As a long-term advocate for active travel PJA are very encouraged to read of Sustrans’ challenge to the government to create a “golden age of cycling”.
The timing has never been better as people are seeking healthier and sustainable modes of travel post-Covid and there is new guidance and funding to support this quiet revolution.
In the 1940s at the end of the working day, cycling was the go-to method of private transport. Looking at cycle use of over the years it has declined substantially in line with increased car ownership.
People often say the high use of bikes in the Netherlands is just because it’s a flat country, but the UK was no flatter in the 1940s! This shows that that there is the opportunity to grow the amount of cycle users again. This is further proven by the huge increase in cycle use during the pandemic when less traffic on the roads made them more ‘cycle-friendly’.
The benefits of cycling are immense, and it’s something we’ve spoken about in detail here. Much of the traffic on the roads is due to short trips that could be made by cycling and with our roads in recent years struggling to accommodate the levels of cars on them, encouraging active travel is an effective way of reducing congestion and improving air quality.
PJA recognise the importance of providing safe and adequate facilities to enable more walking and cycling, having over the years provided support to the UK and devolved governments on how best to create safe and attractive infrastructure. We have produced documents such as guidance on producing Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans, the Wales Active Travel Design Guidance and Local Transport Note 1/20 – Cycle Infrastructure Design which was commended in the Transport Planning category of the CIHT Awards 2021.
Additionally, the work PJA have carried out with Welsh Government to set the agenda for default 20mph speed limits in urban areas will help encourage more walking and cycling. PJA have been applying these principles in places such as Faversham in Kent, where a town-wide 20mph limit was introduced and which led to a change in the County’s speed limit policy to enable more places to make the change. LINK to Case Study (JMCQ)
Through careful and considered design and with national and local government support to deliver suitable and sustained cycle routes we certainly do see this as an opportunity for the golden age of cycling to begin.
PJA were the lead author of LTN1/20, the new cycling infrastructure design guidance which was published alongside ‘Gear Change’, and co-authored the guidance on Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans. Made up of some of the UK’s leading transport planners, engineers and place makers we work together to achieve a robust, evidence-led approach to creating better places and new developments.
For more information on our active travel services, please contact [email protected]
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