Space for Cycling
What is it?
The London Cycle Campaign (LCC) started the Space for Cycling campaign.
CycleSheffield has joined with LCC and other local campaign groups, including the CTC, across the country to make this a national campaign.
The campaign groups are collaborating and cooperating on this.
The aim of the campaign is to exert political influence at the council elections in 2014.
We want to put safe space for cycling on the agenda on all the political parties in Sheffield and the councillors standing for election in May 2014, and this will be happening across the country.
We are saying that Sheffielders need streets that are safe and inviting for everyone to walk and cycle
Sheffield councillors are responsible for Sheffield’s streets and urban space. Asking them for their views on, or support for, our demands during the election campaign will ensure that cycling is on the political and action agenda.
Creating safe space for cycling will make cycling a genuine transport choice for Sheffielders.
What do we want?
We want to make specific demands of the parties and councillors at next year’s elections
Over the next couple of months we want all of us to discuss this on this list (we are all members on this list).
We can finalise the list at the end of Jan and finally agree them at our Feb meeting.
We may share some of these demands with other cycle campaign groups and some may be specific to Sheffield.
We think we should have 5 or 6 demands that are sufficiently concise that all can understand them quickly.
So here is a list of demands – there’s probably too many and you may have others you want to add and the number order is not significant at the moment; remember its got to be things local councillors are in charge of
Space for Cycling in Sheffield needs
The needs of vulnerable road users put first in all planning and highways developments.
Pedestrians, people in mobility scooters, and cyclists are vulnerable road users and all planning and development in Sheffield must start with a walking and cycling audit.
2. Protected space on main streets and through major junctions*
Sheffield needs to install segregated cycle paths on major streets with fast and/or high volumes of traffic. Major junctions that leave cyclists vulnerable should be redesigned.
Removal of though motor traffic from minor streets*
Minor streets should not become rat-runs. Most residential streets are minor streets and cutting out through motorised traffic would make them much safer. There should be permeability for pedestrians, mobility scooters & cyclists.
Quicker implementation of 20 mph speed limits*
SCC has a policy of installing 20mph zones but the speed of installation is too slow. At the present rate of seven zones a year the remaining 110 zones will be completed within another 16 yrs, by which time we want at least 10% of trips on bikes. Some smart thinking about how this can be incorporated into Streets Ahead or, like Manchester, use money from public health budgets needs action NOW.
Safe walking & cycling routes for schoolchildren and students*
Every child in Sheffield should be able to safely walk or cycle to school or college. SCC has trained 1000s of schoolchildren to cycle safely on the road. But they won’t do it because: parents think the roads are unsafe; schools have inadequate safe & secure bike storage. Cycling to school or college should be safe and secure; bike storage should be available. This will reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, raise youngsters’ levels of health and well being, and ensure that young people learn good road sense and have autonomy to move around without them, or their parents, being fearful.
Safe cycling routes through and around the city centre and suburban centres*
Sheffield needs a coherent cycle network with direct routes to encourage and support much more cycling to, in and out, and around the city centre and suburban centres, eg Hillsborough, Bradway, Darnall. The network needs to be clearly signed and properly cleaned & maintained; it would have a positive benefit to cost ratio.
Safe cycling routes through parks and green spaces*
CycleSheffield has qualified support for the SCC’s Green Routes strategy. Planning for the growth in cycling should take account of cycling to shops, work, rest or play. We support ‘green’ routes that provide direct, lit, cleaned, and maintained paved routes but think that leisure routes should be funded from Leisure and Tourist budgets and not be ‘double counted’ as everyday or commuter routes.
Practical cycle awareness training for all drivers working for SCC and it’s contractors.
People are put off cycling by drivers’ behaviour. CycleSheffield thinks that Sheffield Council should set the example for all businesses and enterprises in Sheffield by ensuring that all its drivers have practical cycle awareness training. It should ensure that all its contractors have this written in as part of their contracts. Veolia has this training for its drivers in London boroughs so why not here? Amey, the Streets Ahead contractor, should do the same. Developers should have it as part of their contractor’s drivers training. The Council needs to lead the way.
* all these are consistent with the London Cycling Campaign, The LCC is encouraging its members to prioritise these borough by borough (all London councillors are up for re-election) and delete/add as they see fit.
What can you do?
Read the list above.
Comment on it this website, discuss it with your friends, colleagues and family
If you’ve got a demand you would like to add please do by posting it with a few words about the issue.
We will build up a list of what we could demand before
in the New Year we can ask all of members to rate them in order of importance
and know what we should demand.
and finally agree it at our meeting on Mon 3 Feb 2014
Over to you!
If you want to help with the graft of campaigning then let us know
