Spring18 lc combined by London Cycling Campaign

CYCLIST Spring 2018

Your voice for Magazine of the London Cycling Campaign a cycling city MY LIVEABLE LONDON CYCLING HOLIDAYS NEW LONDON PLAN WORKSITE TOOLKIT ECO-FRIENDLY BIKEWEAR DUTCH BIKES

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CONTENTS

32 FEATURES Campaign My Liveable London Bikes Going Dutch: all you need to know Campaign The London Plan’s cycling provision Campaign We need to talk about Westminster... Safety LCC ‘toolkit’ to make worksites safer

08 16 25 32 39

FEATURES

REVIEWS

Travel 42 Riding in style at Eroica Britannia Travel 47 10 tips for planning a cycling holiday Route 54 Exploring the historic Wiltshire downs

Editor’s Choice 07 Four great winter weather-beaters Bikes 50 First of the 2018 longterm test fleet Reviews 52 Environmentally-friendly bikewear

NOTICES & OPINION

MEMBER OFFERS

News & London to Amsterdam Ashok Sinha, LCC chief executive

06 62

Legal advice from Osbornes Get a deal at London’s bike shops

56 57

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CONTENTS

Your voice for

a cycling city Unit 201 Metropolitan Wharf 70 Wapping Wall London E1W 3SS n 020 7234 9310 n lcc.org.uk EDITORIAL Editor: John Kitchiner, londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk Design: Anita Razak Contributors: Ashok Sinha, Fran Graham, Simon Munk, Tom Bogdanowicz, Rob Eves, Sarah Flynn, Stewart Dring

ADVERTISING James Pembroke Media Anna Vassallo, 020 3859 7100 anna.vassallo@ jamespembrokemedia.co.uk

Editorial, copyright & printing policy

ROUTE

08 TRAVELS IN A STRANGE LAND

FACTFILE 44

Avebury Avebury Manor Manor

West Kennet Avenue

In an exclusive extract from his new book, Jack Thurston guides us on an historic route in the Wiltshire downs

rom stone circles and crop circles to prehistoric mounds and white horses, the chalk downs and vast fields of Wiltshire are a mysterious tableau. This beautiful circular route, taken from Lost Lanes West: 36 Glorious Bike Rides in the West Country, starts and finishes in Pewsey — accessible by train from London and Reading. Along the way it reveals legends and myths, architectural interest, industrial masterpieces and even a castle. There’s a little bit of climbing, but luckily the area’s well-served with country pubs and popular cafés.

LCC is a charitable limited company, reg no 1766411; charity no 1115789

Silbury Hill

Oliver’s Castle

COVER: Eroica Britannia, Peak District PHOTO BY: Eroica

British Isles as scholars believe it forms part of the Wessex Ridgeway. It crosses the Kennet & Avon Canal, not so long ago the latest in freight transport technology; after falling derelict it’s now been restored as a tranquil pleasure-boating backwater. This is a landscape where people have long sought to make their mark. The chalk hillside a mile north of Alton Barnes is home to one of Wiltshire’s eight remaining white horses, first carved in 1812. More recently the Barge Inn at

START/ FINISH

Alfred the Great

Flight of locks

54 LONDON CYCLIST Spring 2018

START/FINISH: Pewsey DISTANCE: 44 miles/70km TOTAL ASCENT: 489m TERRAIN: mostly lanes, some unsurfaced tracks and canal towpaths BIKE SHOPS: Pewsey Velo, Pewsey (01672 562264); Bikes and Boards, Devizes (01380 729621)

Honeystreet has become the favoured meeting place for crop circle enthusiasts. Many of the nearby fields have gained global fame, not least the one pictured on Led Zeppelin’s Remasters album cover. For a unique and personal glimpse into the local history of the area, stop off at the quirky little museum curated in their Honeystreet home by local residents Ray and Marie Pope. Archaeologists now believe that whole landscape around Avebury

had ritual significance. On the descent from Pewsey Downs there are good views north to Silbury Hill [2]: the largest prehistoric man-made mound in Europe. Four-and-a-half thousand years old, it was last of the great monuments in the vicinity to be completed. The effort involved is staggering. Digging and piling up the 500,000 tonnes of chalk took an estimated 18 million man-hours — equivalent to 500 people working solidly for 10 years — though experts believe it took more

than a century. It was all done with the primitive tools of the time: deer antler pickaxes, and shovels made from cattle’s shoulder blades. Though the tunnels dug into the hill have revealed much about about its method of construction, its purpose remains a mystery. The approach to Avebury is on the road beside the West Kennet Avenue [3], a ritual path lined with standing stones. Avebury is known as a henge monument: a bank-andditch enclosure where the ditch is on

the inside of the bank. This suggests a ritual rather than defensive function. A medieval monastery and village grew up around the henge, and many of the sandstone megaliths were broken down for their building material. Avebury Manor [4] has recently been reopened by the National Trust. This follows a major renovation to create a sequence of ‘period rooms’ reflecting five decorative styles from the manor’s history: Tudor, Queen Anne, Georgian, Victorian and Art Deco. The Stables gallery contains finds from nearby prehistoric sites, mostly unearthed by Alexander Keiller, the Scottish marmalade heir who lived here as an archaeologist in the 1930s and 1940s. From Avebury the ride follows NCR 403 across the fields to Yatesbury and Cherhill. After crossing the A4, the topography again gets interesting with a climb up the westernmost edge of the chalk downland that stretches all the way across southern England to the White Cliffs of Dover. In 1643 Roundway Down, north of Devizes, was the scene of a bloody battle in the Civil War that saw Royalists rout Parliamentarian forces, killing 600 men and capturing another thousand. The story goes that some

were chased over the steep precipice below Oliver’s Castle [5], a prehistoric hill fort. After descending through the villages of Roundway and Rowde, the ride takes in one of the civil engineering marvels of the industrial revolution. A ﬂight of locks [6] was John Rennie’s solution to getting the Kennet & Avon Canal over Caen Hill. It takes just a few minutes on a bicycle, but more than five hours for a boat to traverse all 29 locks. The ride follows NCR4, first along the canal on the edge of Devizes, then into the Vale of Pewsey for a gentle run along lanes to Woodborough and back to Pewsey.

PUBS & PITSTOPS n The Crown Inn, Pewsey (01672 562653) n The Barge Inn, Pewsey (01672 851705) n The Honeystreet Café, Pewsey (07918 845595) n The Red Lion, Avebury (01672 539266) n The Ivy Inn, Heddington, Calne (01380 859652) n Rowdey Cow Farm Café, Devizes (01380 829666) n The Lamb Inn, Devizes (01380 725426)

n Containing details of 36 great rides in the West Country, Lost Lanes West by Jack Thurston (published by Wild Things Publishing) is available to buy from 8 April 2018. However, signed copies are now available to pre-order from thebikeshow.net/ lost-lanes-shop.

Stonehenge may pull in the crowds but Avebury is the choice of connoisseurs of sacred landscapes. The antiquarian John Aubrey put it this way: Avebury “does as much exceed in greatness the so renowned Stonehenge as a cathedral doeth a parish church”. What’s more, you can touch the stones, and it’s free to visit. The ride starts in Pewsey, beneath the statue of Alfred the Great [1]. Two miles out of Pewsey on the road to Woodborough, stands an unremarkable copse of trees known as Swanborough Tump. Beneath the canopy of ash trees is a prehistoric burial mound. It was here in 871AD that Alfred met his older brother Ethelred, King of the West Saxons, to determine the line of succession should either of them die in the face of Viking attacks. After a series of defeats, Ethelred died and Alfred was crowned. He proved a remarkable leader, defeating the Vikings and expanding his territory. At Woodborough the route turns north towards a line of chalk downs. This quiet country lane is very probably one the oldest roads in the

ROUTE

LCC is not aligned with any political party. All views expressed in London Cyclist are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the editor, nor do they necessarily reflect LCC policy. Editorial content is independent of advertising. All material is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the editor. n London Cyclist is printed by Wyndehams on paper made from 100% FSC sustainably-managed and carbon-balanced forest.

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London Cyclist is published by London Cycling Campaign n Find out more about our aims (lcc.org.uk/strategy) n To become a member (lcc.org.uk/membership) n To make a donation (lcc.org.uk/donate)

CBP0007421307115017

LCC Members’ Legal Helpline

Osbornes Solicitors are the official legal partner of LCC, providing members with exclusive access to a legal helpline. If you’re involved in a collision or have a cycling-related legal issue, phone the Cycling Team at Osbornes for advice on 020 7681 8672.

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NEWS

MAYOR ANNOUNCES NEXT SIX KEY CYCLING ROUTES The Mayor has announced that design work has begun on six of the 25 highest priority routes TfL highlighted in its Strategic Cycling Analysis. The routes, spanning nine London boroughs, have been brought forward following initial conversations between boroughs and TfL. It’s likely that these six have been chosen because they have borough buy-in and viable ‘alignments’ — the precise roads the routes will follow — have been identified. Sources inside the Mayor’s office say 75% of each route will be protected tracks on main roads. “LCC won a promise from the Mayor to triple the amount of protected space for cycling during this mayoralty and commence work

on a safe, city-wide cycling network,” said Fran Graham, Campaigns Coordinator, London Cycling Campaign. “We welcome the announcement of these important new cycle routes as part of that network and look forward to working with TfL and the boroughs to make them a success.” The six routes are: n Lea Bridge to Dalston: 3km linking Waltham Forest’s award-winning mini-Holland Lea Bridge Road tracks to Cycle Superhighway 1 at Dalston. n Ilford to Barking Riverside: 8km linking two outer London town centres and a major growth area, with 10,000 new homes and a new London Overground connection giving access to the Elizabeth line. n Hackney to Isle of Dogs: 8km from

for one another while riding. Most riders meet at a pub near the Dover ferry terminal on the evening before the start of the ride, and travel to the hostel in Dunkerque together. And while most riders take their bikes down to Dover by train, the more adventurous participants will ride from Parliament Square in

London to Dover over two days, spending a night in Whitstable. Even more dedicated riders may attempt London to Dover in a single day. If you’d like to check out the route you can find an online map here — http://zork.net/amsterdam. n For more information on the ride or to register interest, go to lcc.org.uk/londontoamsterdam2018

LONDON TO AMSTERDAM WITH LCC Ever wanted to sample the famed cycling networks of the Netherlands and Belgium for yourself? Then why not join an award-winning ride there this September — and raise money for LCC in the process. The David Eales Memorial Ride is a four to six day group charity ride from London (or Dunkerque) to Amsterdam, taking you through Bruges, Antwerp, Rotterdam, and finally Amsterdam. This year it will take place from 15-18 September, with an optional UK starter segment leaving London on 13 September. You can enjoy 60 miles (about 100km) of Flemish or Dutch

countryside each day, riding at a moderate pace and stopping for lunch and coffee along the way. It’s a great trip for novices too, thanks to the flat terrain and protected space for cycling along the route. In the last three years people have completed the ride on everything from recumbent tricycles to folding bikes, as well as a few Dutch commuter models. Riders organise in groups of four to six, with advice and support from veterans of the ride. Hostels are booked by the groups themselves, and group members perform navigation and logistics

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Some interesting statistics from the UK government’s National Travel Survey (2016)

42% Percentage of UK adults who walk for travel at least once a week

12% Of UK adults cycle for any purpose at least once a week

198/53 In 2016, the average person walked 198 miles and cycled 53 miles

GREAT SAVINGS WITH AN LCC MEMBERSHIP When you join as a member, you support LCC’s work improving cycling across the whole city, in every borough, for everyone. You also get a cracking package of money-saving benefits. These are just a few we’ve added recently…

n People’s Poncho — save 15%. Don’t let the weather stop you riding. Stay dry when you’re out and about this spring with People’s Poncho.

n Klean Kanteen — save 10%. The non-toxic alternative to single-use plastic waterbottles — check out the brushed stainless bottles (right) for use in bottle cages.

n Perky Blenders — save 15%. Individual bags of small batch, specialty-grade coffee. Roasted in east London and delivered to your door.

To see all these offers and more, login at lcc.org.uk/membership. No login details yet? Email membership@lcc.org.uk

n havebike — save 20%. Too busy to visit the bike shop? Havebike will collect your bike, service it and return it right back to you.

NEWS

Hackney to the Isle of Dogs via Canary Wharf, Mile End and Victoria Park. This crosses CS2, and will hopefully be on-road rather than use the far-too-narrow and congested canal towpaths and should link to the proposed Canary Wharf to Rotherhithe bridge and the Greenwich foot tunnel. n Rotherhithe to Peckham: 4km linking Peckham with Canada Water and Surrey Quays developments, plus Quietway 1 and Cycle Superhighway 4. n Tottenham Hale to Camden: this 8km route is set to include seven junctions out of the 73 with the worst safety records identified by TfL, so it’s fairly likely this is a main road route through Holloway and Finsbury Park. n Wembley to Willesden Junction: this will be north-west London’s first major cycle route. The 5km route would connect Wembley, Stonebridge Park and Willesden Junction, and the plan is to subsequently extend it to connect to Cycle Superhighways 9 and 10.

