Zoe Spiliopoulou is a Lead Urban Designer at Sustrans, London. She is the co-leader of the London Design Team and manages our urban realm schemes across London. She was part of the team managing and designing the Millwall path scheme. In this post she explains how her own experiences as a cyclist shaped her design process.

In 2012 Sustrans was replacing the disused railway bridge at South Bermondsey station to provide better pedestrian and cyclist access to the station from across the Rotherhithe New Road area.

Once the bridge was in place we recognised the potential for a further link from the station to Surrey Canal Road and onward towards the Thames. A derelict rail line was being used to dump rubbish, and was located in a challenging environment between Millwall Stadium and the Waste Transfer Centre, whose architecture dominates the views. After a walk through this strip of land, however, we began to form the vision for a 750-meter linear park and that would offer a pleasant, quieter way for people to walk and cycle through the area.

Now complete, the path forms part of a 1.7km link of off-road cycling infrastructure in the centre of London, connecting two quiet neighbourhoods in Southwark and Lewisham either side of it. There have been two strategic aims for the scheme:

1. Encourage cycling for all.
2. Cater for the increasing number of cyclists and the massive regeneration housing project taking place next to the site.

I designed this new Quietway with my own experiences in mind and the feeling I get when I choose to ride my blue Bobbin bike every day, through the back streets of Hackney to our offices in Farringdon. I wanted a route that is fast and direct, yet quiet and relaxed enough to take without any special gear or preparation. I wanted a route that was clear and well signed, accessible to all, and provided Londoners with more than just a transport link.

In South Bermondsey Station a new entrance incorporating a resting area transformed the existing confined space into a place. Opening up the area outside the station allows for better visibility for people on bikes or on foot. The resting area placed between the two trees allows for either individual seating or collective gathering while the pattern on the pavement enables the identification of these different uses. The landscape along the path respects the existing vegetation and enhances it where necessary with new trees, meadow and grass. At the other end the path smoothly connects to the East London Line path.

A new connection with the neighbourhood is created on Bolina Road. The entrance is currently surrounded by the football club and industrial estate so the design allows for an open space that can accommodate the flows of people. This entrance has allowed children and parents from the local school to use the path to walk or cycle home.

I have been on the path several times now, and have witnessed the transformation of the site, from design to construction. Riding the Quietway with people who see it for the first time is a good indicator of how the design elements affect people’s perception of the space and their experience of travelling through it.

On a sunny day I rode with a Breeze Women’s Ride from Waterloo to Greenwich and back. We followed the recently opened Cycle Superhighway from Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge where we crossed the river and followed the National Cycle Network to Greenwich. It was a lovely ride along the river and through the green spaces of Southwark and Lewisham to Greenwich.

On the way back we followed Q1. The back streets and Millwall path helped us keep the relaxed feeling we’d had during the first half of the ride, and it was brilliant to see how easy it was to ride this quiet route. The ladies called it “a real eye-opener”, and said and they would “definitely bring some friends who are otherwise not confident in cycling in the streets of London” along this route. It is great to see our vision made into a reality with Millwall and Q1.

Learn more about London Quietways

Find out about our route design and construction services

We’ve turned derelict railway sidings behind Millwall Football Club, regularly used as a rubbish dump, into a public square and a safe walking and cycling path that helps people to avoid busy roads. The path forms part of Q1, the first London Quietway, linking Waterloo to Greenwich. 

We are particularly proud of the new public space created at South Bermondsey Station entrance, transforming the experience of rail users, local residents and people walking or cycling.

We led on feasibility, design and managing construction of the public square and path.

The scheme, funded by Transport for London, was built on a disused rail line behind South Bermondsey Station and opened to the public in 2016 after more than three years of effort from Sustrans. The 750-meter new path provides a safe, attractive and direct route and links to one of our earlier projects to connect communities to safe, traffic free cycling and walking networks, which provided a new bridge crossing Rotherhithe New Road.

From a derelict railway siding to a green oasis

Together with project partners including Network Rail, London Boroughs of Southwark and Lewisham, Millwall Football Club and Millwall Community Trust, we overcame engineering challenges, match day crowds and invasive plants to transform the site.

Delivering a transformative project

We removed 6.4 tonnes of old rail, 3.8 tonnes of sleepers, treated 400 square meters of Japanese Knotweed and improved 1,540 square meters of grassland habitat, turning patches of previously derelict land into a green oasis.

We are delighted to see the project reach a successful conclusion. It will be a real boon for the people of London.

Councillor Darren Merrill, Southwark cabinet member for environment and public realm during the path's construction, said:

“This forms an important part of our ambitious new cycling strategy, a council-wide commitment to boost cycling numbers in the borough by creating new routes, improving road infrastructure and offering free cycle training to give residents, of all ages and background, the confidence to cycle.”

Brian Deegan, Principal Technical Specialist at Transport for London said:

“I have been trying to help make the Millwall connection happen for 15 years and so I am delighted that Sustrans have finally achieved it. The previous route involved a huge detour and mixed cyclists with large volumes of heavy goods vehicles and so this connection represents a tremendous improvement.

"One of the great barriers to cycling in South East London has now been removed with the introduction of this attractive, green, traffic-free connection, and so many thanks to Sustrans for their role in this success."

We hope that this vital new link will enable local residents to feel confident getting on their bikes. We look forward to working on more projects like this which have the potential to transform a whole community and provide vital links for safe cycling.

New London Awards 2016 - Shortlist

We are proud to announce the Millwall Quietway link has been shortlisted in the New London Awards 2016, under the Public Spaces category. The aim is to recognise the very best new and proposed architecture, planning and development in the capital.

Find out more about our work on London Quietways

Get in touch to find out how we can work with you on similar projects

We are delighted to have been awarded the contract to deliver the Active School Travel programme until 2021.

The £2.25 million programme, jointly funded by the Department for Infrastructure and the Public Health Agency (PHA), helps to increase physical activity in children, reduce congestion around schools, and so improve health and road safety awareness.

The Programme began in 2013 and since then 191 schools have enrolled with more than 60,000 children taking part. This has resulted in an increase in those cycling and walking for the school commute and a reduction in car congestion around participating schools.

Transport Minister Chris Hazzard, who announced the funding, said:

“The school journey is a great way of establishing an active travel habit from an early age so I am pleased that we, alongside the Public Health Agency, have been able to award Sustrans this £2.25million contract. This means that as the name suggests the school run can be exactly that - a run on the bike, the scooter or a walk to school. 

Minister for Health, Michelle O’Neill said:

“This Active School Travel Programme ensures children are being given the best opportunity to participate in physical activity which will benefit their health and wellbeing as they develop. We want our children to have memories of playing outside, of made-up adventures and games, rather than being indoors playing with technology.

Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive of the PHA said:

“The Public Health Agency is delighted to confirm its ongoing support and commitment to the Active School Travel programme. Many children are not getting enough exercise with only 10% girls and 19% of boys aged 8-12 years meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation of one hour of physical activity a day.”

Gordon Clarke, Sustrans Director Northern Ireland said:

“We are delighted to be given the opportunity to continue delivering the Active School Travel Programme.

