Yorkshire cycling website
Cycling in the UK, including news, cycle infrastructure, campaigns, and the politics and government decisions affecting people on two wheels in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
17th December 2018
TfL and the Mayor of London today published a Cycling Action Plan. Is it just warm words, or will it result in real improvements to conditions for cycling in the capital?
Read about London Cycling Action Plan.
23rd November 2018
A national cycling and walking champion is to be appointed, it was announced in the government's response to the CWIS safety review.
Read about national cycling and walking champion to be appointed.
17th November 2018
A public consultation has been launched on a new walking and cycling route from Chorlton to Manchester city centre. Chris Boardman is determined that it should be safe and attractive along the whole length.
Read about Chorlton to Manchester consultation.
13th November 2018
Sustrans has released a report on the National Cycle Network it looks after, admitting that a lot of it is sub-standard. There are plans to improve and expand the network.
Read about Sustrans NCN review.
30th October 2018
An alliance of health professionals has launched a report, calling for a new Clean Air Act to reduce air pollution and the damage it causes to our health.
Read about UKHACC calls for £10 a head on active travel.
21st October 2018
The DfT has announced a review of the Highway Code, to make the roads safer for cyclists and other vulnerable road users. The review is to consider measures on close passes, and the use of the Dutch Reach.
Read about the Highway Code review.
13th October 2018
A Transport Strategy for the City of London aims to reduce traffic, prioritise walking, make cycling pleasant, improve air quality, reduce noise, and apply a Square Mile-wide 15mph speed limit.
Read about the City of London Transport Strategy.
3rd September 2018
62% of adults in England think it's too dangerous to cycle. Cycling trips are stuck on about 2% of total journeys, but cyclists are riding further, according to the latest DfT statistics.
Read about 62% say it's too dangerous to cycle.
13th August 2018
The DfT has announced that it is 'looking at' changes to the Highway Code on overtaking cyclists, and it has asked a working group to develop national guidance on cycle infrastructure.
Read about DfT passing distance & infrastructure guidance.
18th July 2018
Cycling Yorkshire Dales, by Tejvan Pettinger, Licence CC BY 2.0
An extraordinary anti-cyclist tirade by a North Yorkshire County Councillor was reported in the national press yesterday. 'All they do is speed', Councillor Caroline Patmore is quoted as saying, as she describes how she wants it to be easier and quicker for her to overtake people riding bikes. She complains that there's just not enough space for anyone to cycle in England's largest county.
Read about North Yorkshire Councillor Patmore in anti-cyclist tirade.
Stephane Rossetto wins Stage 4 Tour de Yorkshire 2018, by SWPix
The Tour de Yorkshire 2018 gave a £98 million boost to the Yorkshire economy. Accommodation, food and drink, cultural venues, and transport businesses were all beneficiaries of spending by 2.6 million spectators.
Read about the economic impact of the Tour de Yorkshire 2018.
10th July 2018
Parker's Piece, Cambridge
In a report for the National Infrastructure Commission, former London cycling commissioner Andrew Gilligan says that the answer to congestion problems in prosperous and expanding cities Oxford and Cambridge is 'staring them in the face'.
Read about Gilligan on Oxford and Cambridge.
29th June 2018
Close pass, by Tejvan Pettinger, Licence CC BY 2.0
Cycling UK have published the results of a survey which show that 52% of British adults don't know the Highway Code rules for passing cyclists. In a coordinated announcement, cycling minister Jesse Norman has given details of new initiatives, including training for driving instructors on passing cyclists.
Read about the Cycling UK close passes survey.
27th June 2018
Visualisation busy street, © TFGM
Chris Boardman today announced the first step in implementing his Made to Move vision for Greater Manchester. It's called Beelines, and it's a detailed walking and cycling infrastructure for Greater Manchester with 1,000 miles of routes. Read about Beelines Manchester.
5th June 2018
A poll of 2,000 British adults for Cycling UK reveals the top reasons why more people don't cycle. They include sharing the road with large vehicles and close passes. What would encourage more people to ride bikes? Find out about the Cycling UK poll.
17th March 2018
Jesse Norman, minister for cycling at the DfT, is asking for ideas to make cycling and walking safer. Probably the DfT should know how to do this already - after all, organisations like British Cycling and Cycling UK have been telling them for years, but unfortunately they haven't been listening. Will the DfT actually act on what they're told? Who knows, but if you have any interest in active travel, you should respond.
Read about the CWIS consultation, and follow the link to the consultation.
9th March 2018
Law firm Birketts have produced a report about the possible introduction of new cycling offences. They were commissioned by the DfT as part of Jesse Norman's urgent review which definitely isn't a knee-jerk reaction to the Alliston case. Read about the Birketts dangerous cycling report.
16th December 2017
Manchester cycle & footpath, by Pete Birkinshaw, Licence CC BY 2.0
In his first action as Cycling & Walking Commissioner for Greater Manchester, Chris Boardman has set out an ambitious vision to transform the way people travel in Greater Manchester. He plans a high-quality cycle network throughout the area, with continuous, joined-up provision.
Read about Chris Boardman's Made to Move report.
2nd October 2017
Jesse Norman, minister responsible for cycling in the DfT, by Policy Exchange, Licence CC BY 2.0
The new minister with responsibility for cycling in the DfT, Jesse Norman, responded to the Charlie Alliston case by announcing a review to look at introducing new offences of causing serious injury or death by careless or dangerous cycling. Mr Norman claims that there are already strict laws which 'ensure drivers who put people's lives at risk are punished'. Is he right? Is this review cynical and populist, or genuinely trying to improve road safety in an even-handed way? Is Mr Norman applying double standards, to bike riders and other road users?
Read about cycling minister Jesse Norman's response to the Charlie Alliston case.