NUMBER CRUNCH

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Weather beaters

ALDI Crane Neoprene Gloves aldi.co.uk

Close-fitting and understated these gloves don’t inhibit gear changes or braking and work well in low temperatures. Like a wetsuit for your hands, they keep digits really toasty, but eventually get clammy and smelly, which is when they’ll need a cold wash. If you see them in one of Aldi’s flash sales, grab a couple of pairs. £9.99. (Martin Williamson)

SHOWERS PASS Crosspoint Socks showerspass.co.uk We’ve long been fans of waterproof socks as they can be worn with pretty much any cycling shoes. The Crosspoints feature three thin layers — a Coolmax wicking liner, Artex waterproof membrane and wear-resistant outer — but they’re not overly bulky or sweaty. Wet feet are a thing of the past. Four sizes and several non-camo colours too. £29. MADISON Sportive Kneewarmers madison.cc Perfect for when you want a bit of extra warmth or wind protection, but don’t want to reach for the full tights or shell trousers, these kneewarmers are made from fleece-backed Lycra, with lighter fabric behind the knee to prevent overheating. Comfy grippers hold them in place and they pack down really small once you’ve warmed up. £24.99. GIRO Proof Overshoes zyrofisher.co.uk A long-time roadie staple, you can now get overshoes for ‘regular’ footwear or mtb shoes with rugged soles. Here the upper is made from water and wind-resistant neoprene, with added toe and heel protectors, and grippy ‘walking pads’. They zip on at the back (a faff at first), but it’s a simple way to stay dry without buying a dedicated shoe. £54.99.

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CAMPAIGN 8 LONDON CYCLIST Spring 2018

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CAMPAIGN

LIVEABLE LONDON Fran Graham outlines the plans for our 2018 local elections campaign, in tandem with London Living Streets

magine a city where it’s enjoyable and safe to walk and cycle for all your local trips, where there are relaxing places outside where you can watch the world go by or chat with your neighbours, and where children can safely roam or ride to school. It would be a city where our families, friends and communities are put first on our streets, and where motor traffic, pollution and congestion don’t dominate our public spaces. A city where everyone can live well, breathe easily, and move around in comfort. It’s a city that many of us have been working hard to build and, because of that, places like this do exist in London. But they are few and far between. Instead, London’s councils are all grappling with illegal air pollution, rising congestion, an increasingly inactive and unhealthy population, and growing isolation in our communities. We need a more liveable London. In the run up to the local elections on 3 May, LCC and London Living Streets are working together to help make this happen. Our campaign — called ‘My Liveable London’ — will challenge councils to reimagine our streets to prioritise people, and make it easier and enjoyable to walk, cycle and use public transport. Repurposing our roads this way can cut rat-running, reduce traffic jams, revitalise high streets and lower air pollution.

It will create more connected, inclusive communities, making it easier for people of all abilities and ages to get around and enjoy our

WHAT THEY SAY Tompion Platt, Head of Policy and Communications at Living Streets: “We are incredibly excited to have Living Streets and LCC members joining forces for My Liveable London. Together with our London Living Streets group, we are teaming up with LCC ahead of the local elections to raise the voice of people wanting a safer and more enjoyable London for people on foot and bike. We know that the needs and demands of people walking and cycling more often than not go hand in hand, especially when it comes to creating less cardominated neighbourhoods. “The Mayor’s Transport Strategy and the ‘Healthy Streets’ concept give us the space to question councils about how they plan to reduce car dominance in their boroughs, and this campaign gives them the tools to do it. Together, we have a powerful voice, one we can use to transform our city.”

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CAMPAIGN

public spaces. We can create places that prioritise our communities, rather than motor vehicles, building a healthier, happier and greener city. CAN WE MAKE IT HAPPEN? The Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) are well aware of the difficulties that councils have been facing, as they have been taking on the same problems at a city-wide level. Since his election, Mayor Sadiq Kahn has sought to reframe how we think about our road network, introducing the concept of ‘Healthy Streets’ — prioritising walking, cycling and public transport over private motor vehicles. This concept is woven into his Mayor’s Transport Strategy, which sets out his vision for London between now and 2041. To set this vision for London off on the right track, the Mayor and TfL have introduced the Liveable Neighbourhood programme — a pot of funding that councils can use to create places where it’s easier for people to choose to walk and cycle, and where car use is reduced. This programme is the updated version of the Mini-Holland programme (introduced by Boris Johnson in response to LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch campaign in 2012). The boroughs that won funding through that programme — Waltham Forest, Enfield and Kingston — have seen huge benefits: less traffic, more vibrant local communities and many more people walking and cycling. The new Liveable Neighbourhood programme will give more boroughs access to smaller pots of

money (£1million to £10million per borough vs £30 million for Waltham Forest’s Mini-Holland), but they will use many of the lessons learnt on these flagship area-wide schemes. The new programme will also be more explicit about the benefits that pedestrians will see. Although the Mini-Hollands were badged as ‘cycling’ projects, it was often missed that they had created a much better environment for people walking around those areas too. SO WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY ASKING? It’s quite simple: we want to see a Liveable Neighbourhood in every London borough. But this won’t happen without your help. With the elections approaching, you have the perfect opportunity to get your future council to commit to bidding for and delivering a high-quality Liveable Neighbourhood scheme in your borough. There is a real risk that too many councils will fail to bid, put in half-hearted bids, or use the money in ways that focus on streetscaping rather than the central issue of reducing motor traffic and providing attractive opportunities to walk and cycle. We need to prevent this from happening and allow the Liveable Neighbourhood programme to be the outstanding success it needs to be. My Liveable London will press councils to create healthier, cleaner, happier communities, and use TfL’s new Liveable Neighbourhood funding streams to transform their boroughs. Make sure your contact details are up to date

TOP: in Hammersmith & Fulham an innovative ‘parklet’ has been used to transform a local neighbourhood (image courtesy of Cyclehoop). ABOVE: reducing through-traffic and creating safer streets encourages more people to cycle or walk, including children.

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CAMPAIGN

(go to lcc.org.uk/in) so that you can be part of this exciting new campaign. NOTE: there are some councils that have already won Liveable Neighbourhood funding (see below), and we’ll be asking these councils to deliver a genuinely high-quality Liveable Neighbourhood. HOW DO I GET INVOLVED? We need as many people as possible to ask their local candidates about Liveable Neighbourhoods in the run-up to the election. This way we can encourage candidates to commit to the pledge, and introduce them to the opportunities and many benefits that come with creating places that put people before motor-traffic. You can get involved by: n Going to lcc.org.uk/LiveableLDN to find out the most up-to-date info on the campaign. n Getting in touch with your local LCC group — they will be able to let you know what they are planning on doing in the run-up to 3 May. n Making sure you are signed up to LCC’s newsletters so we can share info about upcoming events in your area, and the best way to get in touch with your candidates.

WHAT IS A ‘HIGH-QUALITY AND SAFE’ BID? A high-quality and safe Liveable Neighbourhood bid will:

n Continuous footways at the default approach on all side roads.

1) Be highlighted as an area of high walking and cycling potential in TfL’s Strategic Cycling Analysis.

5) Provide physically separated space for cycling on roads with over 2,000 PCU (Passenger Car Unit) of daily motor vehicle traffic and enforcing a maximum 20mph speed limit; and ensuring all side streets are also 20mph and feature less than 2,000 PCU daily.

2) Achieve 60% or more Healthy Street Check scores with no ‘critical issues’ for all schemes. 3) Achieve minimum Healthy Street Check ‘spider diagram’ scores of 60% in the ‘People choose to walk, cycle and use public transport’ category and 60% in the ‘Pedestrians from all walks of life’ categories for all schemes. 4) Provide these minimum standards for pedestrians: n Footways with a Pedestrian Comfort Level of B+ on the TfL scoring system, or 2m clearance (whichever is the greater). n Formal crossings on all arms of key junctions and on important desire lines with maximum pedestrian wait times of 30 seconds.

6) Reduce motor vehicle movements in the area by 10% and reallocate carriageway (including parking) space to active travel modes through wider pavements, bike share, parklets, cycle tracks, seating (which helps people with limited mobility). 7) Have demonstrable potential to improve the lives of a significant proportion of people living, working and passing through the borough with the schemes. For more detail on the policy, go to lcc.org.uk/LiveableLDN

FIRST SEVEN LIVEABLE NEIGHBOURHOODS ANNOUNCED

IMAGE: HawkinsBrown

CC won a promise from Mayor Sadiq Khan to enable every borough to access funding to revamp a neighbourhood on its patch to promote walking and cycling. In response, the Mayor announced a new £114 million Liveable Neighbourhood pot that boroughs can bid into. The first seven boroughs to win Liveable Neighbourhood funding have been announced. Ealing, Greenwich, Hackney, Haringey, Havering, Lewisham and Waltham Forest are each to receive £1.25 million of initial funding to fully work up their proposals. This money is likely to be spent on feasibility work, including potentially traffic modelling, to flesh out and tighten up their bids. If the final bids reach the quality bar set by TfL, the boroughs will get the rest of their money. Here’s a quick look at the magnificent seven in descending order of total bid size: HACKNEY CENTRAL, HACKNEY (right) n Total funding bid for: £10 million TfL had previously put out plans for cycle tracks on Mare Street at Hackney Central (as part of

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CAMPAIGN Quietway 2) which stalled over the question of how to handle buses (apparently). This ambitious new scheme seems to be trying again and is also set to fix three junctions and close the end of Amhurst Road to ‘general traffic’ at one of those junctions, ‘Pembury Circus’. This five-armed junction does need drastic improvement, but how exactly that links into a Mare Street scheme (which is 400m away) remains to be seen. WEST EALING, EALING n Total funding bid for: £8.6 million The Uxbridge Road has long been a congested, dangerous road. The section seeing proposals in West Ealing town centre is near to where Ealing Cycling Campaign recently supported a protest to make the road safer following fatalities. The issue thus far has been squeezing enough space from the section Ealing are bidding on, for buses and cycling and private motor cars. We understand the scheme features both cycling provision on the Uxbridge Road itself and in parallel by fixing local rat-runs. But how good is the main road cycle provision going to be? And is Ealing willing to properly modally filter the rat-runs? ROMFORD TOWN CENTRE, HAVERING n Total funding bid for: £7 million The plan is to tame the ring road by replacing subways with pedestrian and cycle crossings at street level. But given new bus lanes are also on TfL’s potted summary of the scheme, it remains to be seen where people cycling will be able to get to and from with just crossings. CROUCH END, HARINGEY n Total funding bid for: £5.8 million The centrepiece of the bid is freeing the iconic Clock Tower in the middle of Crouch End from a traffic-snarled (but small) gyratory. What remains to be seen is how the scheme will enable the cycle route through Crouch End identified in TfL’s Strategic Cycling Analysis as one of the top potential routes in London. The bid document mentions segregated cycle tracks, but also suggests the main north/south cycle route will dodge the town centre itself via an ‘alternative’ (eg backstreet) route.

vehicles, that’s a very tall order given the space constraints and there’s only a small pot of funding with which to achieve it. DEPTFORD PARKS, LEWISHAM n Total funding bid for: £2.9 million This scheme aims to link cycle routes from north Deptford to CS4 and on to the proposed Bakerloo

line extension at New Cross Gate station. It features a cycle path along the former Grand Surrey Canal that’s currently underused, cycle routes through the park and traffic restrictions plus some junction improvements where this primarily off-road route crosses roads. LCC’s local group, Lewisham Cyclists, has been working with the council on the bid and is continuing alongside DeptfordFolk, TfL and Sustrans to firm up the remaining details. COPPERMILL ‘VILLAGE’, WALTHAM FOREST n Total funding bid for: £2.3 million At the heart of this scheme is Coppermill Lane which leads from Walthamstow High Street to the Lea Valley and Walthamstow Wetlands, and is on the Quietway 2 route to Hackney and on. However, this dead-end road sees heavy vehicles heading to a large Thames Water site on it — so early suggestions it could become a fietstraat or ‘cycle street’ will be interesting to see in detail. Hopefully the scheme will also deal with remaining rat-run traffic problems and some hairy side road junctions in the area left untreated from when Q2 went through here. Get in touch with your local group now to find out how you can help support a scheme in your neighbourhood: lcc.org.uk/localgroups

IMAGES: shutterstock

GREENWICH TOWN CENTRE, GREENWICH n Total funding bid for: £5.4 million Removing the hated Greenwich one-way system, widening pavements and extending CS4 through Greenwich so it can continue on towards Woolwich sounds great. But without a fairly radical reallocation of space away from motor

ABOVE: the one-way system around Greenwich Market sees a constant flow of fast-moving traffic. BELOW: it’s a similar story in Crouch End, with its often gridlocked gyratory around the Clock Tower.

