FOUR.. Barriers to cycling

People cycle... ... because it’s convenient and it meets their personal needs. It’s often quicker, easier, and more environmentally-friendly than travelling by car.

For that to continue and increase, routes for cyclists need to be as direct as possible. There needs to be a positive benefit to them in terms of speed or convenience, preferably both. Just as with any other form of transport, anything which acts as a barrier is likely to deter them.

Unfortunately, urban environments throw up all kinds of barriers to cycling. These can be mitigated through good street design, whilst bad design often creates new problems.

Cyclists should be afforded the same rights as cars when it comes to road use. Roads should be sufficiently safe and cycle-friendly to allow those on two wheels to use them without feeling intimidated. Off-road provision is not automatically the right way forward, particularly if this provision is too inconvenient to be used.

One of the biggest barriers to cycling is the creeping safety culture in the UK which seeks to get rid of as many potential risks as possible. It’s worth noting that in areas where experimental changes to remove road markings and signage have taken place – the ‘Shared Space’ concept - these have resulted in motorists taking more care as they are encouraged to think for themselves. Trying to barrier off as many risks as possible often makes cycling more difficult.

Whilst safety is obviously important, people do not cycle primarily because it is safe, but because it meets their needs. If people are forced into their cars because of this kind of mollycoddling then all kinds of new dangers present themselves. The roads become busier, there is the potential for more accidents and people suffer from the loss of exercise/fitness.

• Mitcham’s Corner [Case study]
• Shared space
• Two-way cycling in one-way streets
• Conclusion