Enabling millions more people to cycle Our strategy for 2018–23
www.cyclinguk.org
Cycling UK Strategy Report 2018
Contents Why we need a new strategy
3
Our theory of change
4
Our purpose
6
Our strategy
7
Our strategy explained How the Board will judge success in 2023
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8-10 11
Why we need a new strategy Cycling UK became a charity in 2012 after 125 years as CTC – The Cyclists’ Touring Club. We have done a lot for cycling, as a club and a charity. We have helped change the law, improved conditions for cycling and inspired and supported people to cycle. We have always been passionate about the potential of cycling to make life better for people.
Only 2% of all trips are taken by cycling
In the early days, we were a lone voice. Today there are thousands of people and communities who share our passion and are making it easier for people to cycle. We are part of a growing social movement. The UK faces huge challenges which more cycling could help fix – air pollution, obesity, poor mental health and traffic congestion. However, despite the efforts and achievements of us and others, cycling levels in most parts of the UK remain stubbornly low. And women, people from a BAME background and people with disabilities are significantly less likely to cycle than white, adult men.
23% of men, but only 12% of women cycle at least once a month
If we are to shift these stubborn statistics upwards, we need a more ambitious purpose and a different strategy. Paul Tuohy, CEO & Dan Howard, Chair
Cycle use in billion vehicle miles 1949–2016 (GB)
Less than 2% of children cycle to school
14 12 10 8 6
Only about 8 million people across the UK cycle at least once a month
4 2 0 1949 1952 1955 1958 1961 1964 1967 1970 1973 1976 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1994 1997 2000 2003 2006 2009 2012 2015
BILLION VEHICLE MILES BY BYCYCLE
16
YEAR
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Cycling UK Strategy Report 2018
Our theory of change There isn’t a single, simple solution to increasing cycling levels. Many things need to be in place – more inspiration and practical support for new cyclists; more and better cycling infrastructure; new laws and better law enforcement; better driver education; and a fundamental change in culture and attitudes towards cycling. Change will happen differently in different places because of widely varying national and local contexts. Some places are moving forward much faster than others. They will provide valuable learning which will encourage others to follow. Lots of actors have a part to play: governments and public bodies need to change and enforce the law, and invest in cycling; the media and celebrities can help change culture and attitudes. However, we believe people are the key to bringing about positive, lasting change. People who are passionate about cycling as a vital ingredient in happier, healthier communities and who are willing to do something about it – by inspiring and helping others, by helping change attitudes, by influencing those with power and funding, and through creating and sharing knowledge.
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Across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, there are thousands of people who are creating and supporting a thriving cycling culture. They are educating, inspiring, influencing and supporting. They get things done through formal or informal community groups; through charities and social enterprises; in their schools and workplaces; in universities and think tanks; or via networks and digital platforms. Some work inside public bodies, others seek to influence them. Together we are an influential social movement. Cycling UK needs to do much more to connect, equip and facilitate this movement, to increase its impact on cycling. That is the most important role we can play in bringing about the change we want to see.
People are the key to bringing about positive, lasting change
Why this change matters Healthier, happier communities
The change we want to see Millions more people cycling
What needs to happen Education, info & advice; behaviour change programmes; more and better infrastructure, better laws and law enforcement; better driver education; culture change
Government & public bodies
Media & celebrities The cycling movement Cycling UK members, volunteers, cyclists, ride leaders, activists, social entrepreneurs, educators, local authority officers, researchers; clubs, social enterprises, independent businesses, community groups and charities
Cycling UK Connect, equip and facilitate the cycling movement
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Cycling UK Strategy Report 2018
Our purpose We are Cycling UK. We believe cycling enriches people’s lives and is an essential ingredient in healthier, happier communities. Our mission is to enable millions more people to cycle We carry out this mission in three interconnected ways.
We connect and equip the cycling movement and enable people to get involved in it
We enable people of all backgrounds to fit cycling into their everyday lives
We influence those with the power to make it easier for more people to cycle
Cycling UK is a membership charity. Members are our lifeblood. They generously gift their passion, camaraderie, knowledge, skills, time and money to the mission.
Come and join us. Everyone is welcome.
Long term success will be when‌
25% 50% of all trips are made by bike
of all children ride to school
25%
80%
of adults cycle for recreation at least once a month
of the population agree cycling is safe
14%
62%
This is big change. Today...
2%
of all trips are made by bike
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2%
of all children ride to school
of adults cycle for recreation at least once a month
of people think cycling on the road is dangerous
Our strategy Grow a bigger, more Improve the way we diverse volunteer network engage with groups
Grow and diversify our income Develop our organisation
Expand our behaviour change programmes
Attract more members and provide more opportunities for members to get involved in the cycling movement
Collaborate more
Influence a wider range of people
Enable millions more people to cycle
Be more responsive to the needs of different places
All our strategies will help to connect and support the cycling movement throughout the UK page 7
Cycling UK Strategy Report 2018
Our strategy explained Attract more members and provide more opportunities for members to get involved in the cycling movement. Cycling UK is a charity which recruits members to support its mission. Members are the lifeblood of Cycling UK. This strategy cannot be delivered without their passion, camaraderie, knowledge, skills, time and money.
We are also aiming to attract more people to become members – particularly women and younger people who can help sustain the charity as our established membership ages.
20% of members are already involved in our work – as volunteer ride leaders, group organisers, local campaigners and online influencers. Our aim is to double that by 2023 by providing more opportunities and support to get involved in Cycling UK’s mission and the wider cycling movement.