28th September 2017
In August this year, the LGA produced a report called A Country in a Jam, looking at innovative solutions to congestion being employed by local authorities. This includes investment in active travel in Bristol. The report calls for more powers for councils to deal with traffic jams in various ways. Read about A Country in a Jam.
22nd September 2017
Motorway - No Thanks, by JL57, Licence CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
The Campaign for Rural England have shown that new road projects generate extra traffic - over and above the increases which would have happened otherwise. Their report is based on Highways England data. This is relevant to the bypass which the county council is seeking to impose on Harrogate & Knaresborough. Read about the CPRE Impact of Roads report.
26th July 2017
DEFRA today published its latest clean air plan, designed to combat illegal levels of NO2 pollution caused by diesel vehicles. The headline-grabbing feature of the document is the re-announcement of an intention already made public in 2011, to end the sale of conventionally-powered vehicles by 2040. Is there anything practical in the plans which will reduce pollution now? Read about the UK clean air plan July 2017.
April 2017
The government's Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, published on 21st April 2017, contains an 'ambition' to make cycling and walking the natural choices for short journeys, or as part of longer journeys. It sets some aims or targets, includes a statement of resources, and an action plan. Read about the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.
26th September 2016
The Department for Transport today published an unhelpful and gratuitously gory 'road safety' video, which appears to put all the onus on people riding bikes to avoid being crushed by left-turning lorries - while the message to the drivers of large vehicles is, apparently, 'drive how you like, you're not the one who is going to end up dead.' Chris Boardman described the video as 'desperately misguided', and accused the campaign of trying to make death fun. Harrogate & Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones is the Minister in the DfT with responsibility for road safety and cycling. Read about appalling DfT THINK! video.
17th September 2016
A West Midlands Police initiative to educate and, if necessary, prosecute drivers for close passes has been described as the best cyclist road safety initiative ever, by Cycling UK. Read more about 'best cyclist safety intiative ever' by West Midlands Police.
1st September 2016
Jason Kenny, by Pistol Peet, Licence CC BY-ND 2.0
Olympic cyclists including Laura Trott and Jason Kenny have written to Prime Minister Theresa May, to tell her that the best way to honour their achievements is to invest heavily in everyday cycling. They ask her to meet British Cycling policy advisor Chris Boardman. Read about the Olympic cyclists ask for everyday cycling investment.
19th August 2016
Theresa May, by DFID, Licence CC BY 2.0
Prime Minister Theresa May is backing Yorkshire's bid to host the 2019 World Road Championships. Her support was set out in an article in the Yorkshire Post yesterday, which also made vague reference to government cycling investment of £24m, or £15m, or maybe both. Read about May supports Yorkshire World Road Championships bid.
5th August 2016
Andrew Jones MP with Chris Boardman, by Carlton Reid, Flickr, Licence CC BY 2.0
During the recent reshuffle at the Department for Transport, Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate & Knaresborough, kept his job as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, but added sustainable travel, cycling, and walking to his brief. Read about the UK cycling minister.
29th July 2016
Cycle commuters, by Tejvan Pettinger, Flickr, Licence CC BY 2.0
Following a consultation with 20,000 of its members about the best way to make cycling easier, safer, and more appealing, British Cycling has launched a 3-point Charter, and it is urging local authorities to sign up. The Charter covers cycling infrastructure, and the investment needed to improve it. It also calls for stronger leadership to normalise cycling, and make it safe, accessible, and aspirational. Read about British Cycling launches Choose Cycling Charter.
RideLondon
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Surrey in 2013, by Sludge
G, Flickr, Licence
CC
BY-SA 2.0
Ride London 2016 is packed with cycling events, including FreeCycle on Saturday 30th July, a closed-road family ride past some of the most famous sights and monuments in the capital, RideLondon-Surrey 100, an amateur sportive following the route of the Olympic road race, and the RideLondon-Surrey Classic professional road race, which features Tour de France winner Chris Froome. Read about RideLondon 2016 and RideLondon Classic race report.
17th July 2016
Chris
Boardman, by Dave
Smith, Flickr, Licence
CC
BY-SA 2.0
Chris Boardman's mum was killed while cycling in North Wales yesterday. Carol Boardman was hit by a white Mitsubishi pick-up truck at a roundabout, and died from her injuries. Read about Boardman's mum killed while cycling.
UK cycling news reports from 2015 & 2016...
UK cycling news reports from 2014...
15th July 2016
Chris
Grayling, by LadyGeekTV,
Flickr, Licence
CC
BY-ND 2.0
Chris Grayling was yesterday appointed as the Transport Secretary, replacing Patrick McLoughlin. Robert Goodwill remains the minister in the DfT with responsibility for cycling, and Philip Hammond is the new Chancellor. What does it mean for cycling (and is it time to despair?) Read about Grayling new Transport Secretary...
British Cycling launched a manifesto, Time to Choose Cycling, in February 2014, accompanied by research from Cambridge University showing the effect that increased cycling could have on inactivity-related illnesses. The manifesto makes ten recommendations for cycling in the UK. Among them is meaningful and consistent investment in cycle infrastructure, of £10 per UK adult, rising to £20. Read about British Cycling's Time to Choose Cycling manifesto.
The Cycle City Ambition grants, announced by David Cameron on 12th August 2013, awarded a total of £94m to eight cities and four National Parks for a period of two years, for cycling infrastructure. Read about the winnning bids, and the projects being pursued, using the Cycle City Ambition money.
The All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group produced a report on cycling in the UK in April 2013, called Get Britain Cycling. The report followed evidence taken by the Group during an Inquiry. It identifies ways to enable more people to take up cycling, to cycle more often, and more safely. Read about the APPCG Get Britain Cycling report.