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DUTCH BIKES

Going

DUTCH

We talk a lot about Dutch infrastructure, but we don’t actually see many ‘Dutch’ bikes in London. Katy Rodda explains what to look out for and tests four typical models

hy does half a continent use bicycles that appear practically indistinguishable from each other? Why would we want to use them in the UK? Aren’t they all just heavy and slow? Are they really all the same — and are they even all Dutch? Just a few of the questions we’ll hopefully address here. ‘Dutch’-style bikes originate from the British Safety and Roadster bicycles of the late 19th century, when the ‘diamond’ frame and newly-invented pneumatic tyres combo was found to be exceptionally stable and efficient. Step-through versions, mainly to cater for

women’s skirts but also easier for those finding the top-tube (crossbar) a challenge, soon followed. The classic step-through design with a gently curving upper tube is now fondly called omafiets (‘granny-bike’) in the Netherlands, because it is so comfortable and easy to use. When the 1940s occupying forces took the men’s bikes away, Dutch men just rode women’s bikes instead. Many still do; so while you may see ‘men’s’/‘women’s’ in descriptions, it’s more helpful to think of step-through/step-over. Dutch bikes aim to be reliable, durable and practical, not fast, sporty or, on the whole, obviously innovative. Builders have, however, altered small things over time: for instance, adopting some of the newer hubs that offer up to

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DUTCH BIKES

BATAVUS Personal, £485-£545 amsterdammers.co.uk

n From: the Netherlands n Frame: steel, step-through only n Gears: 3-speed Shimano Nexus hub n Brakes: rollerbrakes n Includes: integrated rear rack, hub dynamo front light, LED rear, integral rear wheel lock, prop stand & coat guard n Weight: 22.5kg

position, nor gears are designed for hills which may be an issue depending on where you live. As a silly personal challenge, we rode the Personal up one of the steepest hills we know and it was unspeakably hard — much, much harder even than on our Brompton. It was just bearable on the easiest hills though. We didn’t find the bike elegant visually, but others liked it.

PROS Riding the Personal was like sitting on a throne. The 26in wheels, with big, smooth-rolling tyres, made for a velvet ride. With a front rack fitted, the Personal is popular in Holland as a light cargo bike and you can also find it for hire in Harrogate and Glasgow stations. It rode very well loaded up and the three standard gears suited the speeds we needed on the flat.

NOTES We owned a Personal for about six months and together we rolled around town, up and down hills, into and out of the wind and rain, over ice, pushing kids, and carting stuff around. For all its ‘cons’ it left a great big Dutch bike-sized hole in our lives when we sold it. We’d definitely consider owning one again as it gave a reliable and luxurious ride. Batavus has a good reputation and does a range of classic steel and more modern aluminium city bikes. The Personal is perhaps best suited to the flatter parts of London and the Thames floodplains.

CONS The strengthening needed for the stepthrough design, plus the chunky wheels, make for a hefty weight. And neither the riding

7 or 8 gears, instead of only three, or the very inexpensive singlespeed; using aluminium instead of steel; and small tweaks to the geometry. Above all, the best still aim for efficiency, which becomes subjective: in the UK, it means set up for speed; for Dutch and other continental city bikes, it means year-round comfort, practicality, and luggage-carrying capability. Many are heavy, but don’t let this put you off; there are lighter models if you have to carry your bike to its overnight storage. DUTCH BIKES IN BRITAIN? The reasons to go Dutch on this side of the Channel are the same as for cycling generally: convenience, cost, air quality, physical and

mental wellbeing, etc. But the stats bear out the stark differences between the two countries. In the Netherlands, nearly 50% of kids go to school by bike; 36% of adults say it is their primary form of transport, and in the 65+ age bracket 25% of journeys are still by bike. Here, fewer than 2% of kids ride to school and only 3% of adults commute by bike (a national figure as figures for London are higher and showing healthy growth). Sure, the Dutch have great infrastructure and they don’t have hills. In fact, a transport planner in Utrecht told us that Dutch people complain about bridges — a fact that would no doubt raise a chuckle from many Londoners. But perhaps we need to show our non-riding friends that riding a

bike does not have to be an extreme sport with endless accessories from sport-focused bike shops and unfathomable online retailers. There are few ‘cyclists’ in the Netherlands. They don’t wear a special Lycra ‘club badge’, or eat and sleep bikes; they just use them to get around. There’s an aisle with basic spares in every local supermarket, though the bikes don’t need many of them. Riding bikes is ingrained in the culture, but it’s not seen as an extreme sport. This is helpful for their campaigners (yes, they do have them) and politicians. There are riders like this in the UK, but there could be so many more. While many ‘Dutch’ bikes are built in the Far East these days, a significant number are still built in Europe. We’ve tested bikes from both

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on a hybrid or mountain bike, but there should be a useful range. Many retailers we’ve spoken to think that asking for a bigger sprocket on the rear hub, which lowers (and widens) the whole range of gears, is an excellent idea. n Weight: some excellent Dutch builders don’t list weight and this is not unreasonable. In our experience, geometry, gearing, and correct tyre choice/pressure will all have a far greater effect on the ride than weight — so focus on the ride and ask for a test. For urban, everyday cycling, the plus sides of these bikes outweigh their heft. Some models have relatively slender, light rims and (puncture-proofed) tyres, while others have wider cruiser-type treads; all are designed to roll with low resistance.

camps, from companies who are still setting standards for this type of bicycle. So, let’s remove the cleats, put away the GPS and performance apps, dig out your normal clothes (if you still own any) and prepare to go Dutch. WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A DUTCH BIKE n Riding position: do you prefer totally upright, or a slight forward lean for more varied terrain? Does the bike feel efficient or

strained on your local hills? Does it roll happily on uneven surfaces like towpaths? How does the handlebar angle affect the ride for you? n Luggage-carrying: some town bikes flex significantly when carrying heavy loads. Look for a ride that’s stable, with a good quality rack. n Brakes & Gears: look for hub brakes and internal gears, for long-term durability. Where brands use rim brakes, try to work out why. The gears will not go as low on a Dutch bike as

UPRIGHT RIDING POSITION Dutch bikes favour a riding position quite like that on London’s Santander cycle hire bikes: you’re not pulling your lumbar muscles out of shape by leaning forward, or stressing your shoulders/neck. You don’t lean on your hands as much, or at all, on some bikes — this can be harder for beginners, as you can’t prop yourself up, but it reduces carpal tunnel strains. Saddles are sprung or padded to take impacts. This regal position is perfect for waving magisterially at gawping crowds, or for eyeballing recalcitrant drivers. It’s more

VSF FAHRRADMANUFAKTUR S300, £915 bikefix.co.uk n From: Germany n Frame: aluminium, step-through only n Gears: 8-speed Shimano Nexus hub n Brakes: Magura hydraulic rim brakes n Includes: integral rear rack, hub dynamo with electronic standlight, prop stand n Weight: 15kg PROS We struggled to fault the S300. It’s built to a very light spec for performance and practicality, yet without compromise as an extremely reliable, convenient run-around. It’s easier to put on than your shoes, ready for any weather with enclosed chain, mudguards, and high quality hub dynamo. The S300 combines a relaxed position with a swift ride and total hill capability — but it’s more upright than a hybrid. It moves well with or without luggage, and the Magura brakes were excellent. The only wear we noted was the pedal treads, chewed up slightly by hardier footwear. Definitely in its element on tarmac, the S300 also fared well on grass tracks and

gentle off-road trails. It’s light to push and carry up stairs as well. CONS We’re still not totally convinced by rim brakes on a bike with a decent hub gear, even if the Maguras are the best rim brakes you’ll ever use. But with performance and reliability as key features, the choice is probably justified here. If you’re buying into this level of efficiency then the odd expensive wheel rebuild to replace a worn rim will not worry you. NOTES We’ve only seen VSF Fahrradmanufaktur at Bikefix in Holborn where they’ve sold the brand for 15 years — the manager said we’d never want to ride another bike after this. It’s certainly a real thoroughbred of the town and would fly on commutes of up to 10 miles or more. (NB — we tested the 2017 model which has been largely unchanged for about a decade, but the new 2018 model has undergone considerable changes).

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comfortable for nervous riders than hunching over dropped bars, because you can look around more easily. And while we’ve found that most upright Dutch-style bikes are hard work on even moderate climbs, a little tweak to the set-up can make tougher hills possible. We’re told that UK riders do not generally get on with heavily curved, backswept handlebars (often 90-degrees on Dutch bikes); the sweep on most Dutch-style bikes sold here is more like 50-degrees. However, if you look at the number of people regularly riding on the ‘hoods’ or ‘drops’ of their road bikes, clearly more people are used to a 90-degree hand position than you’d think (albeit in a more sporty riding set-up). Some Dutch models are available only with ‘step-through’ frames, while others offer ‘step-over’ variants. This is not the same as women’s-specific geometry (WSG). On some models the position can vary considerably between these two options, but it’s not really the same kind of gender-based design. STOPPING POWER The lightweight disposable calipers, cantilevers and V-brakes used for everyday riding in the UK need cables adjusting and blocks replacing regularly. They all work by clamping a pad (block) onto the moving rim of the wheel. Gradually, especially if you ride in all weathers, successive pads wear the rims and eventually you’ll need a new one — this can mean a costly wheel rebuild. Disc brakes on the other hand are super-effective, increasingly lightweight, great for stopping a 14-stone human rocket down a steep hill, but possibly OTT for commuting — and they still need maintenance. Continental city bikes use rollerbrakes as standard (though some are beginning to use disc brakes as they are lighter). Components and braking surface are all shielded internally around the hub of each wheel. They weigh more, and while they are as strong, they are not quite as immediate as V-brakes or disc brakes. But as long as you’re not out for a PB on your commute, they work fine. They take ages to wear out, require minimal servicing, and are unaffected by rain. You may also find coaster (back-pedal) brakes for the rear wheel, particularly in Denmark or Sweden. It’s also a heavy item and you’ll need to get into good habits with your pedal position when you stop, but they’re very durable and consistent regardless of wet conditions. Some people don’t get on with them, but we’re fans. GEARS & CHAINS While derailleur-based drivetrains are the standard on most sport and recreational bikes,

GAZELLE Heavy Duty, £649-£729 flyingdutchman.bike IMAGE TO COME

n From: the Netherlands n Frame: aluminium, step-through and step-over available n Gears: 3 or 7-speed Shimano Nexus hub n Brakes: rollerbrakes n Includes: integral rear rack, hub dynamo front light, LED rear, integral rear wheel lock, double prop stand nW eight: 22.8kg PROS The Heavy Duty is a good-looking bike from Gazelle’s ‘contemporary’ range. We liked the metal mudguards and were immediately converted to the wide double-kickstand. It also has a steering lock set into the headtube to stabilize the bike when parked. The wider rims and tyres gave a more secure ride than the S300 on light trails and towpaths, gearing limitations aside. Despite its weight, we didn’t feel it was too cumbersome when lifted up a short flight of stairs.

CONS In spec and riding position, the Heavy Duty was similar to the Personal, but although aluminium instead of steel, it is actually 300g heavier. We felt it was less responsive on our best test hill and we’d opt for steel for just a little more spring in the ride. Testing the 3-speed model, we missed smaller gear increments and would think the 7-speed model to be better all-rounder in the UK. NOTES Gazelle’s brand is synonymous with Dutch bikes and the company produces a wide range of bikes for urban riding. They also offer e-bike versions of all their contemporary bikes, which are well worth a try if you have money and storage. And we’d also recommend checking out the two small innovations that Gazelle has incorporated into its other contemporary bikes: headset suspension (like seatpost suspension) and adjustable stems.

the same’s not true for Dutch bikes. The slipping and crunching of chain moving across cassette causes wear and requires regular maintenance and replacement. Debris from the road grinds up all the moving parts, also making the back end of your bike a sticky mess and generally disappointing your wardrobe. The rear derailleur in particular is vulnerable to knocks: previously perfect gears suddenly won’t work because someone has parked clumsily next to you, or your bike has fallen over. Contrast this with the hub gears used on Dutch bikes; here all the cogs are contained inside the rear hub, protected from the weather, knocks and scrapes. You change gear when you’re not pedalling (which is handy when you’ve stopped at a light in a high gear). Slowing down approaching a junction, but still pedalling to change down? Not any more. It’s almost one

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movement: stop pedalling, flick shifter, start pedalling again. You’re never caught out straining in too high a gear, unable to change down. Admittedly you don’t get as many gears, as a rule — up to 8 in a Shimano Nexus hub, 11 in Shimano Alfine, while Rohloff goes up to 14 (at a whopping price tag) — but the range is pretty wide. With just one rear sprocket and one chainring, the chainline is constant and always runs straight, so chains hardly ever need replacing. Chains will often be completely enclosed in a chainguard too, protecting it from dirt, minimising rust and keeping grease away from your clothes. RACKS, LIGHTS & EXTRAS In the UK, pannier racks are usually afterthoughts — bike brands and shops sell them as accessories, rather than fitting them as standard to commuting bikes. However, Dutch bikes aren’t just designed for racks, most also have integral bungee cables so that you can carry that unexpectedly large package home safely. They are serious about front racks too. Dutch kids stick cheap plastic crates on these for their schoolbags. Dutch bikes also come with integral lights, so you’re never caught short. Better models use a low-resistance hub dynamo, powering front and rear ‘standlights’. Muck-free comfort is critical for about-town convenience and the most practical Dutch bikes also feature ‘coat guards’ (wrapping mudguards) over the back wheel, much like the Santander hire bikes. Dutch offices don’t have showers, so staying clean is a priority. KEEPING YOUR BIKE SAFE Many Dutch bikes have a small built-in rear wheel lock to discourage opportunist theft on short stops. You’ll still need a main lock, but this saves carrying a secondary lock too.