Like other membership charities we will continue to offer individual benefits to attract and retain members; but our communications will talk more about membership as a means of supporting our mission, and how to get involved, as well as promoting individual benefits.
Grow a bigger, more diverse volunteer network
Our aim is to have more people volunteering for Cycling UK and for partners in our delivery network. We will: • Continually improve the experience people have when they volunteer in our network – through better systems, communications, support and culture. • Grow the number of people volunteering – particularly attracting more women and people from non-traditional backgrounds. • Better understand who our volunteers are, what they do, what they think and what value they add. And we will share the learning and improve our offer.
Improve the way we engage with groups
Groups are a highly effective way of involving people in the cycling movement and we want to support more groups in more places, to meet a range of interests. We will improve support for groups – Member and Affiliate – and help them recruit and support volunteers. We will establish a small grants scheme to encourage activity supporting our mission. We will encourage and enable more people to join a group that reflects their interests. We will support more groups to form where there are gaps; and encourage diversity in group types and interests. We will simplify and unify our approach to engaging with groups; with common, equitable arrangements across Member and Affiliate Groups.
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Expand our behaviour change programmes
We will expand our behaviour change programmes by: • Partnering with a wider range of organisations, including major charities. • Involving more members and other volunteers in delivery. • Securing new sources of funding, so we can run more sustainable, long term programmes. We will evaluate behaviour change over a longer period, to inform our approach and strengthen the business case for sustained funding. We will empower more people in the cycling movement to support behaviour change through continuing to offer high quality training and development courses for leaders and instructors. Our focus will be on supporting adults and families to cycle more. We recognise Sustrans’ vital role in leading cycling development for children in schools.
Attract more members and provide more opportunities for members to get involved in the cycling movement page 9
Cycling UK Strategy Report 2018
Our strategy explained continued Collaborate more We will behave more as a collaborator, facilitator and thought leader, to maximise the potential of the cycling movement to achieve big change. • We will help people and organisations in the cycling movement to find each other and work together. And we will connect them with the support we offer. • We will adopt a systematic approach to identifying and engaging with partners who share our aims and have strengths which complement our own. This could include organisations specialising in health, young people, sports and recreation – as well as cycling specialists. • We will signpost people to the best information and advice offered by the cycling movement, rather than try to provide everything ourselves; and we will work collaboratively to fill any gaps.
Influence a wider range of people
We will do more to influence the public, employers, and the media – to create a more positive attitude towards cycling. We will make more use of celebrities, role models, social media and events to increase our influence. We will provide more opportunities for members and others in the cycling movement to get involved in our influencing work – by developing a new model for supporting local, volunteer-led campaigning. We will continue to try and influence politicians and public services through policy development and campaigning. We will engage in more strategic, long-term campaigns. We will enable more diverse voices to be heard, especially women and young people – to increase the credibility and impact of our campaigns. We will be thought leaders for cycling – inspiring, developing and sharing innovations with transformational potential.
Be more responsive to the needs of different places
All our strategies will help to connect and support the cycling movement throughout the UK. Our specialist staff resources will focus on the devolved nations, and the places in England where there are the biggest opportunities to make a difference in the next five years. We will co-create a plan for each devolved nation and priority place, with local partners and volunteers; and we will contribute Cycling UK’s resources to its implementation.
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How the Board will judge the success of this strategy in 2023 Cycling UK will be influencing & engaging with many more people
Cycling UK’s work will have contributed to more positive attitudes & support for:
There will be more cycling in all four nations & inequalities will have been reduced
Cycling UK directly influences these results. The CEO is accountable for delivering them.
Cycling UK influences these results directly and indirectly working alongside the wider movement..
These are the changes we hope will result from the strategy. We track them to help judge if the strategy is working but they are not directly in our control.
1 million people will have participated in a behaviour change programme, facilitated by Cycling UK during 2018–23. 100,000 people will be Cycling UK members, donors or supporters; and >90% will be satisfied with their experience. 1,500 groups will be members of Cycling UK. >90% will be satisfied with their experience. The proportion of members actively involved in our work will have doubled from 20% to 40%.
The general public and the media will be more positive about cycling. More employers will be encouraging and enabling their employees to cycle to work. The devolved nations will be making transformational investments in cycling. The priority places in England, targeted by Cycling UK for special attention, will have made transformational investments in cycling.
The membership’s demographic profile will more closely reflect the UK population. Cycling UK’s brand will be known, understood and respected throughout the cycling movement; and with policy makers, funders & influencers beyond the cycling movement.
Cycling UK’s brand will be known, understood and respected throughout the cycling movement; and with policy makers, funders & influencers beyond the cycling movement
The proportion of adults cycling at least once a month for any purpose will have increased from 17% to 25%. (This is the key indicator of whether ‘millions more people are cycling’). Growth will be disproportionately greater amongst groups who are currently under-represented. Group
Now %
All Adults
17
Men
23
Women
12
Asian
10
Black
12
Other ethnic
15
Most deprived quartile
14
Limiting disability
9
The proportion of adults cycling for leisure at least once a month will have increased from 14% to 25%. The % of all trips made by cycling will have doubled in all nations – from about 2% to 4%.
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Find us on: Facebook and Twitter Support Cycling UK | T: 01483 238301 www.cyclinguk.org Cycling UK | Parklands | Railton Road | Guildford | Surrey | GU2 9JX
#GetTheUKCycling Cycling UK is a trading name of Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) a company limited by guarantee, registered in England no: 25185. Registered as a charity in England and Wales charity no: 1147607 and in Scotland charity no: sco42541. Registered office: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, Surrey GU2 9JX.