"We are very proud of what our team has achieved to date. In just one year in the schools where we worked we achieved a 32% increase in the number of pupils walking, cycling and scooting to school, with a corresponding decrease in those being driven.

"Just think what we can do in the long term. Over the next five years we look forward to welcoming new schools across Northern Ireland to the programme and working to make active travel the normal way children get to school each day.”

Contact us if you're interested in signing up for the Active School Travel Programme

Read more about the Active School Travel Programme in Northern Ireland

Find out more about our schools work

Becca Jones is an Engineer in the Sustrans London Design team. She’s been involved in designing some of the Quietways since 2014. 

In the month since the first Quietway opened, connecting Waterloo to Greenwich, I've been finding out how people using it feel about the route. I've met people new to cycling who told me that Q1 had encouraged them to take up riding their bike, as well as experienced cyclists who described how much better their commutes were as a result of the new Quietway. It's wonderful to hear people talk about the impact the changes have on their journeys, and reaffirms how vital it is that we continue to deliver a good network of quiet routes across the capital.

CherylJimenez is a NHS Medical Secretary at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in Eltham: “The QW1 route is very convenient for me as I live in Waterloo and work in Greenwich. I had occasionally cycled to work last year but stopped as I didn’t feel particularly safe or comfortable on busy roads such as the Old Kent Road, and in and around Lewisham. I tried Quietway 1 recently, and now I feel much more confident about getting back on the bike to commute to work as the route takes me along quieter and safer roads - quite scenic ones too - especially through the Millwall link, where there’s a fantastic view of the London skyline!”

MartinO’Gorman rides Q1 from his home in Lewisham every day, joining up with CS7 to get into the city: “It’s amazing as there’s just so little traffic, and it takes you pretty much straight into Borough. What I really like is that there are so few traffic lights, it’s not stop start like some routes. I find that you can just enjoy your cycle. It’s ingenious the way these different sections have been joined up, it’s just a lovely route. There must be other bits and pieces of street that they could equally join up to make more lovely routes.”

JackyJones has been using the Millwall path to get from her home in Greenwich to St Thomas’s Hospital since it opened in Spring this year: “It’s a pleasure to cycle to work. The path cuts out some dangerous junctions and means you don’t need to cycle down the main road.”

Katerina has tried using Q1 to get from Brockley to London Bridge: “I was looking for a quieter route home, and I’d heard about Q1 being launched so I tried it out. The smoothness of the route is probably the best part, and I’ll be using this route again.”

Daniel has just discovered Q1 and had been using the main road before that: “The traffic felt dangerous, and I felt I had to cycle very fast. I didn’t like that. I started using this route a couple days ago and am amazed by how calm it is, and I’m at work even faster than when I was using the main road. It’s just so much more relaxing that it used to be – I’m not feeling stressed on the bike. I would love to see more of these.”

JohnMcGrath is a new London cyclist, commuting from Beckenham to London Bridge: “I’ve only been using this route for a few days. I’d been putting off cycling for years but I’ve just last week started cycling to work and find this route quick and straightforward. I’ve been quite surprised, I’m quite enjoying it. “

RichBarnes had been using the route to get from Peckham to Old Street for several years, but has experienced huge benefits since the Q1 improvements have been completed: “The improvements have been huge. Before the improvements, I felt exposed when crossing major roads, but now we get the green light earlier and it acknowledges the fact that cyclists are there. Right the way from Dunton Way and Willow Walk down to The Cut, I used to feel a bit intrusive. I’ve been telling people about all these little changes and what a difference they make”.

Jacqui Godfrey is a London ride leader for British Cycling’s Breeze Network, which supports women to ride bikes for fun and fitness. Breeze run a range of regular guided rides for women and children.

"I took a group of riders out on Q1 in late Spring. We were a mixed group, including an experienced cyclist and a more nervous rider but we found our way and were happy riders. It’s been amazing to see this route progress. The group was impressed by how fast the journey from Waterloo to Greenwich was, and how comfortable it felt riding in largely traffic-free streets and paths.

“Only one car passed us the whole way back”, one said. 

"It is so nice to cycle without having the cars bother you at all”.

“I could bring my children on this route. It would be a great route to build their confidence”, said another.

Everyone liked the lovely wide paths, which reminded some of them of cycling in Holland. The riders loved the Great Dover Street crossing just before Tabard Gardens, where Globe Street is closed to traffic, and the lovely planting in the middle is really special.

"This has taken me to places I have never been in London”, one rider said. “Quite an eye-opener”. 

Find out more about Quietways

What we're doing to improve cycling infrastructure in London

Over 50 workplaces from the private, public and voluntary sector recently went head to head in Sustrans’ Active Belfast Challenge to encourage Belfast workers to travel actively.  Fresh from the July holidays, an awards ceremony was hosted by the Public Health Agency (PHA) to celebrate the success of the winning workplaces who contributed to almost 30,000 active and sustainable journeys during the Challenge in May, burning almost 5 million calories.

With six workplace size categories, the largest workplace leader-board was topped by Belfast City Council whose staff burned a total of 600,000 calories, travelling a distance of 27,137 active miles.  In close contention was Belfast Health and Social Care Trust who are making waves in the world of Active Travel in Belfast, having recently installed Belfast Bikes at some of their sites. 

The Active Belfast Challenge is just one part of a wider Public Health Agency (PHA) funded project called Leading the Way with Active Travel, which is engaging with staff in some of Belfast’s largest workplaces to encourage and facilitate active travel.

The winners were:

• Belfast City Council
• AECOM
• The Conservation Volunteers
• NIAMH (Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health)
• RQIA (Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority)
• White Ink Architects

More than half of women in Northern Ireland and 40% of men do not take the level of exercise recommended by the Chief Medical Officer of 150 minutes per week (2013/14 NI Health Survey).

Mary Black, Assistant Director of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement at the PHA said: “The Active Belfast Challenge has been important in motivating people to get physically active. We are all very busy people and it is often difficult to find time to get active and the challenge has shown that the best thing you can do is to build activity into your life, which ultimately will be of benefit to your overall health and wellbeing. This scheme really does ‘Lead the Way’ to help people incorporate physical activity into their daily lives having a positive impact not just in the workplace but through to our families."

Sustrans Active Travel Officer, Claire McLernon said: “The Challenge saw participation numbers double from last year. I think this reflects increasing demand for alternative modes of travel to the car, particularly in our cities and towns. More people realise that walking, cycling, and using public transport is a simple, time-efficient, and cost-effective way to incorporate more physical activity into our everyday lives”.

Read more about changing the way you travel

Read more about the Leading The Way programme

Find out what Sustrans does in Northern Ireland

Cycle to Work Day is a UK-wide event that encourages people to commute to work by bike. This year it will take place on 14 September and 55 year-old Lorreine Kennedy is one of the many thousands of people who will be taking part.

Lorreine started cycling the 12 mile round trip between Watford and Hemel Hempstead two years ago. She now rides her bike to work at least three times a week come rain or shine and wouldn’t want to commute any other way. Regular cycling has helped her to totally change her lifestyle. She feels fitter and healthier than ever before.