PILEN Lyx £630-£795 flyingdutchman.bike

n From: Sweden n Frame: steel, step-through or step-over n Gears: various, including 3, 7 or 8-speed hub gear options n Brakes: rollerbrakes (coaster brake option) n Includes: steel rear rack, hub dynamo front light, rear ‘auto’ LED, integral rear wheel lock, chainguard (half-covered) n Weight: 20kg PROS This bike looked big and felt big, but the ride was tight and contained, hands falling into place easily on the angled bars. Fat Frank tyres and substantial wheels were fabulous over London’s pitted roads, likewise the Brooks saddle which wasn’t even broken in. It gave an efficient, purposeful ride around town. It handled climbs — whether stood up or seated — really well, even on unpaved surfaces and grassy stretches. You couldn’t exactly call it ‘off-road performance’, but it’s fair to say the Lyx handles well enough to enjoy what it can do within the Fat Franks’ limitations.

CONS Compromising on components to hit a price point is understandable, but we’d always prefer a good quality dynamo with standlights instead of the halogen and rear batteryoperated LED. The bar grips are pretty basic too, though we found them extremely comfortable. It also has only a partial chainguard, so there’s still a chance of catching or soiling your trouser legs. You can service your chain easily if it’s exposed, but the downside is that you will definitely need to. If pothole absorption isn’t high on your list, you may also long for lighter wheels. NOTES It is easy to see why Flying Dutchman enthuses about Pilen bikes and the Lyx is visually delightful. Ignore ‘men’ and women’ categorisations and try out step-over and step-through (where both are available) to see what the ride is like. The step-through Lyx was a more relaxed ride, but we personally found the step-over more to our liking — taste is clearly personal though.

OTHER DUTCH-STYLE BIKES TO CHECK

ABOVE: the integrated rear wheel lock on a Dutch bike.

‘Proper’ (cheaper) Dutch bikes include Pointer, Union and Cortina. Danish brands don’t seem to export, but you may stumble across a Kildemoes. The closest UK specialist

manufacturer is Pashley, which certainly deserves a good look. Bromptons are designed with a nod to Dutch style, with hub gears, mudguards, rack and dynamo options — though the ride feels skeletal after a Dutch bike. Our thanks to Bikefix and Flying Dutchman n in London, and Amsterdammers in Brighton, for the test bikes.

IMAGES: Simon Russell, Katy Rodda

Gazelle and Batavus form the majority of bikes in the Netherlands, but there are others. Workcycles bikes are outstanding; check out the Secret Service, comparable to the Pilen Lyx with a higher spec. Connoisseurs like Koga, though they tend to be a more hybrid style.

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ycling is growing fast. But at under 3% of all London journeys, it’s still a case of unfulfilled potential. But what if cycling’s ‘mode share’ was to rise to 15%? That’s a scenario presented in an appendix to the draft Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS) — and, if you do the maths, it’s also an approximate projection of the average cycling growth rate (approximately 6% per annum) through to 2041. If achieved, it would contribute substantially to

the headline 2041 mode share target in the MTS and repeated in the Mayor’s new (draft) London Plan: 80% of trips by public transport, cycling and walking, instead of the current 62%. And a 15% cycling mode share would also help address a lot of health, congestion and air quality issues. But are the London Plan and its sister document the MTS up to the task of delivering the Mayor’s vision of a capital — whose population is expected to increase by 25% by 2041 — in which car journeys are expected to fall from current levels by 3 million per day?

IMAGE: TfL

Tom Bogdanowicz assesses whether the Mayor’s new London Plan goes far enough on its ambitions for cycling and walking

CAMPAIGN

LONDON PLAN: DOES IT DELIVER?

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CAMPAIGN Keeping London moving The London Plan — written afresh by every London mayor — is the defining document for all planning in the capital, setting the framework for all spatial development including housing, retail, education, business and leisure for the next 25 years. To quote the Mayor: “It shapes [Londoners’] lives on a daily basis.” The Plan’s 109 policies, are expected to be “part of every borough’s development plan”. Basically, boroughs are expected to contribute to the delivery of the London Plan through its incorporation into their own local planning documents. If borough documents don’t pass muster, the Mayor can take local authorities to task and ultimately withhold TfL funding. Housing is, as often emphasised by Mayor Sadiq Khan, a key issue in the London Plan, but the document recognises that developments, whether of homes or workplaces, need to cut rather than boost car use. It states: “As the population grows, a fixed road network cannot absorb the additional cars that would result from a continuation of current levels of car ownership and use. Implementing the [reduced] parking [for cars] standards in this Plan is therefore an essential measure to support the delivery of new housing across the city. “A shift from car use to more space-efficient travel also provides the only [Ed: our italics] long-term solution to the road congestion challenges that threaten London’s status as an efficient, well-functioning globally-competitive city.” This is a clear shift from the stance taken by

MAIN IMAGE : the front cover illustration of the new London Plan is what we’re calling Where’s Wally’s Car? TOP LEFT & RIGHT: a shift away from car use to cycling and walking is central to the mayor’s plan; two artist’s impressions show how key streets could be transformed.

previous mayor Boris Johnson who, while supportive of cycling, stopped short of prescribing a London-wide reduction in car use. Like Johnson’s (and Ken Livingstone’s before him) target of 5% of all trips to be by bike by 2026, Mayor Sadiq Khan’s target of 80% noncar travel by 2041 is an essential element of keeping London moving: if motoring grows in line with population growth (from 8.7 million residents today to 10.5 million in 2041) then the

capital faces “gridlock”, to quote a senior TfL officer. So quite aside from the health benefits of cycling to the population (currently only 34% of us report getting the NHS recommended 20 minutes of brisk walking or cycling per day), and the gains in air quality from a switch from cars to bikes (collectively road transport, including freight, accounts for 50% of NOx

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cycling environment. To be attractive to businesses and their workers, a modern city can no longer be a concrete jungle intertwined with highspeed roads. Instead it needs a people-friendly environment with good public transport links, attractive public spaces and a network of high grade cycle routes. The same TfL ‘scenario’ that considers a 15% cycling mode share estimates that it will result in a 13% reduction in congestion — and a reduction in car trips of 1.2 million per day (more than a third of the 3 million the Mayor wants to see). While reaching 15% may seem a radical change for London, it’s still well below Amsterdam (35%) or Copenhagen (30%) and comparable to cycling mode shares in Tokyo (16%) and Munich (14%) .

Car-free developments Limits on car parking are where the Mayor’s aim of reducing motoring is most evident in the Plan and where it is, arguably, most radical. Where the last London Plan mentioned ‘car-free’ only once, the

IMAGES: GLA, TfL

pollutants according to TfL), we need the switch away from more motoring to stay in business. As support from more than 180 employers for the East-West Cycle Superhighway showed, businesses are well aware of the need for a better

Developments & road schemes Declaring himself in favour of reducing car dependency and boosting public transport, walking and cycling (PTW+C) Sadiq Khan, in his London Plan, makes repeated reference to promoting and designing for PTW+C use — rather than cars — in all new developments. That explicitly includes developments for housing, transport hubs, sports facilities, health centres and offices.

So to satisfy a local authority and the Mayor, a private developer may have to limit car parking spaces to those for people with disabilities, provide sufficient cycle parking and make a financial contribution to improving local cycling and walking routes or building a bus stop. Local authorities, for their part, are expected to back a range of cycling schemes in the public arena. The Plan mentions cycle network and cycle hire development, several walking and cycling bridges — Battersea to Fulham, Nine Elms to Pimlico and Rotherhithe to Canary Wharf, plus a North Greenwich to Canary Wharf ferry —as well as ‘walk and cycle to school schemes’ and banning the most dangerous HGVs. Whereas the London Plan is terse on cycle routes, TfL’s five-year business plan provides more background on upcoming Mayoral projects, specifying four Cycle Superhighways to be progressed (CS4, CS9, CS10 and CS11) with a further four unnamed ones to follow. The catch to the aspirations in the Plan, and the specifics in the Business Plan, is that implementation can be arduous: all four of the named Cycle Superhighways have run into problems, and a Mayor focused on housing may be reluctant to enter into debate over specific cycle routes, even if the failure of these routes to be delivered undermines his own long-term plans for the capital.

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CAMPAIGN new one refers to it a dozen times. In central London, residential, office and retail developments will all have to be car-free, aside from disabled spaces. Even in inner London, areas with good or reasonable access to public transport developments are expected to be car-free. In cities with high cycling levels like Amsterdam and Tokyo, academics invariably note that high car parking charges or restrictions encourage cycle use because it’s cheaper or more convenient. Cycle parking A standard task of the London Plan is to define the minimum standards for cycle parking (which developers invariably treat as their maximum). While cycle parking may be dull, its proliferation is essential if we are to see the 45% increase in cycling over the next five years targeted in the TfL business plan. The good news is that provision in new central office developments has been raised as has that for smaller flats (in part thanks to effective LCC lobbying). For existing premises, however, whether they are homes, workplaces or shops the (draft) London Plan offers no solution. Under Johnson around 20,000 bike spaces were installed per year. It’s evidently not enough (Hackney has a 5,000 person waiting list for bikehangars) especially if cycling grows at the 2016 rate of 8.8% per annum.

say is essential to keep cities like London moving has faltered, with former mayor Johnson scrapping the western extension to the CCZ and Sadiq Khan not proposing any road charging schemes (aside from the T-charge and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)) in this mayoralty. Although car use fell in London over the decade to 2015, it rose 1.6% in 2016, helped by economic growth. Dynamic road pricing — which varies the price to use the roads according to time of day and location — would likely reverse that upturn and lay a base for realising the London Plan ambitions. Final word The single biggest positive is that the new London Plan explicitly seeks to reduce car use. Instead of

trying to ‘balance’ the needs of all road users it recognises a hierarchy where active travel and public transport are prioritised over motoring because it’s the “best use of land”, as well as healthier and cleaner. LCC has long championed this common-sense argument. The 25-year Plan does propose to limit car parking growth but it doesn’t move forward on road pricing in the short term. Charging could free up road space which could then be used more efficiently, notably for sustainable transport modes (which are strongly supported in the Plan). It also encourages people to look for alternatives to motoring. High-grade cycle infrastructure can deliver high cycling volumes, as seen in Holland and on our own Cycle Superhighways, but it is often constrained by a reluctance to reallocate road space. The political will to deliver — at both city-wide and local level — has to go beyond the words of the London Plan and translate into on-street outcomes. Sadiq Khan, in his foreword, declares the London Plan is different from its predecessor’s and is a plan of action rather than the “sweeping statements of ambition” of old. Action is indeed what London needs; to paraphrase, the proof of the planning is in the pedalling.

IMAGE: TfL, Tom Bogdanowicz

Road pricing The elephant in the transport chapter of the London Plan is road pricing. Hunt around and you will find a reference to road pricing stating that “existing schemes [to be] reviewed” in 2018-20 and “next generation charging (subject to further assessment)” planned for 2022-41 (Table 10.1 page 407). However the rest of the document is silent about what must surely be an essential element of any long-term plan to cut car use. Congestion charging reduced car journeys in central London by around 20% (it’s built up since), and saw a one-third increase in cycle journeys into the central area. It was only after the visible spurt in cycling growth that thenmayor Ken Livingstone chose to substantially increase the cycling budget and incorporate a 5% cycling mode share (more than double the rate at the time) into his business plan. However, the political appetite for the road pricing that most academics and transport experts

ABOVE: linking up busy ‘hubs’ in outer London will create a more connected, efficient and healthier city. LEFT: office and residential cycle parking solutions.

