More cycle paths needed to get people out of their cars

Councillors in South Norfolk have called for better cycle path provision, as residents are encouraged to leave their cars at home and take to their bikes more often.

The district’s new Cycling Strategy, approved at a cabinet meeting today, ties in with the Government’s target of doubling the number of trips made by bike between 2002 and 2012. It identifies six objectives to enable more people to use bicycles as a healthy and environmentally-friendly alternative to the car.

Rev Clive Hudson, chairman of South Norfolk’s Environmental Panel, said:

"I often meet people who would like to use a bicycle for shorter trips, but are nervous of riding on the district’s busy roads. This Strategy provides a positive step towards enabling them to convert to this healthy and green mode of transport."

David Willis, who developed the Strategy, said:

"Half of all households are believed to own a bike, yet most personal trips are made by car - even though nearly half of those journeys are less than two miles in distance. With increasing pollution and falling fitness levels, we are keener than ever to help people use this convenient, economic, healthy, fun and environmentally-friendly form of transport.

"Replies we are receiving to a cycling questionnaire on the Council’s website have supported the need for separate cycleways, publicised leisure routes and safe routes to school. Concern about safety is a particular issue: drivers often pass too close to cyclists and at too great a speed. So whilst we also urge drivers to ‘think bike’, our main priority is to maximise the provision of convenient, safe and attractive cycle routes."

To achieve this priority, South Norfolk Council will:

- require developer provision of the necessary links to their developments

protect the land required for the County Cycleway Network

- promote new cycle paths, leisure cycle routes and cycle-friendly facilities such as dropped kerbs and cycle parking

- support the County Council’s ‘Safe and Healthy Routes to School’ initiatives and production of Market Towns Walking and Cycling Strategies

- organise the South Norfolk Cycling Forum and encourage Council staff to ride to work.

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