My wake up call

“Around two years ago I found out I was pre-hypertensive and at risk of developing dangerously high blood pressure. My doctor warned that I would probably need to take medication to keep my blood pressure in check but I wasn’t having any of it. I decided there and then to buy a bike instead.”

Having not ridden since she was 12 years old, Lorreine spent the first few months riding around local roads and cycle paths, gradually building up her fitness and confidence. 

“It felt awesome being back in the saddle so I kept doing more and more until I found I could cycle about five miles a day.

“I was amazed how quickly my fitness levels went up and my blood pressure went down. My doctor was impressed too.”

My first commute by bike

“ There’s very little I don’t like about cycling although helmet hair is a pain in the backside.

”

At this point Lorreine asked herself what was stopping her cycling the six miles to work rather than driving. She had got to know the quieter roads and canal towpath that could take her to the office and the idea of being in touch with her surroundings and getting exercise on her daily commute seemed like a good one.

“I got up very early one Sunday morning – around 6.30 - and cycled all the way to the office. And back again. A total of 12 miles.

“It was that Sunday that changed my life.

“Now when I ride to work I speak to around thirty people on the way and arrive smiling, de-stressed and feeling happy.”

If I can cycle to work, anyone can

Lorreine wholeheartedly recommends cycling as a way to get fit and stay healthy.

“I’ve made a network of new friends through cycling, my legs and arms are toned and stronger, and I feel happier and healthier than I have for years.”

Last July she completed a 60 mile cycle ride to raise money for charity, something she never thought in her wildest dreams she would be able to do.

It’s no surprise to hear that Lorreine would encourage anyone who lives within a reasonable distance from work to give it go. She offers this advice: 

“Ultimately, if you live under five miles from work, start by planning your route, figure out a few practical logistics and try it out at the weekend, or outside of term time, when the roads tend to be much quieter.”

Inspired to give cycling to work a go? Cycle to Work Day on 14 September is the ideal time to get started.

Sign up to pledge your commute now.

It’s been 13 years since the congestion charge was introduced in London, and it paved the way to help change how Londoners travel.

Now, as our population continues to grow apace, policy makers need to find new solutions that help shift our everyday trips to foot, bike and public transport in order for London to remain a prosperous, healthy city for all.

London has thrived for decades because of its constrained roads

London’s physical constraints have led us to pioneer better transport: the world's first underground railway, the original congestion charge, contactless tickets for public transport, and reallocating space for people cycling and walking. Since 2000, there has been an 11% shift from private transport to public transport, walking and cycling. According to Transport for London no other major global city has achieved such a significant shift away from private transport. This is something to be proud of, but recent changes are concerning.

The latest Travel in London report tells us that, since 2013, traffic has increased slightly after over a decade of decline, most notably in central London. This is thought to be driven largely by increases in the numbers of vans and lorries, possibly brought about by the post-recession construction boom, online shopping and all the additional services that a growing population and thriving economy demands.

Here are four things we should do about it.

1. Rule out new roads

From academic debate in the 1950s, to government reports in the 1990s and more recent studies, it is widely recognised that when new roads are built or existing ones widened, new motor traffic appears. There are two kinds of uplift; ‘induced traffic’ – people who change how they travel to take advantage of new capacity; and ‘generated traffic’ – entirely new trips that weren’t made before. When this happens, congestion levels generally remain the same or get worse, so rule out building new roads. It tends to make the problem worse.

2. Continue to invest in space for more efficient modes of transport - space for buses, cycling and walking

Buses, cycles and pavements can move more of us more efficiently in a given space. This is more important as our city grows. Around 1,200 people per hour are using the new north-south Cycle Superhighway in the peak – that’s about 920 cars (given current occupancy rates) or 15 full buses. Without investments like these we wouldn’t have seen the major shift away from private transport that we have - with its benefits to our health, our environment and our city’s economy.

3. Revisit congestion charging, it has been vital to recent progress

The change in how Londoners travel just wouldn’t have been possible without London’s congestion charge. When it was introduced in 2003, traffic in the congestion charge zone reduced by 18%, freeing up road-space to help create more bus lanes, cycle lanes and better pedestrian crossings and pedestrianised spaces. Alongside Living Streets and the Campaign for Better Transport, we’d like to see an investigation into a charge linked more closely to the congestion caused, that makes sure the people using the roads are those that really need to, giving them more reliable journeys. Small changes to the existing charge such as tolling for each entry and exit or varying the price by time could also make a big difference.

4. Put a team on it – for quick wins, clever tricks and overcoming any regulatory barriers

Working with the construction sector, Transport for London – led by the Mayor – has changed the sector’s culture and practices toward cycle safety. They’ve recently started to engage utilities and developers to understand how they can minimise the impact on traffic – with already good results. In the short-term there’s a lot to be done to better manage the impacts of development, deliveries and demand, and a team of experts can work together with the key sectors to achieve the best results. We did it during the Olympics in 2012, so why not pick up the activity again?

Investment in space for walking and cycling is the way to cope with the rising population and our capital’s challenges but to target and tackle traffic congestion we need to make changes to the congestion charge and work to make more efficient use of vehicles.

The London Assembly Transport Committee will meet on Thursday 8 September to discuss these topics and provide recommendations to the Mayor.

Read Sustrans’ submission to the London Assembly Transport Committee investigation into traffic congestion (pdf).

Gordon Stewart is a workplace volunteer in Glasgow, encouraging and inspiring his colleagues to walk, jog, and cycle to and from work. 

I started working with NHS National Services Scotland three years ago now. I was always a cyclist commuter and this new job allowed me to maintain my cycle commute. In fact it made it much easier, with secure bike parking, shower and locker facilities and, more recently, drying facilities too, so we are superbly well catered at work for cycling. 

Getting started as a workplace volunteer

Our building has a Health Promotion Group which I was made aware of early on, and being a cyclist it seemed natural to become part of it. It was my intention to take a small role initially, but quite quickly it became something that I really enjoyed doing. The group conducts running and walking groups and we all support each other when we can. I quickly became a jog leader, regularly taking colleagues out for a jog around the local area.

Every now and then we have a health promotion event in our main lobby, which includes stalls for the jogging and walking groups, health checks with our onsite nurses, information to give up smoking, and external organisations such as Sustrans.

I loved inspiring people in my work to get active and so I became a Sustrans workplace volunteer in 2014.

Supporting colleagues to cycle to work

A couple of months into my role I successfully applied for Sustrans funding for a pool bike, which was matched by my director to give us two bikes for staff use.

Now colleagues can check the bike out for a cycle ride whenever they’re free, which has helped to encourage even more people to take up cycling and start commuting to work by bike. 

More recently, a Sustrans-funded Cycle Ride Leader course has allowed myself and one of my other colleagues to become Lunchtime Social Cycle ride leaders.

This summer we’ve taken groups out for a bike ride over lunchtime roughly every second Tuesday – avoiding clashes with lunchtime led jogs and walks, and the rush to get to the pub after work on a Friday! It’s a great way to get us up and moving and away from our desks, as well as being social and good fun. 