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Design: wemadethis.co.uk

KEEP CENTRAL LONDON CYCLING

PLEASE DONATE NOW

LCC urgently needs to raise ÂŁ15,000 for imminent campaigning work in central London. Changes to the layouts of several important roads and major junctions are in development at the same time. Together, they could define travel in central London for years to come. We need your support to ensure we get the best outcome for cycling on each and every one of them.

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PLEASE DONATE NOW: ONLINE lcc.org.uk/heart BY PHONE 020 7234 9310 BY POST Send a cheque payable to LCC to: London Cycling Campaign Heart of London Appeal Unit 201 Metropolitan Wharf Building 70 Wapping Wall London E1W 3SS

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We need to talk about...

WESTMINSTER

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Cycling and Westminster are two words that don’t sit easily at the moment, with one contentious issue following another, as Simon Munk explains

of people who work and commute into central London daily; more than anyone, it has huge negative consequences for those residents who live in central London. Well over 80% of Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea and City of London residents are exposed to levels of pollution above the EU limits. Enabling far too many people to drive to and from work in central London daily, into constricted and dense streets — and, in the case of Westminster, being far too reliant on charges for visitor parking also on evenings and the weekend — imposes a huge burden on the very residents councillors are meant to represent. Private cars, as well as taxis and the increasing numbers of private hire vehicles (which, alongside taxis, often drive around empty) cause huge amounts of congestion and pollution in central London. But they also risk collisions, add to climate change, and by ensuring streets remain blocks to walking and cycling, increase inactivity. Councils like Westminster are actively fighting for more of this, instead of more walking and cycling. Westminster is not just acting against the needs of its residents, but is also increasingly out of line with its business community too. We’ve spoken to numerous property developers in the area, including large estates, who have repeatedly asked Westminster Council to drop its requirement for car parking in new developments in favour of more cycle parking, showers and other cycle-friendly facilities — but they’ve been rebuffed. And Westminster Council is also out of step with its own business and development community on key schemes such as Oxford Street. Westminster, is simply the worst of the central London boroughs that, by its actions, can only be described as hostile to cycling. That is why it

IMAGE: cyclehoop

hy is it that outer London boroughs such as Waltham Forest, Enfield and now possibly Croydon are able to bring forward radical, brilliant schemes for cycling, but in our historic, iconic city centre the car firmly remains king, with no sign of it being dethroned? It makes no sense — and seems related to the unique make-up of London, politically. The heart of London is ailing — despite huge changes to mayoral priorities and huge population growth, our city centre is a horrible place to walk and cycle, and getting worse. And because central London is not only where we see the highest flows of cycling, where most of our cycle commute journeys start and end, it’s also where conditions for cycling could, should (and will) be far better. But they’re often far worse. So it’s absolutely vital we retain some focus on central London. Of the central London boroughs, Camden and Hackney, fairly obviously, have delivered great results for cycling. And there are good signs that the City of London, Islington and Tower Hamlets are shifting positions to be more positive about cycling, while Southwark and Lambeth are sporadically okay. But Kensington & Chelsea, Wandsworth and, above all others, Westminster? You’d be forgiven for thinking they actually want to discourage cycling. It’s primarily councillors in these boroughs that are failing to shoulder their responsibility to their residents — and all Londoners. Yes, some of their residents will own cars and be angry about any perceived loss of driving amenity. But those residents and their councillors are failing to understand that not embracing cycling doesn’t just have negative consequences for the millions

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takes up so much of our campaigning effort. But the scale of our challenge is huge: that is why we’ve launched our Heart of London appeal (lcc. org.uk/heart). Because we urgently need to get the resources to tackle the attitudes to cycling in this borough head on. For the sake of its residents, but also for the sake of the far larger number of employees (as well as visitors, tourists etc) who won’t cycle in, or through, or to the middle of London because it’s so hostile.

11 things Westminster’s got wrong recently Except this time, they simply discounted all responses from those who were pro-cycling, and went on to spin ‘critical fails’ on TfL’s Cycling Level of Service tool as being not their responsibility. The scheme is currently being built — and while improving matters for those walking, ensures that north of the west end of Oxford Street will remain hostile and dangerous for cycling for decades.

weaken TfL’s plans for parallel provision for cycling before they’ve even been published for consultation. These routes will be vital if we’re to avoid widespread ban-breaking cycling on Oxford Street (if the ban does go ahead), and if the West End is to become a more cyclefriendly area. BAKER STREET PROJECT Westminster has fought long and hard, often against the interests of not just cyclists but its own residents, to deliver its vision for Baker Street and Gloucester Place. The first proposals were roundly attacked for offering nothing, and possibly increasing dangers, for cycling. So Westminster re-ran the consultation improving things for residents with cars, widening pavements (which is welcome) and still doing nothing for cycling (apart from arguably making some junctions even worse).

CYCLE SUPERHIGHWAY 11 TfL’s proposal to close four of the eight gates in Regent’s Park (pictured top) really has nothing to do with Westminster. It’s not their land, their gates, or their roads. But because some residents were worried about displaced traffic (that could be dealt with by extending the scheme), Westminster Council has tried to weaken the scheme by opposing the gate closures, and fighting to avoid putting cycle tracks on Portland Place. This would effectively mean that CS11 never reaches the West End.

IMAGE: Kennington People on Bikes

OXFORD STREET (above) The iconic shopping street currently has more than 5,000 people cycling along it daily. While removing motor traffic from the street is absolutely essential, the question is whether cycle traffic should similarly be removed, due to concerns over the sheer weight of pedestrians at some points in the day — most notably the evening rush hours — once the Elizabeth line is in operation. TfL engineers have their concerns, but it appears to be Westminster Council that has pushed for a blanket ban on cycling on the street, with no alternative routes provided, which we oppose as it will create huge barriers to cycling in the area — particularly for those unable to easily mount and dismount their bike, and it will also make last-mile cycle deliveries very difficult too. Westminster also continues to strive to

LAMBETH BRIDGE TfL has been trying to wrestle a scheme to the table to improve two of the most dangerous roundabouts for cycling in London for years — at either end of Lambeth Bridge. Last year, early on in Walking & Cycling Commissioner Will Norman’s reign, they finally got a scheme for both roundabouts (and tracks on the bridge) to public consultation. The northern roundabout is in Westminster. And Westminster ward councillors and the council leader pushed residents to oppose the scheme because of (i) a palm tree in the middle of the roundabout, and (ii) worries about some traffic using residents’ streets to avoid banned turns. In other words, an unwillingness to filter residential streets and protecting a palm tree trumps making one of the most dangerous roundabouts in London safer for cycling.

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But sustained pressure from London Cycling Campaign and others appears to have paid off. At time of writing, Westminster’s cabinet lead for Highways has confirmed that the council cannot stand in the way of the four gate closure plan moving forward. CYCLE SUPERHIGHWAY 5 Built from just over Vauxhall Bridge (pictured right) and linking into further plans to radically improve the gyratory, CS5 stops just over the bridge — but it wasn’t meant to be like that. It is meant to continue through Belgravia. WATERLOO BRIDGE The northern end of Waterloo Bridge was briefly labelled a Quietway, theoretically linking the filter at the end of Bow Street to the quiet route on Upper Ground. The problem? There were no cycle tracks, no speed controls, nothing on a very busy bridge. Just a few ‘Q’ logos. Recently the ‘Q’ logos were scrubbed off. CENTRAL LONDON CYCLING GRID The Grid was originally meant to be a dense network of safe cycling routes — the kind of thing you’d expect to see in many cycle-friendly cities. And to be fair to Westminster, they’re far from the only central London borough to turn out something utterly useless instead. However, special brickbats to Westminster for proposing cycle contra-flow routes down narrow, congested and often fast and aggressive taxi runs such as Wardour Street, with no parking removals and no protection. SUSSEX GARDENS Sussex Gardens is a section of Grid/Quietway route with high volumes of fast-moving motor traffic. Westminster Council repeatedly tried to wriggle out of providing any safe cycle provision here. Despite over 90 percent of respondents to their consultation saying they wanted the proposals (including segregated tracks) and half of all respondents specifically asking for cycling “segregation… from the main carriageway”, and Westminster only receiving 12 objections, the decision was to swap physical segregation for ‘buff-coloured strips’. The reasoning? “Maintaining flexibility… to accommodate… kerb-side works, public events and traffic diversions. Furthermore, in the long term, should the introduction of the cycle lanes lead to unacceptable and chronic levels of congestion [research shows they don’t], they would be much easier to remove.” BIKEHANGARS While other boroughs have hundreds of hangars already installed and thousands on the waiting

lists for spaces, Westminster recently trialled two hangars — with officers recommending opposing their installation, and any such installation only being on a temporary basis. WALKING STRATEGY The last time we saw Westminster’s ‘walking strategy’ it mainly consisted of the odd play street or car-free day, with pictures of kids in high-vis walking places, and promotion of lower pollution parallel routes away from the motor-dominated roads that Westminster doesn’t want to touch.

Cycling Commissioner to use every tool at their disposal to move Westminster on. Westminster shouldn’t be able to constantly act against making London walking and cycling-friendly, and certainly shouldn’t expect any TfL funding when it fails to embrace the Mayor’s Transport Strategy principles and aims. And Westminster should not be able to maintain the car dominance on the rest of its patch because the Mayor wants Oxford Street done. True leadership on central London is long overdue.

ONE-WAYS WITHOUT CONTRA-FLOWS Against its own policy, Westminster has of late been introducing new one-way roads in the borough, without providing any contra-flow for cycling facility. WHAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN NEXT... We want Westminster to show some leadership and prioritise the health and amenity of its residents and the people who work there and pass through. Just because a noisy, wellresourced minority of residents loves its cars — and Westminster loves its visitor parking charges — doesn’t mean encouraging car driving in central London makes good sense, particularly when it costs walking and cycling for all so much. We also want the Mayor and his Walking &

n To find out more about our Heart of London campaign and to make a donation, please visit lcc.org.uk/heart

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NEW TOOLKIT BUILDS SAFETY INTO SITES Stewart Dring looks at the work being done to make the streets around London’s construction sites safer for both cyclists and pedestrians

elays to your journey by temporary roadworks and cycle path diversions are an ongoing feature of London life. Which is why LCC has been working with TfL and the construction industry to minimise these disruptions. The city is going through massive upheaval — cranes constructing new office blocks are now a permanent fixture on London’s skyline and more than 70,000 new homes are being built in Tower Hamlets and Newham alone. The number of worksites and temporary diversions can mean popular cycling and walking routes are changed, often for many years. If closures of footpaths and cycleways, removal of public space and the diversions are not done well it will discourage walking and cycling. The focus for LCC has been on safety, with HGVs — particularly construction vehicles, skip lorries and tipper trucks — being responsible for approximately half of the cyclist deaths in London and also a major cause of pedestrian deaths (roughly 20%). Additionally, we have been looking at new and innovative ways of designing worksites to make sure they do not discourage cycling or walking, and can contribute to the mayor’s Healthy Streets programme. Worksites are complex entities, with multiple contractors and sub-contractors who change as the site moves through different phases — demolition and clearance, digging basements and muck away, construction and final fitting out. And the approach that developers and constructors take varies from site to site. Sites vary in their design and consideration of people who walk or cycle too — this can be a major issue if the worksite

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CAMPAIGN impacts on a Cycle Superhighway or main pedestrian route, especially on long-term projects. There has been good progress on working with construction logistics, via CLOCS (see London Cyclist, Spring 2017), and the Considerate Constructors Scheme has improved the way sites look and the way they operate. However, there is still a gap in making sure people who walk or cycle face the minimum disruption. This is to do with lack of guidance within the construction industry, although there is an appetite from some companies to improve this.

Cyclists’ cycle patrols that run through proposed traffic management schemes with cyclists and pedestrians to test them. TfL’s Michael Barratt, who has been driving this innovation, has recently been awarded an MBE for his efforts and has been working with LCC to test new approaches. TOOLKIT READY TO ROLL We have worked with Cadent to provide temporary road surfaces to keep Cycle Superhighways open during rush hour. Rosehill is testing temporary segregated cycle lanes on Nine Elms, and we’re working with Rediweld and Canary Wharf Group on a new type of rumblestrip to slow cyclists down around worksites. The new toolkit — with the help from Tideway, McGee, Team Flo, Alandale, Erith and A Plant — is now ready to be rolled out. We want to expand it to more sites, work with councils such as Tower Hamlets where a massive amount of house building is happening, and scale it up. We are looking for more funding to do this and would be keen to explore more ways of working with the construction industry. n For more information, contact LCC’s Projects team at cyclingprojects@lcc.org.uk

PHOTOS: Tom Bogdanowicz

WORKSITE CHAMPIONS Some companies have proactively tried to make improvements although there is no industry-wide guidance to support them. LCC would like to see this good practice documented, good companies rewarded and the standard raised across London. The aim is to make the experience for those who walk and cycle at least as good during the construction phases as it was before. Often schemes are designed without looking at what people actually do — long waits or taking people away from ‘desire lines’ often means that people stop following the rules in place.

