lil-minx92   10 #25 Posted May 10, 2019 On 09/05/2019 at 13:50, Cyclone said: Hugely misguided sentiment. Roads are perceived by many would be cyclists as dangerous (for good reason). The environmental cost of installing cycling safety features (like segregated cycle paths) is recouped quickly from the increase in cycling and the reduction in motor transport. I suspect that most people that want to cycle around the city already do. I've never heard anybody say "I'd love to cycle to work but its just too dangerous". They might say "Id love to cycle to work but the weather is always rubbish / its too hilly / I cant cycle in my work uniform / its too far / I need a car for work / I drop the kids on the way to work" etc etc. Improving cycle routes wouldnt push any of these onto their bikes. I'd like to see evidence for your assertion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #26 Posted May 10, 2019 (edited) I suppose it's something that comes up in conversation often is it?  Cycling groups identify the lack of infrastructure as a barrier when they actually investigate why people don't cycle (along with the hills and other things that can't be influenced).  It's too dangerous and I'm scared of the traffic is a common reason given along with the others that you pointed out. Edited May 10, 2019 by Cyclone Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
swarfendor437 Â Â 14 #27 Posted May 10, 2019 Well it's easy to see why the home of Cycling, the Netherlands (http://top10hell.com/top-10-countries-with-most-bicycles-per-capita/) has the highest per capita use of cycles - it's totally flat and below sea level in parts: "The Netherlands is geographically very low relative to sea level and is considered a flat country, with about 26% of its area and 21% of its population located below sea level, and only about 50% of its land exceed one metre above sea level." from Wikipedia. Â The solution? Home working! But that would not work for those who have to work in customer facing services. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
ads36   217 #28 Posted May 11, 2019 I am hopeful that this council re-shuffle is a sign that they want to do things a little better - and a better approach to transport is very much part of that.  In the Netherlands, a lot of people get around on bikes, but their government wants to encourage/enable even more bike travel. So they're still building more+better bike routes, and it's working. Even in the flat Netherlands, if you want people to choose to cycle, you need to make it safe. 50 years ago they were as car-centric as we were (still are). They changed it with decent bike routes. We're getting better at building short stretches of half-decent bike routes, we're still catastrophically bad at making them join up.  It's not the terrain, it's the infrastructure (the Dutch keep building, and more people keep using it).   Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Longcol   600 #29 Posted May 11, 2019 12 minutes ago, ads36 said:  It's not the terrain, it's the infrastructure (the Dutch keep building, and more people keep using it).   Don't be silly - of course terrain is a factor- the Netherlands being flat obviously has an affect on the number of cyclists - same as Sheffield being hilly has an affect.  If we built a dedicated 20 foot wide cycle track up to Lodge Moor the locals are highly unlikely to abandon their cars for the joys of a climb of several hundred feet, especially in winter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Dggsheffield   10 #30 Posted May 11, 2019 I was comming up Halifax rd earlier this week and saw a tractor rotivating the existing grass , next day a different tractor tilling the soil, now more soil,dumped , can anyone explain the reason they are re-seeding perfectly good grass and the cost must run into 000s wasted from our council taxes Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Thorpist   72 #31 Posted May 11, 2019 With the purchase of ebikes becoming more popular the hills have become less of a factor in reasons not to cycle. On deciding wether to cycle it seems if the price dropped there would be a big uptake in sales as in Sweden where there are subsidies for ebike buyers. The other two big factors are weather (which we can do nothing about ) and road safety for cyclists which we can. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Longcol   600 #32 Posted May 11, 2019 8 minutes ago, Thorpist said: With the purchase of ebikes becoming more popular the hills have become less of a factor in reasons not to cycle.  The price of an e-bike is as much as many Sheffielders will pay for a second hand car. Can't get much shopping or many kids in an ebike. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #33 Posted May 12, 2019 (edited) Many Sheffield people pay thousands for bikes.  But yes, the terrain is a factor, and so is the lack of infrastructure. One of those is within our power to change. Edited May 12, 2019 by Cyclone Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Tony   10 #34 Posted May 12, 2019 When the council issue workers with bikes instead of car and van allowances we should start paying attention. Until then this is just zeitgeist posturing about doing things which are more about the council's smaller budget than the environment, no matter how much some people might have convinced themselves that they actually care. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #35 Posted May 12, 2019 If someone has a van then a bike is unlikely to be a reasonable replacement... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Planner1   437 #36 Posted May 12, 2019 5 hours ago, Tony said: When the council issue workers with bikes instead of car and van allowances we should start paying attention. The Council do have pool bikes (conventional and electric) for staff to use and staff who use their own get a mileage allowance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...