How we’re motivating people to get active

There is so much cycling stuff going on out there that it is hard to keep track of sometimes but we use a website called ScotBUG to share useful information and news. We include internal initiatives such as our cycle to work scheme as well as getting groups together to take part in events such as the Skyride and Pedal for Scotland.

From our building of maybe 500 staff there are now 70 people signed up to receive updates and we add to this number regularly. 

Our newest event is supporting Breast Cancer Care Scotland in their Tour de Scotland static bike challenge. Over two days in October we’re motivating people to cycle for 15 minutes, make a donation and compete against others around Scotland. Two of our other sites are also taking part so we will have some definite competition to spur us on. 

We have recently written to the council to request that the one-way street behind our building is given a contraflow for bikes, this has been adopted and will soon be implemented.

If you have an idea of how to improve the cycling experience in your area, make any suggestions you can – it might just happen.

Enjoying the challenge

If you’d like to encourage people in your workplace to be more active I think the main thing is to just keep going, keep chipping away and enjoy the challenge of bringing cycling into people’s lives.

It’s a slow process and dragging people away from their desks is hard to do but being active makes everyone happier and more productive. It fills me with pride that people appreciate what I am doing. Go for it.

Thousands of people pledged to Cycle to Work on 14 September 2016 . Feeling inspired? Check out our tips for cycling to work with confidence.

Want to encourage your colleagues to cycle to work? Take a look at our guidance for becoming a bike buddy.

The secret to getting my kids to school and myself to work on time is my bicycle, says busy working mum Sarah Reid.

Sarah works for the Public Health Agency in Belfast and has cycled to work for as long as she can remember. Now that she has two young children to take to primary school before her working day even begins, commuting by bike makes more sense than ever. Here she reveals the reasons why.

Q: Why do you cycle to work?

A: Mostly, because I really enjoy it. I love getting some fresh air before I start working. I always feel in much better form by the time I reach the office compared to when I take the bus. Cycling is also the quickest, cheapest and healthiest travel option for both me and my kids. I simply don’t have time to commute any other way! The traffic from east Belfast is dreadful in the morning. Cycling is the quickest option.

Q: So you have kids to consider in the mornings - how do you factor this into your journey?

A: I have two young children in primary school. Fitting as much physical activity as possible into their day is a priority for me, so cycling to work really helps with that. I walk my bicycle with them to school and then cycle to work from there. Sometimes they prefer to take their scooters or bikes. All of those options can be accommodated if I’m on my bike.

Q: When did you first start cycling?

A: I started cycling while I was at university in Dublin because public transport was expensive, especially on a student budget. My flat mate cycled and persuaded me to join her on her daily commute. The traffic was chaos, there was no cycling infrastructure, and I was terrified.

However, my confidence improved after accompanying my flat mate and very soon I was able to make the journey on my own.

I can still remember the feeling of cycling around Dublin one early Sunday morning when the city was so quiet. It was a crisp sunny autumn morning and the city looked gorgeous. I think that was the moment I got the cycling bug.

Q: What do you do if it’s really poor weather or do you just cycle through anything?

A: A few years ago I invested in some really good waterproofs: shoes, gloves, trousers and jacket. Together they cost more than my bicycle but they are worth every penny. On a rainy day I’d say I arrive in work drier than most people.

Q: You use the road on your commute. How do you find cycling on the roads from east Belfast where you live?

A: I’m so used to it now I barely notice. This morning I arrived at work and can’t really remember how I got here. I think there is a bit of a cycling revolution at the moment. I see more cyclists on the road now and as a result feel the drivers are a bit more aware. Also, there are new cycle lanes popping up all over the place. Over the years I definitely feel the roads in Belfast have become more cycle friendly.

Q: Do you ever use your bike to get to work meetings, and how far would you be prepared to travel by bike?

A: I use my bike for work meetings all the time. It’s easy because I work in Belfast and most of my meetings are in Belfast.

Q: What would you say to anyone who would like to start cycling at least some of their journey to work or riding a bike for work, but who may be hesitant?

A: The best way to start is to accompany somebody. Most cyclists I know would be happy to go out of their way to help somebody get started. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you find your confidence and start making the journeys by yourself.

I’ve been cycling to and from my place of work in Dublin and Belfast for more than 20 years now and have never had a cycle related injury. So contrary to what you might think it’s a very safe way to travel.

Read tips on:

• cycling with children

• commuting with confidence

• cycling while pregnant.

People with disabilities, parents cycling with children, tandem riders, and standard bicycle riders have overwhelmingly welcomed a trial opening of barriers along our Fallowfield Loop, one of Greater Manchester’s most popular traffic-free paths.

Throughout the summer we worked with Friends of the Fallowfield Loop to open up barriers and monitor behaviour along the path and peoples’ responses to the improved access for all sizes of bicycles. The six mile linear park, which runs from Chorlton to Gorton along the old Manchester Central railway line, was converted to a cycle and walking route in the 1990s. Guidelines at the time stipulated regular barriers along its length as well as at access points to roads, to deter use by motorised vehicles.

Recommendations to keep the barriers open

The Friends of the Fallowfield Loop surveyed over 300 people, including face-to-face interviews on the Fallowfield Loop and online feedback. Of the responses, 279 were positive about the lack of barriers along the path, while 41 were negative, and a further 19 were uncertain or positive (but with reservations). Their report recommends that the barriers along the route remain open.

Giselle du Toit of Friends of the Fallowfield Loop says:

"In the light of the findings we are unanimous in our view that the open barrier policy should be continued indefinitely. The overwhelming response of cyclists is that the experiment has proved positive and has in many cases increased their use of the Loop. This includes not only those who use a variety of wide or long bikes, but also many using ordinary cycles who have found negotiating the internal barriers extremely difficult.”

Seth Ormsby, who cycles with the ability cycling community Simply Cycling, says:

“The Loop is fantastic for me now as I am unable to walk far, so once I am strapped into my Hase Recumbent I can just get on the loop straight from my house and go. I have only had my bike for about six months which has coincided well with the removal of some of the gates and barriers. Being able to cycle has given me a new lease of life and got me moving again.”

Karen Brenchley, Network Development Manager for Sustrans in the North West says:

“The new open access along the Fallowfield Loop has proved extremely popular with all types of bicycle users. While the barriers were originally installed for understandable reasons to improve safety, in reality they blocked many of the people who most benefit from using this traffic-free path. We will continue to work with the police and the local community to help reduce anti-social behaviour and promote good practice on a shared path.

“Around the country there are several examples of where barriers are being removed along the converted railway paths, which encourages everyone to access the paths and makes them busier. By helping to create a vibrant route we hope the Floop will continue to develop as a healthy travel option, avoiding roads, for people to walk and cycle around Manchester.”

Motorbike use

Some respondents said motorbikes have been spotted on the path since the barriers were opened – but others said that there had been no increase in motorbike numbers relative to those observed before, with the barriers in place. Other interviewees expressed concerns about people cycling too fast along the path since the restrictions were removed.

The report also noted that the path was busier and now attracted different types of non-motorised vehicles, including wheelchairs, recumbent bikes, trailers for children and cargo, and tandems. Interviewees also said there were more standard bicycles using the path as a route to work and school.

