year, but none of them are cycling to work - I'm back in the car for that because it takes me half an hour less than it would by train.

    A weird, mixed bag, one which I am not that happy about.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  15. chdot
    Admin

    "and the fact that "everyone" hates you for doing it"

    Probably including too many people in Transport Scotland (and most sections of most governments).

    Posted 7 years ago #

  16. chdot
    Admin

    "some of you 'proper' cyclists on here"

    Everyone on CCE is properly a cyclist (apart from one or two useful contributors who don't actually cycle!)

    The great thing about CCE is that it has a very wide range of people/bike users from the extreme Audaxers to the very casual 'as long as it's not raining/cold/windy' - or is that the other way round(?)

    One long term CCEer declared early on that they didn't think they would keep cycling 'through the winter'. Lots of helpful advice/encouragement and several winters/bikes later...

    Posted 7 years ago #

  17. chdot
    Admin

    When I say "cyclist", of course I mean people who happen to ride bikes...

    Posted 7 years ago #

  18. paddyirish
    Member

    @Frenchy, me too, but I'm lucky - apart from a couple of pinch points my commute is lovely with most of it on dedicated cycling infrastructure (which happens to go past a lot of stationary traffic :-)) or quiet shared paths. I do see more people using these routes.

    The city is a different kettle of fish and if I had to go in there more than my current 1 day a month, I'd be less happy.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  19. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    You have to not be put off by verbal abuse, threats, physical danger and the fact that "everyone" hates you for doing it.

    Clearly I haven't been paying attention....never noticed much more than indifference and I'm in my thirtieth year of city cycling.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  20. Stickman
    Member

    The "reasons for not cycling" table shows that more than more than half the responses are down to unsafe traffic (although the survey bizarrely splits the possible answers into various sub categories).

    A third say it's too far to cycle, but as seen elsewhere the whole of Edinburgh can be covered in 30 minutes.

    I suspect that the responses "prefer to drive/can't be bothered" are under reported.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  21. gembo
    Member

    I have cycled more at the weekend and about the same through the week

    so bit more and somewhere between 6-7000 miles but I am just estimating that.

    Investing in cycling is not enough, need to disinvest in driving (see PS post about parking lots elsewhwere here)

    Vote loser for any party but SNP with big rural commitment least likely to disinvest in driving I fear.

    If the data shows a decrease you are allowed to say it is an increase if you use the word trend - is that right (again all politicians will use that trend)

    Posted 7 years ago #

  22. neddie
    Member

    With respect IWRATS, you are a strapping young lad - I think it unlikely anyone would initiate verbal abuse to you without provocation.

    I can see that it could be very different for a 4'6" female though.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  23. chdot
    Admin

    "If the data shows a decrease you are allowed to say it is an increase if you use the word trend"

    Surely not!?

    Well maybe just for politicians...

    (And Transport Scotland)

    Posted 7 years ago #

  24. Roibeard
    Member

    @IwratS - in thirty years you've never experienced a close pass (physical danger) or a punishment pass (threats)?

    Admittedly I've experienced more when cycling slowly with the kids, even to the extent that oncoming drivers have felt the need to slow down to shout abuse at us for "holding up" someone else!

    However even on my own, with full on vehicular cycling protocols, I've had drivers deliberately or inadvertently aim their vehicles at me, probably once a quarter or so. Currently that's about once every 500 miles.

    Unfortunately after every scare (physical danger) I've taken a more assertive primary at that point to prevent it recurring, which tends to increase the deliberately abusive behaviour (shouting, revving, sounding of horns), but at least few resort to punishment passes.

    Robert

    Posted 7 years ago #

  25. chdot
    Admin

    Does highlight how Edinburgh is different.

    Local conditions, local campaigning.

    Bring on local elections...

    Posted 7 years ago #

  26. Stickman
    Member

    The full statistical tables are depressing. The figures on how often people walk more than quarter of a mile are shocking. Nearly 50% of people don't walk further than that in a week.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  27. chdot
    Admin

    "Nearly 50% of people don't walk further than that in a week"

    Not sure I walk more than 1/4 mile that often!

    Problem is number of people who 'believe' they can't and so 'must drive'.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  28. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    @edd1e_h

    Good point well made. I keep forgetting that aspect.

    @Roibeard

    Rarely, very rarely. Maybe once every couple of years. Don't get me wrong though - sometimes the indifference is murderous indifference.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  29. Ed1
    Member

    So cycling is down 14% year-on-year." Not necessarily, it may be total journeys up, or it may be people taking few longer journeys. It may be there is more miles covered by bikes in 2015.

    Even if bike miles down which at glance this research does not confirm, may not relate to infrastructure could be economics cycle or changes, or as stated weather it may be cyclical.

    Posted 7 years ago #

  30. crowriver
    Member

    "may not relate to infrastructure could be economics cycle or changes, or as stated weather it may be cyclical."

    Fashion cycle? Fixies very trendy a few years ago with young (mostly) males. Similarly "vintage"/Dutch bikes popular with (modestly) young females shortly afterwards. Road bikes very fashionable with middle aged (mostly) males for the past few years. Maybe fashion has moved on? The "trend" for cycling downwards? Skateboards back in style for young (mostly) men? Sports cars back "on trend" for middle aged (mostly) males?

    Cycling "jumped the shark" fashion-wise? Driving back "in"? Could be as superficial as that, could it not?

    Posted 7 years ago #

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