Sometimes a temporary scheme and signage can be so confusing that people don’t know where to go. Other times they can face an obstacle course of poor surfaces, ramps, width restrictions, and exposure to fast-moving traffic. And it all becomes even harder if you have a disability. Londoners can be an impatient lot, but if crowds and traffic near worksites aren’t managed effectively, safety and efficiency issues can arise. Managing a worksite in central London is difficult enough and if systems are designed badly they are expensive and difficult to change. For instance the recent hoardings and signage on Cycle Superhighway 2 unintentionally led pedestrians into the cycle path — if the plans were checked with people who cycle and walk in that area then they could have been designed differently (LCC has now worked with that developer to improve this situation). An LCC ‘Champion’ would bring all the stakeholders together and look at the site from a cyclist or pedestrian perspective. They would also share the good work that other developers are doing, test new approaches and document what works. Many companies have started to do this, with innovative approaches like the TfL/Southwark

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Gi V e a gIF T T H At GI VES Ba C K Give the gift of LCC membership An ideal present for cyclists on birthdays, holidays or any other special occasion. Includes third party insur ance, London Cyclist magazine, bike shop discounts and handwritten greetings card. We go further when we #ridetogether

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TRAVEL

Roll

Britannia

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Rob Eves dons his best woollen cycling jersey and joins the vintage pack in the Peak District

’Eroica translates as ‘The Heroes’ in Italian. It started in Tuscany when a gentleman named Giancarlo Brocci assembled 92 participants for the first ride in 1997. He wanted to give people the opportunity to reconnect with Italy’s rich cycling heritage and the large swathes of Italian history and culture it had influenced. Since then, the popularity of Eroica has spread. There are three Italian events planned in 2018 alone, all in Tuscany. And along with Eroica Britannia, the global itinerary now includes events in the Netherlands (Limburg), Spain (La Rioja), USA (California), South Africa (Montagu) and Japan (Mount Fuji). In 2017 Eroica also made its Latin American debut, with a new ride in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The year ahead will see people on five continents pull on retro woollen jerseys and ride lovingly-restored vintage road bikes on routes covering 100 miles or more. Summer loving Last year we visited the Peak District for the fifth instalment of Eroica Britannia. Journeying to the start point on one of the sunniest weekends of the year, we were struck by how well suited Britain’s oldest National Park is for such a unique event. The Peak’s beautiful rolling scenery is traversed by country lanes and myriad cycling and walking trails, all punctuated by quaint villages and farm buildings. When we reach the official start on the Sunday morning, the whole site is abuzz with excited riders clad in glorious cycling attire. Names like Brooklyn, Molteni, Holdsworth and Bianchi abound, but the range of outfits on display extends beyond heritage cycling. 1950s dresses, three-piece suits, and vintage uniforms are all present. Given the sweltering heat we can

only admire the riders setting off wearing tweed jackets and plus-fours. For the previous two days Eroica had played host to a family-friendly festival. The site is dotted with beer tents, gin bars, traditional fairground rides, clothing stalls and street food vendors. People who have been there since Friday tell us about a ‘Twilight Ride’ to a local pub. A stage at one end of the main field has already played host to DJ Norman Jay on the Friday and 80's popsters ABC on the Saturday. Anyone wishing to spend the whole weekend at the festival can camp — there are a variety of choices to suit different budgets, from a basic pitch if you want to bring your own tent, right up to expensive glamping options. Unfortunately, reaching the event is easiest by car, but you can avoid driving from London if you take the train from Euston to Buxton via Stockport, or from St Pancras to Matlock via Derby. Eroica don’t run shuttle buses so you’ll also need to plan your local travel to the event. Dress to impress Eroica organisers are very specific about the bikes allowed in the event. They have to have been made before 1987 and as a general rule modern bikes are forbidden. You might get away with a good reproduction on one of the shorter routes, but don’t think about bringing a mountain bike or anything with a carbon frame. Competitions are held over the course of Saturday for the best bikes on display — judges choose five finalists for Best Preserved Bike, with different categories for bikes made pre-1949 and 1950-1987. There are also awards for the Best Restoration, plus an overall Grand Champion. For those more concerned with their outfits, there are also prizes for the Best Dressed riders, guys, gals, and families. And, bizarrely, for the best dressed dog — we saw at least one dog in a sidecar on the ride itself. Routes and riders 4,500 riders take part in rides. Three route options mean you can choose how much you want to challenge yourself. There's a 25-miler, with an elevation of 1,245ft; 55 miles, which CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: a festival-type atmosphere is guaranteed at the start; all styles of pre-1987 bikes are welcome; Peak District cycling at its very best.

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WHERE TO FIND A PRE-1987 BIKE IN LONDON

covers 4,212ft; and the full 100-mile route, which hits the 8,741ft mark. The longer routes take in some wonderful Peak District locations and scenery. These include the village of Ilam, nestling beside the River Manifold; the spectacular Monsal Trail, which runs along the former Midland Railway line; and the Goyt Valley, which combines stunning river, reservoir and moorland vistas. As first-timers, our group opts to follow the 25-mile loop. We have an early stop at Monyash, a picturesque village with traditional pub and village green surrounded by cottages. When we stop we’re greeted by a brass band and we pick up brunch bags that include Bakewell puddings. We find some shade under a big tree where we also enjoy our first cold beer of the day. Back on our bikes, the route follows sections of the Tissington and High Peak Trails, both former railway lines that were bought by the Peak District National Park when they closed and are now preserved for walkers and cyclists. There are a few hilly sections, but nothing too troubling. At one stage the chain of the tandem that two of our group have restored for the ride

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: riders are cheered across the finish line; pith helmets and vintage uniforms abound; Peak District gravel grinding; full retro style.

jams a few times and we’re not sure they’ll be able to finish. Luckily, out of nowhere, two young men dressed in burgundy nurses uniforms (think 'Call the Midwife') jump off their own tandem and lend us a hand. Towards the end of the route we find a few sections slightly rockier than expected — care is needed to pick out the best line. Those keen to protect paintwork choose to carry their bikes over the most uneven stretches, which leads to bottlenecks developing at a few points, but the mood is always convivial and it’s too hot to rush anyway. When we reach the finish there’s a crowd to cheer us over the line — and the rest of a lovely sunny day lies ahead. n Eroica Britannia 2018 takes place from Friday 15 to Sunday 17 June. Tickets on sale now at eroicabritannia.co.uk

SEABASS CYCLES Peckham and Camberwell — full workshop, large selection of frames, custom builds, extensive knowledge of classic road and town bikes. n seabasscycles.co.uk (A big thank you to Seabass Cycles in Peckham who lent us a vintage road bike for the event). SARGENT AND CO. Stoke Newington — servicing, sales, repair and restoration of steel-framed vintage bikes. n sargentandco.com HACKNEY PEDDLER Hackney Downs (relocating to Stoke Newington soon) — specialise in sale, service and repair of used, custom and classic bikes. n thehackneypeddler.co.uk ISAMBARD’S CYCLES Bethnal Green — custom vintage cycles and handmade frames, specialists in British marques dating from the 1930s. n isambards.co.uk

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TRAVEL

TIPS FOR PLANNING CYCLING HOLIDAYS

There's plenty to consider when booking a bike break, as Sarah Flynn explains

T 1

WHERE COULD YOU GO? Literally anywhere is the short answer. Though really it depends on the type of cycling you fancy doing. If you're after a carry-your-own-gear tour then south-west

England, central Wales and the rolling French and German countryside are favourites. Roadies might be enticed by the famed Grand Tour climbs in the Alps or Pyrenees, while mountain bikers could look to the trail centres of Scotland, or the well-served hotspots of Morzine (France), Verbier (Switzerland) and Aosta (Italy). Weather can be a factor too — if you're planning a trip in July/August, bear in mind some southern European destinations are just too hot. We'd recommend starting with guidebooks. Lonely Planet, Bradt Guides, Wild Guides and Vertebrate Publishing all provide inspiration and ideas of what's possible in particular locations.

DIY OR GUIDED TOUR? DIY can be a rewarding (and often cheaper) process than booking with a tour provider,

but planning your own trip requires either a decent knowledge of your destination or an appreciation for route planning, map reading and research. You’ll need to arrange travel, bike transport and accommodation. To some this could be a fantastic opportunity to plan a tailor-made trip. For others, it can mean a load of unwanted stress — not exactly what you’re after when you go on holiday. That’s why cycle tour providers like Sports Tours International, Freewheel Holidays, Inntravel and Headwater are so popular. They take the hassle out of planning your break (especially if you’re a first-timer). Packages will vary in terms of provisions and style of cycling, but typically these providers will arrange accommodation, transfers, mechanic services, meals and planned route directions.

IMAGE: Lonely Planet

he doldrums of an English winter, coupled with New Year’s resolutions to get fitter and healthier have many of us thinking about our next cycling holiday. From the Cornish coast and Lake District on home shores to the breathtaking Alps and Dolomites beyond, we’re really spoilt for great destinations. But where do you start with the planning? Here's our guide to a few of the most important questions to address ahead of your next two-wheeled adventure...

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ABOVE: if you like being self-sufficient and planning routes, cycle-touring allows you maximum flexibility. RIGHT: mountain biking in the shadow of Mont Blanc.

Peter Morgan of Sports Tours International recommends getting in touch with the experts to start your search — with a sound knowledge of the trips they offer, these guys will be able to answer all of your questions and help you find the right holiday package for you.

WHAT SORT OF TRIP? The most popular options are centrebased holidays, where you ride out each day from a fixed base to tackle different routes — great for destination cycling or training camps. 'Sherpa'-style trips are also popular, allowing you to ride like a pro as a support van carries all your kit from one hotel or campsite to the next. If you’re going to go down the touring/ bikepacking route, you’ll need to invest in durable, weatherproof gear. Carradice, Restrap and others all produce dedicated ranges.

HOW WILL YOU BE COVERED? Like any holiday, you’ll want to make sure you’re covered in the event of an accident or injury. There are a variety of third-party options for cycle travel insurance, and often cycling clubs and organisations will offer insurance coverage to their members. LCC members are automatically covered anywhere in the world (except the USA and Canada), as well as receiving legal advice should they ever be involved in an accident, either at home or abroad.

HOW WILL YOU NAVIGATE? Paper maps or modern tech? Really you should carry both. Even the best GPS and smartphones have limitations (coverage and battery life), so unless your rides are entirely guided by a ride leader, you should plan to pack some good paper maps. Garmin, Lezyne and Wahoo are among the most popular GPS makers and you can download mapping from various sources, including Ordnance Survey. Do not forget to pack chargers and spare batteries though!

SOLO OR WITH A GROUP? Cycling with a group may mean compromising on routes, pace, itineraries, etc, but you'll also make lots of new, like-minded friends. Some people just prefer the challenge and flexibility of solo riding, though most tour companies will help with logistics if required.

WHAT CONDITION IS YOUR BIKE IN? As you'll usually be riding further and for longer than you would at home, it's crucial to ensure your steed is fully serviced before you

head off. As well as spare inner tubes, packing spare brake pads, gear/brake cables, chain links, even a couple of spokes is highly recommended. LCCs Retail Network connects you with over 120 bike shops across London, where members can get discounts on servicing, repairs and more — just remember to leave time for a full check-up.

WHAT CONDITION ARE YOU IN? You'll definitely get the most from your holiday and enjoy it more if you're in decent shape. Luckily daily cycling/commuting is ideal for building a good fitness base, but depending on the sort of trip you're planning you might want to supplement the weekday rides with some lengthier, more challenging ones at the weekend. If you're heading somewhere hilly, get some miles in on the capital's climbs. If you’re not sure where to start, London is full of cycling clubs that cater to all ages and abilities. From your more traditional roadie chaingangs to social cycling clubs to LCC-run local group rides, there’s something out there for everyone.

WHAT WILL YOU TAKE? Again it depends on location, weather, type of cycling, but here's a very brief checklist for the most basic trips: n Essentials: passport, insurance, money, phone, chargers and adaptors. n Kit: usual riding gear (plus extras for alternate/ wet days), waterproofs, midlayers, helmet, glasses, chamois cream, suncreams, repellents. n Spares: see 8 above. Plus multi-tool, mini-pump, tyre levers, zip-ties, safety lights, lightweight lock.