Sue Blaylock from Simply Cycling said:

"We have a range of adapted bikes, trikes and recumbents which allow people with disabilities to cycle. As they are much larger than standard two-wheel bikes there are very few traffic-free paths where we can take the group. Now the Fallowfield Loop has open access people who live nearby can use the route to travel around the city as part of their everyday lives.

"It would be fantastic if there were more routes like this with open access as they allow people with disabilities to remain mobile and active and healthy."

Read more information on the report or get involved.

Workers in east Belfast are being surveyed on their travel habits as part of a new European project to improve air quality and promote alternatives to the car.

Whether you drive, walk, car share, use public transport or cycle, Sustrans wants to hear how employees travel to work.

East Belfast is the UK focus of a €4.4m programme which aims to tackle high levels of air pollution caused by car traffic in North-West Europe and promote alternative options for commuters.

Improving air quality in Belfast

The Upper Newtownards Road from the North Road junction to the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald is one of four Air Quality Management Areas in Belfast because it exceeds nitrogen dioxide levels, a pollutant mainly caused by road traffic.

The CHIPS project (Cycle Highways Innovation for Smarter People Transport and Spatial Planning) will see Belfast collaborate with the Netherlands and Belgium, Germany and the Republic of Ireland over the next three years.
Sustrans is delivering the project in Belfast, where there are two traffic-free greenways, and will focus on supporting and enabling people to cycle to work or use more sustainable transport.

The first step in this process is a short survey which companies – large and small, from all sectors in east Belfast – are being asked to distribute to their workforces.

To date, Asda, the Ulster Hospital, and Stormont estate are among over 20 employers with several thousand staff who have signed up to take part in the survey. The survey is live from 3 to 23 October, with results gathered by early November.

Encouraging active travel to work

The project depends on active travel champions in the workplace promoting and encouraging active travel and public transport among staff. One high-profile travel champion is Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, who is responsible for the Stormont estate and helped establish Ciclovia – the traffic-free event in Belfast.

Minister Ó Muilleoir said: “I’m a big proponent of active travel, but I know it’s not always easy for busy people to make the change to cycling or using public transport for their daily commute. This survey will help Sustrans find out what the barriers are to making those changes and I would encourage all staff working in Stormont Estate to get involved and give their views on their daily commute and what they think can be done to improve their travel to, from and through East Belfast.” 

Joe McDonald, Corporate Affairs Manager, Asda NI said: “Sustainability is very important to Asda as it impacts on all aspects of our business. As a major employer in East Belfast we’re delighted to contribute to Sustrans’ research and to support schemes which encourage more sustainable methods of transport, particularly when travelling to and from work.”

East Belfast Assembly Member and keen cyclist, Sammy Douglas, said: “Congratulations to Sustrans for initiating the excellent CHIPS project which aims to make real improvements to people’s travel in the area. With commuters facing congestion and pollution on our roads, we want to encourage more sustainable transport such as cycling. I would encourage everyone to fill in the survey.” 

Chris Lyttle, Chair of the All-Party Cycling Group at Stormont and Alliance MLA for East Belfast, added his support to the project. “This has the potential to make a real improvement to the commute by reducing traffic congestion in East Belfast,” he said. “I hope that the Dundonald area in particular will benefit from the Ulster Hospital partnership with Sustrans to encourage staff to take public transport, cycle or walk to work. I would encourage everyone to take a short time to complete the survey to help ensure this project is a success.”

Pamela Grove-White, Sustrans Active Travel Officer said: “We’ve had a great response from a wide variety of employers in east Belfast. There is still time to get involved in the project and take part in the survey which will give us an understanding of employees’ travel habits.” 

To enable your workforce to take part in the survey please contact Pamela Grove-White at Sustrans in Belfast on 028 90434569 or get in touch via email

Find out more about the Cycle Highways Innovation for Smarter People Transport and Spatial Planning (CHIPS) project

Sustrans is working in east Belfast to tackle high levels of air pollution caused by car traffic and promote alternative options, such as cycling for commuters. The €4.4m CHIPS project (Cycle Highways Innovation for Smarter People Transport and Spatial Planning) will see Belfast collaborate with leading cycling nations – the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the Republic of Ireland over the next three years.

The project, funded through Interreg North-West Europe, aims to tackle air pollution caused by car traffic in North-West Europe by building better infrastructure for cyclists and encouraging bicycle commuting. The CHIPS partners forecast a 150 to 300 percent increase in the number of cyclists as a result of the project.

The first step involves coordinating a survey across the nine partners to identify the barriers preventing people commuting by bike. Sustrans is surveying workplaces in the East Belfast area, both large and small, to see how people travel to work and what prevents them travelling more actively. The next step is to work with key employers close to the Comber Greenway to encourage and support people to cycle. Programmes that we develop in Belfast will be shared and implemented by partners across Europe.

An ‘Active Travel hub’ will be established at the Holywood Arches in east Belfast to provide a public base for the project. There will also be investment in smart cycle storage units utilising modern technology such as swipe cards for security; bike service points and a pilot programme developing the potential of e-bikes for those who have longer distance commutes or live in hillier areas.

Sustrans Northern Ireland Director Gordon Clarke said: “This is a brilliant boost for cycling on the Comber to Belfast corridor but we will also benefit immensely from the innovations being developed by our partners in Brussels, Frankfurt and the Netherlands.”

Read more about the CHIPS workplace survey

Find out how we work to encourage walking and cycling among commuters

After a lovely dry summer I had my first experience of cycling to work and getting well and truly drenched in what feels like a long time.

It got me thinking about the winter ahead and how hard it can be to motivate yourself to leave your cosy bed and jump on your bike on the winter mornings.

As the mornings are getting colder and the radiators in the office are being used to dry wet cycling gear more frequently I turned to my amazing colleagues for some of their tips on how to stay motivated and carry on enjoying cycling through a bleak northern European winter.

1. Warm feet are key

There’s nothing worse than frosty toes or wet feet – get a decent pair of socks and waterproof shoes (or overshoes) and keep those tootsies toastie.

2. Gloves

Same goes for your hands, a decent pair of gloves (cycling specific or not) make your winter bike ride much more pleasant. If you're particularly susceptible to the cold go for a pair of ski gloves - just make sure you can still brake and change gear safely.

3. A toasty head = a happy cyclist

If it’s really chilly then I stick on a warm hat, a buff or a knitted headband.

4. Get ready at the office

If it’s raining then I wait and put mascara on at the office to avoid that panda eye look.

5. It keeps me fit 

I have lots of food-related events planned in the run up to Christmas, staying on my bike means I can stay fit and still enjoy myself.

6. Cycling wakes me up

Cycling means I arrive feeling ready for the day; a train with the heating on in winter sends me back to sleep. Riding to work makes me nicely energized and motivated.

7. Rewards and bribery

Fuelling myself with coffee and cake is usually effective.

8. Great for relaxation

I find it’s a great way to de-stress and clear my head after a long day.

