South Wales Echo: Give cyclists a fairer deal

The Echo today demands a fairer deal for the city’s cyclists with the launch of our Back the Bikes campaign. With Cardiff having one of the lowest rates in the UK for the number of people using bikes, we want to make it easier – and safer – for more people to get on their bikes. As part of our campaign, we want:

- Safer and much improved cycle routes in Cardiff.

- More places for cyclists to park their bikes.

- Easier ways for cyclists to bike into the city.

- More funding from the Welsh Assembly Government to help fund more facilities.

Despite repeated campaigns for drivers to ditch their cars, the number of people cycling in Cardiff is still shockingly low, with the city languishing well below others in the UK. Just 2.7 per cent of people in the city use bikes as a form of travel, with cycling groups citing a lack of safe routes and good facilities for failing to encourage more to travel on two wheels.

Ken Barker, of the Cardiff Cycling Campaign, which is supporting the Echo’s Back the Bikes campaign, said: “Cycling needs to be a priority. “Cycling is a great way of getting around. It’s quick and reliable, and heavy traffic can often be avoided,” he said “But we need direct and convenient routes into and through the city centre, by giving more space for cyclists. We need the support of the Welsh Assembly Government and councils to do this.”

With car parking charges and congestion on the rise, cycling should be the ideal alternative for people living in a busy city. But many routes in Cardiff can be dangerous for people using them. Cardiff has the highest injury rate for cyclists in Wales and is well above the UK average. It seems Cardiff is not geared up for people who want to use their bikes, with many routes full of hazards.

Keen cyclist Dr Dyfed Wyn Huws, from Grangetown, Cardiff, said: “I have spoken to a lot of friends who would like to cycle to work and let their children go out cycling, but they don’t feel it’s safe. If it feels dangerous, people are not going to do it. If you provide proper routes, then people will use them.” The 38-year-old, who works as a GP across the city, added: “Cardiff doesn’t prioritise cyclists at the moment. The cycling facilities on roads are not adequate. Cars park along them and they are too narrow.”

Figures show other cities in the UK are racing ahead with high numbers of people using bikes. In York, a massive 12 per cent of the population are using their bikes, while more than five per cent in Bristol use the environmentally friendly form of transport. John McCrory, of Friends of the Earth Cardiff, said: “To get people cycling, we need the infrastructure first. People need to be able to get around the city safely. Not investing in good cycle paths and smooth surfaces is short-sighted, given that increasing the number of people cycling will reduce congestion, reduce pollution and benefit health.”

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans is in support of our campaign. Vinny Mott, South East Wales area manager, said: “We welcome the Echo’s commitment to championing cycling. More than 60 per cent of journeys in Wales are less than five miles – a realistic distance to cover by bike – yet even for these short trips the car is most often used. By encouraging and enabling Welsh people to cycle more for short, everyday journeys, we can make a real difference to our health and the environment.

“To do this we need continued investment in facilities like cycle parking and routes, alongside initiatives that highlight the health and environmental benefits of cycling.” Nick Canham is a member of Cycle Cardiff, a group for cyclists of all abilities which aims to promote its benefits. He said more needed to be done to encourage people to use their bikes. “Cardiff has good facilities for leisure cyclists, but it isn’t really part of everyday life here. We should be encouraging people to cycle to work, to the shops and in all aspects of everyday life,” he said.

A spokesman for Cardiff council said they were committed to a sustainable transport system. “Cardiff has an abundance of open spaces and parkland accommodating 100km of cycle paths which have been created over the last 10 years,” she said. “The long-term aim is to join up all the different sections around the city doubling cycle facilities to 200km, adding around 8km a year.”

A spokeswoman for the Welsh Assembly Government said: “We are committed to promoting cycling as a healthy and environmentally responsible choice. “We have provided significant levels of funding across Wales to improve accessibility and safety of routes for cyclists to date, and have committed to future schemes that will build on these successes.” katie.bodinger@wme.co.uk