Make the most of your cycling holiday with LCC membership. From complete trips to bikes and gear, there's hundreds of great deals on offer. Go to membership.lcc.org.uk/ discounts-and-benefits

IMAGE: John Kitchiner

HIRE A BIKE OR TAKE YOUR OWN? Obviously if you're leaving from home on a self-supported tour, possibly taking trains/ferries, then you'll be using your own bike — but you'll need to factor in plenty of time for connections and be prepared for the varied systems of bike carriage (especially in Europe). Otherwise the options are shipping your own bike to your destination (either in bike box or bike bag) or hiring one when you arrive. The latter option means you can travel light, but you'll be on an unfamiliar bike (watch for brakes on the opposite sides outside the UK) and it can be very costly, up to £70 per day depending on bike type and location. Taking your own bike means you'll be on a bike you know, but you'll need to carry appropriate spares and be prepared to lug a heavy bike bag/box across stations and airports. When choosing a bike bag, Scicon Bags recommends you start by asking yourself ‘How easy is it to carry?’ and ‘How easy is it to pack and how long will it take for you to disassemble/ reassemble your bike?’ A softshell bag (with added cardboard and bubble-wrap) is the best in terms of storage as they can be folded down

when empty. But you might prefer to invest in a hardshell box for the added protection it offers. In terms of cost, most popular budget airlines will charge about £30-£50 (each way) to carry your bike on a plane.

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BIKES

LONGTERM

TEST BIKES First look at two of our 2018 rolling test fleet

SCHWALBE’S CONTROL TYRES As not all tyres are equal — and tyres are such a critical factor in how a bike rides and feels — we use different rubbers supplied by leading manufacturer Schwalbe to act as ‘control tyres’ in our testing. On city bikes and hybrids we’ve been using Durano DDs or Marathons, on the cyclocross/adventure bikes we’ve run X-Ones and G-Ones, while on the mtbs we’ve been swapping between Nobby Nics and Magic Marys.

E-BIKE/ADVENTURE/COMMUTING RIESE & MULLER New Charger GH Nuvinci Take a closer look at the detail and you’ll quickly realise this is no ordinary e-bike. Unusually, the New Charger GH Nuvinci even had non-cyclists strolling up and talking enthusiastically about the future of pedalassist bikes. It’s not just the stealthy looks that did it I’m sure; motors and batteries are becoming ever more sleekly integrated into frames and this 2018 model features Bosch’s 500Wh PowerTube battery inside the downtube (chargeable on or off the bike). Adding to the distinctive, modern appearance are a belt drive, ‘stepless’ Nuvinci hub gears and huge Schwalbe Moto-X tyres. Also included are super-powerful LED lighting, framemounted Abus lock (that uses the same key as the battery lock) and a handily-mounted waterbottle at the headtube. It’s part hybrid, part cargo-lite bike, part easy trail cruiser, but did it live up to its design brief of being low maintenance, simple to use, strong and comfortable both on and off-road? Well the first few rides on the very challenging roads and tracks of the South Pennines say yes. As always there is

plenty of climbing power from the Bosch Performance CX motor, but I was most impressed at how it rolled smoothly over tarmac and also tackled cobbles and dirt roads, even while fully loaded. It has a massive 160kg weight capacity too, making it ideal for heavy riders with heavy loads. My only niggle was the smaller range than other bikes with the same Bosch system. This is no doubt due to heavy overall weight (even for an e-bike) plus a combination of belt drive, Nuvinci gearing and (perhaps) the large footprint of the tyres. But that’s not really a criticism, just a reflection that this is a really well-engineered ride that is also pretty much fettle-free, yet tackles on and off-road terrain without issue. Very usefully there is an option to add a second battery to the frame that can be used without having to actually physically swap it over — and there are derailleur gear options that would no doubt give better range too. The initial verdict then? A hugely capable workhorse of an e-bike. Richard Peace n r-m.de

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ADVENTURE/COMMUTING RALEIGH Mustang Comp When the Mustang finally landed after the usual Christmas holiday delays, we were in the depths of winter’s coldest snap, the sort of weather that puts most people off cycling. Unless you’re well equipped that is — and, fortunately, this sleek-looking Raleigh is well set up for the demands of typically unpredictable British riding. With a single chainring up front, wide-range cassette out back, hydraulic disc brakes and chunky tyres, you’re set for anything from the daily work trip to off-road excursions. My 15-20-mile commutes include main roads, potholed backstreets, canal towpaths and parks — a good initial test of any bike — but I’ve also done longer rides on the Forest Way and Cuckoo Trail, plus lots of Kent bridleways too. The added mix of old railway cycletracks, gravel, dead leaves and mud has certainly allowed me to formulate some early thoughts on the Mustang. First up, I love the gearing, it’s low enough to deal with fairly steep, rough ascents in Kent. And dispensing with the front derailleur is another plus — one less thing to maintain. The ride’s very comfortable, impressive for an aluminium frame, which may be down to the seatstay design and the robust wheels. So far the bike’s felt stable and easy to control, even on rough slippery surfaces, but it’s light and nippy enough to zip around London’s streets. The brakes are top-notch too, no issues to date. Main thumbs-down goes to the tyres. I’ve punctured twice and that’s rare for me, especially on new tyres. It could be bad luck, but I’ll be trying a few other options regardless. Jane Davis n raleigh.co.uk

BIKE UPDATteEatS

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REVIEW

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Weight: 160g Sizes: S-XXL Colours: teal, graphite

Weight: 100g Sizes: XS-XL Colours: copper, blue

Launched in 2006, BAM was an early adopter of bamboo as a fabric for use in sports and casual wear. From an environmental standpoint bamboo is a winner: it grows naturally and faster than any other plant in the world, plus it’s 100% biodegradable. And performance-wise it’s super-soft, anti-bacterial, offers UV protection and regulates temperature thanks to its hollow microfibre. This t-shirt is suitable for cycling, running or other activities (various women’s options available from £20-£28) and is made from 68% bamboo viscose, 28% organic cotton and 4% elastane; the latter adding a little extra ‘give’ to what is already a truly comfy top. We found the fit to be slim but not tight like roadie jerseys and it was surprisingly breathable too. No nasty niffs at the end of a ride either, so we’d happily pack and alternate a couple of these for weekend tours.

As a pioneer in its use of recycled fabrics, we always wanted to include Patagonia here, especially since it has introduced a limited bike range of jerseys, shorts and jackets. The Crank Craft top is made from 100% recycled polyester and is Bluesign approved (a mark of best quality manufacturing processes) — it has a nice stretch and underarm gussets add to the comfort when you’re in a sporty riding position. The fit is ‘regular’ rather than ‘race’, the tail has a slight drop to cover the lower back and the front zip is great for on-the-fly venting. It also wicks well when you’ve been grinding up your local hills. There’s a small rear pocket which could hold snack bars, but it’s not zipped so we didn’t trust it with wallet or phone. Without the usual ‘Patagucci’ price tag, it’s worth a look. For women there’s the Nine Trails Bike Jersey (£55).

SPECIALIZED Demo Long-Sleeve £65

VAUDE Durance Hooded Jacket £95

specialized.com

REVIEWS: John K, Jon Collard

Weight: 220g Sizes: S-XXL Colours: indigo/multi While bicycle manufacture is itself far from eco-friendly (regardless of material choices or location of production facilities), it’s good to see one of the world’s biggest bike brands drip-feeding some green thinking into its clothing and accessories range. With the Demo jersey — and the women’s Andorra equivalent (XS-XL, £60) — Specialized is trying something pretty unique, using ‘VaporRize’ fabric that’s made from recycled S-Café coffee yarns. Go to scafefabrics.com for full tech details, but essentially by adding the coffee grounds to the yarn it creates a fabric that we’ve found to be very quick drying and able to absorb odours. This long-sleever is aimed at mountain bikers and the knit construction has proved pretty robust, even in the face of repeated scuffs. It’s not a ‘winter’ jersey, more the sort of weight that works well in spring (and probably autumn). The relaxed fit was spot-on too; unrestrictive rather than baggy.

vaude.com Weight: 415g Sizes: XS-XXXL (men); XXS-XL (women) Colours: black, petrol, red (men); black, cyan, deep red (women) Completing our round-up is this lightweight softshell jacket from a company whose ‘Green Shape’ collection comprises hundreds of products made from sustainable materials, all manufactured under fair working conditions. The Durance is typical, made from Bluesign-certified material (100% polyester), with a PFC-free, water repellent finish. It won’t keep you dry in a deluge (Vaude has proper waterproofs for that), but we found it came into its own on blustery downland rides — windproofing is excellent and it works best with a wicking baselayer. Slim fitting, three pockets and adjustable hem means it’s pretty minimalist, but we prefer that. Here’s hoping that others follow Vaude’s lead.

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ROUTE

TRAVELS IN A STRANGE LAND

Avebury Manor

In an exclusive extract from his new book, Jack Thurston guides us on an historic route in the Wiltshire downs

Oliver’s Castle

Flight of locks

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ROUTE

FACTFILE 4

Avebury Manor

West Kennet Avenue

Silbury Hill

1 Alfred

START/ FINISH

the Great

were chased over the steep precipice below Oliver’s Castle [5], a prehistoric hill fort. After descending through the villages of Roundway and Rowde, the ride takes in one of the civil engineering marvels of the industrial revolution. A flight of locks [6] was John Rennie’s solution to getting the Kennet & Avon Canal over Caen Hill. It takes just a few minutes on a bicycle, but more than five hours for a boat to traverse all 29 locks. The ride follows NCR4, first along the canal on the edge of Devizes, then into the Vale of Pewsey for a gentle run along lanes to Woodborough and back to Pewsey.

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BIKE SHOPS

LONDON BIKE SHOPS Whether you’re a cycling newbie, regular commuter or seasoned racer, one thing you need is a good local bike shop. LCC’s Retail Network brings together the best bike shops across the city to give members exclusive discounts – look for the LCC window sticker and show your membership card in store to make savings. BARNET BIKE AND RUN n bikeandrun.co.uk n 134 High Road, N2 9ED BROADWAY BIKES n broadwaybikes.co.uk n 250 West Hendon Broadway, NW9 6BG EQUAL BIKES n kisharon.org.uk n 25 Bell Lane, NW4 2BP EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 250 Watford Way, NW4 4UB SHORTER ROCHFORD n shorter-rochford.co.uk n 65-67 Woodhouse Road, N12 9ET

BROMLEY BROMLEY BIKE CO. n bromleybike.com n 27 Widmore Road, BR1 1RW CYCLES UK n cyclesuk.com n 299-301 High Street, BR6 0NN DEEN’S GARAGE n deensgarage.co.uk n 439 Croydon Road, BR3 3PP MARK’S CYCLE REPAIRS n markscyclerepairs.com n 31 Tilbury Close, BR5 2JR

PANAGUA BIKES n panaguabikes.com n 50 Hayes Street, BR2 7LD SE20 CYCLES n se20cycles.com n 78 High Street, SE20 7HB

CAMDEN ACTION BIKES n actionbikes.co.uk n 23-26 Embankment Place, WC2N 6NN BIKEFIX n bikefix.co.uk n 48 Lambs Conduit Street, WC1N 3LJ CONDOR CYCLES n condorcycles.com n 51 Grays Inn Road, WC1X 8PP CYCLE REPUBLIC n cyclerepublic.com n 286 Euston Road, NW1 3DP CYCLE REPUBLIC n cyclerepublic.com n 10 Bloomsbury Way, WC1A 2SH CYCLE SURGERY n cyclerepublic.com n 44 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AJ CYCLE SURGERY n cyclerepublic.com n 275 West End Lane, NW6 1QS EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 86 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AR

EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 178 High Holborn, WC1V 7AA EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 6 Pancras Road, N1C 4AG FLYING DUTCHMAN n flyingdutchman.bike n 188 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BJ LONDON GREEN CYCLE n londongreencycles.co.uk n 4 Chester Court, Albany Street, NW1 4BU LUNAR CYCLES n lunarcycles.co.uk n 66 Wilkin Street Mews, NW5 3NN PAUL’S CUSTOM CYCLES n paulscustomcycles.co.uk n 38 Mount Pleasant, WC1X 0AP LONDON BICYCLE WORKSHOP n londonbicycleworkshop.com n 170 Clerkenwell Road, EC1R 5DD

CITY OF LONDON CYCLE REPUBLIC n cyclerepublic.com n 23 Lime Street, EC3M 7HB CYCLE SURGERY n cyclerepublic.com n 72 Chiswell Street, EC1Y 4AB CYCLE SURGERY n cyclerepublic.com n 72 Upper Thames St, EC4R 3TA

EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 1 Farringdon Street, EC4 7LD

CROYDON BIKE PLUS n bikeplus.co.uk n 429 Brighton Road, CR2 6EU BLUE DOOR BICYCLES n bluedoorbicycles.com n 5 and 7 Central Hill, SE19 1BG CYCLE REPUBLIC n cyclerepublic.com n 22 Russell Hill Road, CR8 2LA JR CYCLES n jrcycles.co.uk n 28 Station Road, SE25 5AG