9. Lots of thin layers

Layers! It’s easy to get hot and sweating when I’m cycling, even in the depths of winter, so I wear a few thin layers and bring a cardigan or sweater to wear at work.

10. Warm feet at work

I keep work slippers at my desk to change into in case I have wet socks or shoes.

11. Quality waterproofs

I make sure I have good waterproofs, including waterproof gloves. I keep dry clothes at work too because waterproofs can make you quite sweaty.

12. Often it's just the best option

I always remind myself that it’s faster than walking, cheaper than driving, healthier than getting the bus and more fun than all three!

After reading these tips I feel more than ready to keep cycling throughout the winter - I feel excited. So many of the tips mentioned how much people enjoyed winter cycling once they’d found a way to keep warm and dry that worked for them.

I’ve bought myself some new lights and gloves and so many people recommended buffs that I’m seriously knitting one as a creative project for those long winter evenings.

So what are your top tips for not only cycling all winter but really enjoying it?

Check out our tips for winterproofing your ride.

Sustrans Scotland has been recognised for our outstanding contribution to the growing number of people choosing to combine rail and cycle travel for both work and leisure at this year’s National Cycle Rail Awards.

The number of people choosing to travel by ‘cycle-rail’ has increased dramatically in recent years. Last year alone saw around 50 million ‘cycle-rail’ trips across the UK, representing an increase of 40% since 2010.

Presented by UK Transport Minister, Paul Maynard MP, Sustrans Scotland won the ‘Partnership Working’ award in acknowledgement of the contribution and genuine benefit our organisation has brought to people who want to travel to the station by bike.

The award was presented in recognition of two projects delivered by Sustrans Scotland and our partners:

• The links to Borders Rail, completed in 2015 in partnership with Network Rail, Midlothian Council and Scottish Borders Council
• The Haymarket Station cycle facilities, completed earlier this year in partnership with Network Rail, City of Edinburgh Council and ScotRail

Sustrans contributed £301,500 to the links to Boarders Rail, and £143,000 to the Haymarket Station cycle facilities.

Run by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) on behalf of the Cycle Rail Working Group, the awards recognise the progress made by the rail industry and associated organisations in encouraging integrated cycle-rail travel and the implementation and best practice development of cycle-rail integration policy.

Andy Keba, Partnerships Manager at Sustrans Scotland in Edinburgh said “Findings show the number of people who are choosing to travel using a combination of cycling and rail has increased significantly over the last few years. We’re hopeful that as we deliver more and more projects that help facilitate this mode of combined transport, the number of people choosing sustainable travel options will continue to rise.

“The health and wellbeing of the nation is one of, if not the, primary article on policy-makers agenda. We hope by supporting the Scottish Government’s objective of ensuring one in 10 journeys in Scotland is conducted by bike by 2020, the link between active-travel and health will become increasingly obvious and the health of the nation will gradually begin to improve. Other important areas of policy such as the environment will also considerably benefit.”

Daisy Narayanan, Acting Director of Sustrans Scotland, added “Giving people an option out of their cars is a collective effort and this award demonstrates what effective partnerships can achieve in this respect. The links to Borders Rail and the Haymarket Station cycle facilities showcase the excellent partnership work we do with local authorities and other statutory bodies. The partnership award is a great endorsement of our work as a team here at Sustrans, as well as the various organisations we work with to deliver projects like these.”

Referring to the links to Borders Rail, Councillor David Parker, Scottish Borders Council’s Leader, said “It is fantastic that the partnership working which has taken place to improve cycle links to the Borders Railway has been recognised on a national level.

“In the Scottish Borders, we've seen a number of significant projects undertaken by the Council, Sustrans Scotland and other partners, such as work which has taken place surrounding Galashiels and Tweedbank stations, the realignment of the Black Path which runs through Galashiels and Tweedbank and better cycle links from the railway to Melrose, Borders General Hospital and Clovenfords.

Find out more about our work in Scotland.

Glasgow based writer and our guest blogger Chris Smith, shares his views on cycle commuting in Glasgow:

In the last few months, I’ve made the change from commuting by car to commuting by bicycle. Parking spaces are few and far between at my office. You could feed the meter at your peril, but traffic wardens are always just a few blocks away. Once the quiet of the summer holidays quickly turned to rush hour hell when the schools went back in August, I came to the conclusion that all of these obstacles are easily avoided with the simple investment in a bicycle.

Benefits to my health and my pocket

There are so many benefits to cycling in Glasgow. After just a few months of cycling, I no longer arrive at work sweaty and breathless as my fitness has improved, regular exercise means I sleep better at night. I also saved a small fortune on fuel and I am now the proud owner of some very snazzy cycling gloves.

Even the infamous Glasgow weather hasn’t put me off. Crisp autumn mornings are ideal for cycling, and I’m truly awake and alert when I arrive at the office in the morning. I admit I avoid the cycle when it rains heavily in the morning, but that’s only been a couple of times. But it’s not all plain cycling. A revolutionary new cycle route may be underway in Glasgow south, but the rest of city is still lagging.

Lack of allocated cycle lanes doesn't make it easy

My route, passing through Govanhill and over the Clyde to Finnieston, has been recently redesigned and resurfaced – to benefit the few buses using those roads. While cycles are welcome to use the bus lanes to avoid congestion, there is no additional space for cycles making it a tight and uncomfortable fit.

Without allocated cycle lanes I follow the yellow lines, fearful of pulling out to avoid potholes and hoping a car or bus doesn’t swing by too close. When congestion builds, I often resort to pushing my bike on foot along the footpath, since there’s not enough space between static cars and pavement to pass safely – much to the vexation of pedestrians. Plus, an allocated cycle path would be a constant reminder to drivers that cyclists are about, and encourage them to be more aware.

I can’t help but compare my experience to cycle-centric Yorkshire

May 2015 saw the launch of the “Tour de Yorkshire”, following the success of the area as the “Grand Départ” leg of the Tour de France in 2014. The annual three-day race gets the locals excited about cycling, leading to a number of cycling initiatives, such as Bike Hubs to support those who wish to learn more about cycling, and Cycle Libraries by Yorkshire Bank (they work just like book libraries!)

The initiatives in Yorkshire don’t just make cycling accessible to everyone; they make a big song and dance about cycling and what it can do for the community. I can’t help but feel that proposed cycle routes would be welcomed in Yorkshire, in a way they haven’t been in Glasgow lately. Even non-cyclists can’t deny the recent focus on cycling in Yorkshire has been a good thing.

The 2016 Tour de Yorkshire reportedly injected £60 million into the local economy. And every driver-turned-cyclist contributes to less pollution, less congestion, and a healthier community. What’s not to like?

Glasgow has a way to go yet

The Scottish Government wants 10% of everyday trips to be on bikes by 2020. And yet, it’s clear that Glasgow has a way to go before we’re excited about cycling in the way that Yorkshire is – we’re currently under 2%. Without consistent cycle routes, nervous riders will feel safer in their cars, and pedestrians and drivers alike will curse cyclists who get in their way.

At the start of November, the Scottish Minister for transport Humza Yousaf announced plans to create a taskforce dedicated to improving cycling infrastructure in Scotland’s urban areas. In his announcement, the Minister made reference to the Glasgow South City Way (near where I stay, incidentally).

