In celebration of Cycle to Work Day (5th August 2021) we hear from Julia Coonan, Transport Consultant in our Cambridge office who talks through her fledgling cycle commute experiences and her top tips for anyone thinking about giving it a go:

Prior to moving to Cambridge, cycling for transport purposes or even just for fun wasn’t something I ever considered doing. However, as I was moving to the cycling capital of the UK, I thought I had better bring a bike with me; so I got my dad to dig out a bike from the shed, probably last used circa 2004, and he kindly plastered it with a lot of hi-vis stickers to ensure I would be seen.

On day 1 of work I walked my route because I was too nervous to cycle and it took me an hour. On day 2 I cycled but it took me 45 minutes because I kept getting off at junctions to cross on foot or walk around obstacles I deemed too scary to cycle past (bizarrely Cambridge has cows roaming on all city centre green spaces). I stuck with it and after a few weeks it only took me 15 minutes, straight through the city centre on the roads I previously thought were too scary to cycle.

Three years later I have now cycled probably around 5000 miles on that trusty old bike and a further 4000 miles on the road bike I have since acquired.

So these are my top tips for getting into cycling to work from someone who is now aspiring to never own a car again:

• Don’t be afraid to turn into a pedestrian if you are unsure of any junctions – it can take time to work out your placement on the road and be confident around cars.
• There are lots of adult beginner cycle events to take part in and get more confident cycling – you can find these via your local council website or from Google/social media.
• Plan your route to take in any quiet roads/segregated cycle routes/low traffic neighbourhoods to reduce conflict with cars and minimise difficult junctions – there are some great websites/apps (such as Cycle Streets) which can show you the best routes or ask colleagues/friends who already cycle.
• Get your bike serviced annually. I found this out the hard way soon after moving to Cambridge as I went down the city’s one hill and realised my brakes weren’t working – thankfully the light was green when I reached the bottom! The government are periodically releasing free £50 fix your bike vouchers for this purpose – check out https://fixyourbikevoucherscheme.est.org.uk/ to see when the next drop might be or enquire at your local bike shop about a service.
• Wear what you feel comfortable in – you don’t necessarily need padded shorts and hi vis, but you can buy them quite cheaply if it improves your journey to work.
• Don’t be scared to try cycling in the dark come winter – I bought some really powerful lights (it’s actually illegal to not have lights in the dark) and adjusted my route which was longer but was more segregated from traffic.
• See if your bike can fit a pannier rack and get a waterproof pannier bag to carry your work stuff and avoid a sweaty back.
• Investigate other bike options which might make cycling more suitable to you – foldable bikes are great for taking the train at peak hours and electric bikes can give you that boost you need to get up hills or just enjoy a less sweaty cycle to work. In Cambridge it’s not uncommon to see electric folding bikes, adults on tricycles, cargo bikes with kids in the front, bikes with kids in a trailer on the back, tandems and even recumbent bikes on a daily basis.
• You don’t need a fancy new bike but if you want one, lots of companies, including PJA, are signed up to a Cycle to Work Scheme where you can purchase a new bike without spending a lot of money up front – see https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/ for more details.

Julia Coonan, Transport Consultant

Julia is a Transport Planner with nearly 3 years’ experience in developing Transport Assessments and Travel Plans, primarily for projects based in Cambridge, all of which focus on delivering high-quality, sustainable and low car developments. Julia also has experience working on planning applications and masterplans for larger scale public transport projects, including contributing to business cases, public realm improvements and active travel planning.

Get in touch with Julia: [email protected]

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