GREENWICH YCLES UK C n cyclesuk.com n 135 Creek Road, SE8 3BU

HACKNEY A&S CYCLES n aandscycles.com n 1 Chatsworth Road, E5 0LH CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n Lee Valley VeloPark, Abercrombie Road, E20 3AB

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BIKE SHOPS

CYCLELAB n cyclelab.co.uk n 18a Pitfield Street, N1 6EY LONDON BIKE KITCHEN n lbk.org.uk n 28 Whitmore Road, N1 5QA LOVE BIKES n (no website) n 137 Church Walk, N16 8QW MAMACHARI DALSTON n mamachari.co.uk n 18 Ashwin Street, E8 3DL PUSH CYCLES n pushcycles.com n 35c Newington Green, N16 9PR SBC CYCLES n sbccycles.com n 41 Cropley Street, N1 7HT THE HACKNEY PEDDLER n thehackneypeddler.co.uk n Hackney Downs Studios, Amhurst Terrace, E8 2BT TWO WHEELS GOOD n twowheelsgood.co.uk n 165 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0UL

HAMMERSMITH CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n 658-662 Fulham Road, SW6 5RX EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 13-15 Jerdan Place, SW6 1BE

HARINGEY EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 31-35 Crouch End Hill, N8 8DH FUTURE CYCLES n futurecyclesshop.com n 314 Park Road, N8 8LA MICYCLE n micycle.org.uk n 8 Ferme Park Road, N4 4ED

HILLINGDON BIKEWISE n bikewisegb.com n 61 Swakeleys Road, UB10 8DQ

HOUNSLOW EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 548-550 Chiswick High Road, W4 5RG EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 113-114 High Street, TW8 8AT

LEWISHAM COMPTON CYCLES n comptoncycles.co.uk n 23-25 Catford Hill, SE6 4NU FINCHES n finchesemporium.com n 25-29 Perry Vale, SE23 2NE PEDAL-IT n pedal-it.co.uk n 288-290 Lee High Road, SE13 5PJ VAIDAS BICYCLES n vaidasbicycles.com n 74 Honor Oak Park, SE23 1DY

MERTON

ISLINGTON IKE MECH B n bikemech.co.uk n Castle Climbing Centre, Green Lanes, N4 2HA CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n 3 Procter Street, WC1V 6DW CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n 200 Pentonville Road, N1 9EN CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n 70 Holloway Road, N7 8JG EAST CENTRAL CYCLES n eastcentralcycles.co.uk n 18 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4QE FINSBURY CYCLES LTD n finsburycycles.co.uk n 185 Seven Sisters Road, N4 3NS MICYCLE n micycle.org.uk n 47 Barnsbury Street, N1 1TP MICYCLE n micycle.org.uk n 58 Southgate Road, N1 3JF

KENSINGTON & CHELSEA ICYCLE WORKSHOP B n bicycleworkshop.co.uk n 27 All Saints Road, W11 1HE CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n 186 Kensington High Street, W8 7RG EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 320 Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 1AA

VANS CYCLES E n evanscycles.com n 106 Westbourne Grove, W2 5RU PERSONAL BIKEFIT n personalbikefit.com n 12 Lexham Mews, W8 6JW

KINGSTON BRIGHT CYCLES n brightcycles.co.uk n 137 Kingston Road, KT3 3NX EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 48 Richmond Road, KT2 5EE

LAMBETH BALFE’S BIKES n balfesbikes.co.uk n 388 Kennington Road, SE11 4LD BALFE’S BIKES n balfesbikes.co.uk n 87 Streatham Hill, SW2 4UB BON VELO n bonvelo.co.uk n 495 Norwood Road, SE27 9DJ BRIXTON CYCLES n brixtoncycles.co.uk n 295-298 Brixton Road, SW9 6AG DE VER CYCLES n devercycles.co.uk n 632-636 Streatham High Road, SW16 3QL EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 77-81 The Cut, SE1 8LL

EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 6-12 Gladstone Road, SW19 1QT MIKE’S BIKES n (no website) n 27 Aberconway Road, SM4 5LN MOOSE CYCLES n moosecycles.com n 48 High Street, SW19 2BY

NEWHAM AVE VELO P n pavevelo.cc n 2-4 Victory Parade, E20 1FS

REDBRIDGE IKE TRAX B n biketrax.com n 3 Cambridge Park, E11 2PU WOODFORD CYCLE CENTRE n woodfordcyclecentre.co.uk n 53A George Lane, E18 1LN

RICHMOND ACTION BIKES n actionbikes.co.uk n 437 Upper Richmond Road, SW14 7PJ BICYCLE RICHMOND n bicyclerichmond.co.uk n 120A Sheen Road, TW9 1UR CYCLE REPUBLIC n cyclerepublic.com n 26-30 Kings Street, TW1 3SN RICHMOND CYCLE CENTRE n richmondcyclecentre.co.uk n Richmond Station, The Quadrant, TW9 2NA

SOUTHWARK BALFE’S BIKES n balfesbikes.co.uk n 36 East Dulwich Road, SE22 9AX

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TOWER HAMLETS BRICK LANE BIKES n bricklanebikes.co.uk n 118 Bethnal Green Road, E2 6DG CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n Brody House, Strype Street, E1 7LQ EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 30 South Colonade, E14 5EZ EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 1 Market Street, E1 6AA EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 55 Mark Lane, EC3R 7NE SWIFT CYCLES n swiftcycles.co.uk n 8 Strype Street, E1 7LF

WALTHAM FOREST BIKE SHACK n bikeshackleyton.com n 532 Lea Bridge Road, E10 7DT

OUT OF LONDON

BIKE SHACK n bikeshackleyton.com n 26 Ruckholt Road,E10 6RF HEALES CYCLES n healescycles.co.uk n 477 Hale End Road, E4 9PT WALTHAMSTOW CYCLES n walthamstow-cycles.squarespace.com n 63 St James’s Street, E17 7PJ

WANDSWORTH CYCLE REPUBLIC n cyclerepublic.com n Juniper Drive, SW18 1GX CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n 63-65 Garratt Lane, SW18 4GR CYCLEWORX n cycleworx.co.uk n 79 Replingham Road, SW18 5LU EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 65-79 Clapham High Street, SW4 7TG FLAG BIKES n flagbikes.com n 324 Battersea Park Road, SW11 3BX PHOENIX CYCLES n phoenix-cycles.co.uk n 59a Battersea Bridge Road, SW11 3AU PSUBLIMINAL n psubliminal.co.uk n 17 Balham High Road, SW12 9AJ PUTNEY CYCLES n putneycycles.com n 208 Upper Richmond Road, SW15 6TD

SOUTH BANK CYCLES n (no website) n 194 Wandsworth Road, SW8 2JU

WESTMINSTER ACTION BIKES n actionbikes.co.uk n Dacre House, 19 Dacre Street, SW1H 0DJ CYCLE REPUBLIC n cyclerepublic.com n 43 Margaret Street, W1W 8SB CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n 42-48 Great Portland Street, W1 CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n 26 Palace Street, SW1E 5JD CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n Brettenham House, Lancaster Place, WC2E 7EN CYCLE SURGERY — SPECIALIZED CONCEPT STORE n cyclesurgery.com n 11 Mercer Street, WC2H 9QJ EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 51-52 Rathbone Place, W1T 1JP EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 62 Mortimer Street, W1W 7RR FITZROVIA BICYCLES n fitzroviabicycles.com n 136 -138 New Cavendish Street, W1W 6YD FUDGES CYCLE STORE n fudgescyclestore.com n 564-566 Harrow Road, W9 3QH

CORRIDORI n corridori.co.uk n 203 Fir Tree Road, KT17 3LB CYCLE SURGERY n cyclesurgery.com n 99 Fordwater Road, KT16 8HH EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n Junction Shopping Park, Lakeside, RM20 3HH EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 1 Guildford Road, GU22 7PX EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n Unit 7 Bishop Centre, Bath Road, SL6 ONX FUDGES CYCLE STORE n fudgescyclestore.com n 21-23 Upper High Street, KT17 4QY SHORTER ROCHFORD n shorter-rochford.co.uk n 27 Barnet Road, Potters Bar, EN6 2QX

BIKE SHOPS

BON VELO n bonvelo.co.uk n 27 Half Moon Lane, SE24 9JU CYCLE FIX n cyclefixlondon.co.uk n 630 Old Kent Road, SE15 1JB DRUID CYCLES n druidcycles.co.uk n Arch 869, Roper Lane, SE1 2EH EDWARDES n (no website) n 221-225 Camberwell Road, SE5 0HG EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 6 Tooley Street, SE1 2SY EVANS CYCLES n evanscycles.com n 43A East Dulwich Road, SE22 9AN MACHINE n machinelondon.cc n 97 Tower Bridge Road, SE1 4TW ON YOUR BIKE n onyourbike.com n The Vaults, Montague Close, SE1 9DA RAT RACE CYCLES n ratracecycles.com n 118 Evelina Road, SE15 3HL RECYCLING n re-cycling.co.uk n 110 Elephant Road, SE17 1LB SEABASS CYCLES n seabasscycles.co.uk n 62 Camberwell Church Street, SE5 8QZ WILSONS n wilsonscycles.com n 32 Peckham High Street, SE15 5BP

RETAIL NETWORK For the latest store listings and for more information on how much you can save in each shop, please visit: lcc.org.uk/retailnetwork

Know a great bike shop that should be listed here but isn’t? Please drop us an email: membership@lcc.org.uk

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OPINION

ASHOK SINHA LCC’s chief executive welcomes Manchester’s new pro-cycling agenda and relishes future metropolitan co-operation

new star has arrived in Manchester. Someone with an international profile who has represented his country at the highest level and achieved an outstanding sporting reputation. No, I’m not talking about Alexis Sanchez and his departure from my beloved Arsenal to rivals Manchester United, but Chris Boardman, Manchester’s new(ish) Cycling and Walking Commissioner. Appointed by Greater Manchester’s first directly-elected mayor, Andy Burnham, his job is to recalibrate the transport policies of the metropolitan area to realise its potential for cycling and walking. He’s not really that ‘new’ of course. With British Cycling being billeted in Manchester, he has long been a familiar face in the city. But with this political elevation he is now cycling’s most significant political fixer beyond London. I say this with all due respect to Andrew Gilligan who, following his successes in the capital, has been tasked by Lord Adonis (former chair of the National Infrastructure Commission) to work up a mass cycling strategy for the cities of Cambridge, Oxford and Milton Keynes; Greater Manchester, made up of 10 local authorities and with a population of 2.8 million, is the biggest metropolitan cycling challenge that anyone outside of London has taken on. This is good news. I have long argued that cycling and sustainable transport organisations should not focus our collective efforts primarily on national government. The latter can be a provider of funds — and quite obviously is the source of the kinds of laws and regulations we need to help make cycling safer. But it is local

authorities that have the real power (if not the money) to set the direction of travel for the future evolution of their roads. They will be the ones that have to show the political will and adroitness that will be needed to create safe space for cycling, not least by slashing motor vehicle use. Yes, we must still hold ministers’ feet to the fire to make sure their paeans to cycling aren’t only for show. But delivering material, large-scale change on the ground? Not a chance. Cities can shape their own futures Cities are where it’s at — and indeed I have previously advocated among sustainable transport colleagues that we should combine our efforts on (if our friends in the north will forgive the clumsiness of phrase) making Manchester the next London, cycling-wise. If we can prove that the political attention and investment targeted on cycling in London is not a one-off, and that at least one other large metropolitan area can do the same or better, then the door will be open to every city to follow suit. Metropolitan competition and co-operation to gain the benefits of cycling will then grow, resulting in pro-cycling policies rippling out in every direction. That’s the theory anyway. The examples of

Shared best practice between cities can achieve more than government can

climate change and urban quality of life give cause for hope, with metropolitan mayors across the globe forming alliances to steal a march on creating cleaner, healthier, more efficient urban spaces. More often than not they cite the business case for regulation and investment in greener — and better functioning — buildings, public transport, roads and public spaces. They want to make their cities the best and most desirable places to live and do business. These mayors make a persuasive case that the best thing that government can do is to give more cities more powers, more cash (and/or the powers to raise it), and let them get on with it. I therefore hope Greater Manchester gets the £1.6 billion that Chris Boardman’s recent report says it needs to create a coherent, strategic, safe new cycling network across the region. Much will depend on Andy Burnham’s political skill in making the case for more funding for cycling and public transport and/or the ability to raise capital. Even a small slice of the money going into HS2 would go a long way — and to my mind would be far more effective in improving productivity, connectivity and attracting investment. Either way, London has now got some welcome big city competition. Sharing best practice but competing for outcomes, London and Manchester can achieve more than government can. Let’s hope all England’s other big cities join the party for the ultimate benefit of cycling everywhere. In the meantime, good luck Chris.

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