This project was developed to encourage more active travel in urban areas, by taking inspiration from European, cycle-centric cities such as Copenhagen. The purpose of this new taskforce will be to encourage more councils across the country to follow these schemes to encourage more of us into the saddle. 

It’s great to see that steps are being taken to upgrade the cycling infrastructure in my local area, and the creation of this new taskforce will ideally see segregated cycle routes and bike lanes coming to your town as well. This vision, held in tandem by the Scottish Government and Sustrans, seeks to change the way we look at cycling as a means of commuting and to reduce the use of cars in urban areas.

The next steps will be to expand this vision to other areas

However, we have seen some suburban areas react to road layout changes with hostility. Just last month, councillors in East Dunbartonshire voted to scrap plans to continue with the second phase of a locally controversial segregated cycle path that ran along one of the main roads through the North Glasgow town of Milngavie. 

Approval and support from the locals

This kind of resistance is unfortunate, but the so-called Bears Way does have its fair share of supporters. Last week, 200 cyclists appeared to cycle the route in Milngavie in support of the work that has been completed and the task force announced by the transport minister. Mr Yousaf expressed disappointment in seeing the plans scaled back, but this kind of support will go some way to show that projects like the Bears Way are being met with approval by locals.

Though this activity is encouraging, it’s clear that much more has to be done to convince areas outside of our cities to get on board with what Sustrans is trying to promote. It is only through the trail of polices like those announced by the Scottish Government that we can try to change this attitude.

Chris Smith is a Glasgow based writer and blogger. Over his career he has written for The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Huffington Post. He recently started using his bike as a means of transport for his daily commute and supports Sustrans in their mission to publicise the benefits of cycling.

Sustrans is delighted to have won a Road Safety Award for our dedicated work to promote safe cycling in Northern Ireland.

Supported by Road Safe NI, and sponsored by accident management firm, CRASH Services, the Northern Ireland Road Safety Awards recognise the work taking place within schools, emergency services, voluntary, public and private sectors and by key individuals across Northern Ireland.

A key aim for Sustrans is to increase the number of people cycling but the main barrier often cited by the public is road safety. Through practical projects and advocacy work, we work to enable more people to cycle safely. In 2015 we developed a Cycle Skills Training team in Northern Ireland to offer professional on-road cycle training to the public.

We developed a range of tailored cycle training courses to suit organisations, such as charities and workplaces, as well as individual bespoke sessions. These have given people the confidence and skills to cycle more safely on our roads.

One of the biggest groups we work with is school-children. We deliver on-road cycle training through the Active School Travel Programme which has worked with nearly 200 schools across Northern Ireland to encourage pupils to walk, cycle or scoot to school. We have trained 2,244 pupils in National Standard Levels 1 & 2. The project has helped reduce congestion around school gates which are particularly hazardous areas for children and improved pupils’ awareness of road safety, such as wearing hi-visibility clothing and cycling safely.

We have continued to deliver the Safe Urban Driving Skills course to HGV drivers, developed with the Freight Transport Association. We extended the course to FleetSource and to date have trained 188 lorry drivers to improve safety on the road for cyclists.

Sustrans also produced the first major public survey of cycling in the UK, Bike Life with a specific report on cycling in Belfast.  This has been an important lobbying tool to increase funding for safer cycling infrastructure.

Karen Mawhinney, Sustrans Cycle Training Co-ordinator said: “We are delighted to win this award which recognises the major contribution we have made to encourage and train people to cycle safely.”

Tony McKeown, Sales and Marketing Director at CRASH Services, said: “We were delighted with the outstanding success and feedback received from the inaugural NI Road Safety Awards last year. Together, it is vitally important that we properly and fully recognise the hard work, commitment and thought that goes into helping keep our roads safe.”

The gala awards ceremony took place at Cultra Manor, near Belfast on Friday 25 November as part of Road Safety Week.

Find out about our cycle training courses

Read about Belfast Bike Life

Only 66% of men and 56% of women in England claim to meet the recommended amount of physical activity per week. As this is self-reported the actual figure may be even lower.

That’s a lot of us who know we should be doing more to look after our health. Keeping active can set you up for good health now and later in life.

The current government recommendation is for adults to do 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. Moderate activity can include walking fast, cycling on the flat or playing volleyball, doubles tennis or basketball. It can be hard to find the time (or the motivation) to head to the gym after a long day at work or get up at 6am for a run. An active commute is an easy, convenient way to fit exercise into your daily life. By switching to walking or cycling to work you can do a little exercise every day and barely even notice it.

Cycling to work

Walking to work

Walking burns as many calories as jogging over the same distance and, because it is a low-impact exercise, it won't stress your knees. It's good for your heart and lungs, and great for strengthening your muscles, bones and joints.

With a spare 20 minutes to yourself as you walk to work you could listen to Radio 4’s Book of the Week and enjoy serialised readings of great works of non-fiction, biography, travel, history and more. Or why not tune into your favourite podcast and arrive at work energised, alert and entertained?

Combined commute

Even if you only walk half a mile to get the train or bus to work it’s still good for your physical and mental health. According to the Mental Health Foundation, physical activity can be as effective as medication and counselling.

The time you spend walking half a mile to the station will add up to 100 minutes over the course of a week. Why not take advantage of this time to practise a skill that you struggle to find time for. You could use this time to learn a new language. If you start listening to language tapes in January then by your holiday in July you could have listened to a good 43hours of your chosen language. That’s plenty of time to be able to master the basics like saying hello, ordering food or drinks or asking to hire a bike.

Walking or cycling to work are great ways to fit a little exercise into your daily routine. Physical activity is also good for your mental wellbeing; evidence shows that it can help protect against anxiety.

Many people find that a brisk walk or cycle helps them clear their mind and shake off the stresses of the day.

With the days still short and dark looking after your physical and mental wellbeing is more important than ever.

Why not try walking or cycling for one of your usual short journeys?

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In 2012, Derby City Council were awarded a grant of £4.9 million by the Department of Transport through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund - £1.85 million in capital funding and £3.1 million for revenue projects. We were commissioned to deliver Bike It Jobseekers to enable access to employment – the first time this approach had been piloted in the UK.

Derby's Local Sustainable Transport Fund was branded ‘Connected Derby’ and contained five strands and key themes to improve transport. These were:
•    Improve sustainable transport options for commuters and businesses
•    Encourage behaviour change through a smarter choices package
•    Enable job-seekers to access employment at targeted sites
•    Work with employers to support sustainable travel
•    Ensure new developments build in sustainable travel

Executive summary

Between 2012 and 2016, we engaged 893 young people aged 14-18 years in schools and youth groups, delivering a variety of activities including Dr Bike sessions, talks at assemblies, Bike It champion meetings, advice and information sessions about active and sustainable transport.

The team engaged 1,863 jobseekers at a range of community venues which included Jobcentre Plus, local schools and a job club in Derby’s Central Library. We organised Dr Bike sessions and provided advice on active and sustainable travel. Participants received one to one support to develop a customised personal travel plan.

Successful outcomes included:
•    pupils cycling to school at least once a week increased from 0.5% to 12% in participating schools
•    66% felt that the free bikes helped them to attend training and volunteering opportunities
•    66% said the bikes helped them to attend interviews
•    75% said the bikes helped them to get to Jobcentre Plus appointments
•    83% found their health and fitness improved using the bikes

Programme challenges

Access to public transport and transport poverty can be barriers to employment for many people. A key challenge for Derby City Council was to tackle unemployment, recorded as 9,297 in the 2011 census. As experts in sustainable travel we were commissioned to undertake this pioneering programme and had three key targets to deliver:

1. Provide sustainable travel advice to young people aged 14-18 who are going to be seeking education, employment and training after leaving school or college, and to deliver activities for them leading to improved skills.
2. Deliver sustainable travel advice and skills through job centres to jobseekers seeking education, employment and training.
3. Provide recycled bicycles from Bike Back Derby to jobseekers undertaking identified training.

This project helped to connect people to jobs, learning and skills. With our intervention, many people were able to access new and existing employment, education and training opportunities.

Effective partnership working

With a Sustrans Bike It officer in place working on a pre-existing project within schools, we were a natural partner for Derby City Council.

In 2014 the Council wanted to focus on employment-related themes and this contract was a negotiated opportunity. We were able to demonstrate a commitment to the project by securing additional funding of £5,000 to fund free bikes for jobseekers.

How we helped remove transport barriers

The first scheme of its kind in the UK, we delivered a variety of activities and interventions aimed at young people and jobseekers.

We worked with 893 young people aged 14-18 year olds in schools and youth groups. Activities and interventions included Dr Bike sessions, talks at assemblies, Bike It champion meetings, advice and information sessions about sustainable transport.

We engaged 1,863 jobseekers at a range of community venues. We organised Dr Bike sessions and provided advice on active and sustainable travel. We provided one to one support to develop customised personal travel plans.

Some jobseekers were eligible to receive a free bike, helmet and light. The bikes were refurbished by inmates at HMP Stocken in Leicestershire as part of a programme delivered by Bike Back Derby. This helped offenders work towards a City and Guilds qualification in cycle mechanics. One participant is known to have been employed by a major cycle retailer after being released.

We partnered up with a local Silk Mill museum to create a volunteering experience for a small group of jobseekers. The mill was commissioned to produce a bespoke exhibition for a bike festival. Using the bikes volunteers were able to take part developing new skills and producing an exhibition from scratch.

Results

The project engaged a total of 1,863 jobseekers – one fifth of the 9,297 people recorded as unemployed in Derby in the 2011 census. Most of these engagements happened at Jobcentre Plus (1,502). Other engagements occurred at schools, job clubs and other community events.

We delivered advice and activities to a total of 893 young people. At participating schools, the percentage of pupils cycling to school once a week has increased from 0.5% in 2011 to 12% in 2015. The proportion of pupils who have never cycled has fallen from 88.1% in 2011 to 84% in 2015.

A total of 85 bicycles were provided to jobseekers. Of those beneficiaries who responded to follow-up surveys:
•    66% felt that the bikes helped them to attend training and volunteering opportunities
•    66% said it helped them to attend interviews
•    75% said it helped them to get to Jobcentre Plus appointments
•    83% found their health and fitness improved

For more information on this project email Matt Barber, Head of Partnerships in the Midlands and East of England or call 01733 319981.

If you'd like to work with us elsewhere in the UK please contact your local Sustrans team.

A cycling revolution is taking place at the heart of England and our Project Officer Louise Aspinall is there helping to deliver it. 

For people working in Birmingham city centre, cycling can be the quickest and easiest way to travel around the city, as well as being the healthiest and cheapest option. The Birmingham Cycle Revolution aims to make it easier for more people to cycle across the whole city.

The Bike Life survey conducted in 2015 showed that many more people in Birmingham would like to cycle – one in three respondents said they wanted to start riding a bike and over two thirds said there should be more investment in cycling.

How the workplace bike loan scheme works

The workplace bike loan scheme is one of the ways Birmingham Cycle Revolution is enabling people to change the way they travel around the city. Businesses can loan a bike for their staff to use, as well as loaning accessories such as a helmet, bike lock and lights. The scheme ensures people have everything they need to use the bike with no hassle.

One of the workplaces that has enjoyed great success with the scheme is JMP - a consultancy firm based in the centre of Birmingham. They loaned a bike free of charge, for their staff to use for travelling to meetings around the city and at weekends. Many of the staff taking part in the scheme hadn’t cycled for a long time but say they now really enjoy it and the loan bike is in constant demand.

To go along with the loan bike, Birmingham Cycle Revolution has also provided JMP with other cycling activities such as Dr. Bike sessions, including free bike safety checks for staff who cycle to and from work. 

Benefits for employees 

Although the bike is primarily for work use it can also be used at weekends and it has enabled people to explore parts of Birmingham they would not have reached without a bike.

The loan bike scheme is a simple way of providing staff with a hassle free opportunity to try cycling. At JMP this has helped us to demonstrate the benefits of cycling to a large number of staff - enabling them to travel sustainably for more of the journeys they make every day.

Find out how we can support your staff to walk and cycle to work

Ken works in Central London as a Digital Marketing Executive for a lobbying organisation. A native of Ireland, he has lived in London for six years and started cycling the Quietway 1 route in October 2016. In this post, he tells us about the benefits and experience of cycling to and from work, a distance of around five miles each way, every day.

Ever since moving to London I have felt that cycling was something that other people did. While most of my cyclist friends would regale me with stories of how great it is pedalling around London, I just shrugged it off. If I’m honest, back then I was terrified; London is a hectic place at the best of times, the prospect of commuter traffic was frightening.

Cycling motivation

It wasn’t until I got a job in Cannon Street that I started to consider the possibility of cycling. My housemate in New Cross is an avid cyclist and my jealousy of his money-saving and fitness due to cycling to work every day got the better of me and I decided to give it a go.

London Quietways

I found that using Citymapper was a lifesaver as it mapped out the quietest route. On my first ride to work my fears quickly subsided. After 35 minutes (only five minutes longer than the quick route) I had reached my destination. The app had helped me avoid all major traffic by directing me down Quietway 1, a new cycle route that avoids the busy main roads.

Quietway 1 has a completely new section of purpose-built cycling path and links through housing estates. I was expecting to reach traffic but I didn’t until London Bridge, at which point I walked.

The benefits of cycling

My confidence has improved significantly since that first ride in October; I’ve started cycling on main roads and even over London Bridge (something I genuinely never thought I’d see myself doing). Having a Quietway route to cycle on has been a turning point for me as it has meant I no longer worry about traffic and it's helped me realise that London is actually a great city to cycle in. 

Cycling regularly has been a revelation; not only have I lost weight, but I’m saving about £80 a month and feeling much fitter.

I believe that if I can start cycling anyone can. Making the change to cycling is something I recommend to everyone. Take it from me, you’ll be delighted when you do.

Are you ready to start cycling to work? Our top tips can help

Find out more about our work in London