http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/ Me and my bike blog en Copyright 2011 2011-06-29T14:06:20+00:00 http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/a-look-back-on-cycling-city-york-by-graham-titchener/ http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/a-look-back-on-cycling-city-york-by-graham-titchener/#When:14:06:20Z Programme review 2011-06-29T14:06:20+00:00 http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/my-favourite-cycle-route/ http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/my-favourite-cycle-route/#When:14:30:18Z Tim Pheby, a cycling consultant based in York, writes about the history of his favourite cycle route along Terry Avenue: Terry Avenue is a narrow road that runs between the River Ouse and Rowntree Park. Around 20 years ago, the Avenue had become a commuter ‘rat run’ used by more than 1,000 vehicles per day, many of which exceeded the speed limit. It was also used as a linear car park, despite being part of the National Cycle Network’s Route 65. At that time, I worked for City of York Council and one of my first jobs was to investigate closing the road to traffic. Looking through the file, I saw that this issue had been considered before, but a consultation letter sent out to people had generated very few responses. Those who had replied objected to the closure. This meant that speeding traffic continued to endanger pedestrians and cyclists, as well as those emerging from the park’s main entrance. I organised a leaflet, which was sent to 1,800 residents in the area and used an artist’s impression to show what the road would look like, along with a tick box survey form. This time many more people sent back their forms and 80 per cent of respondents supported closing Terry Avenue to traffic. In 1991, the road was closed to traffic using two wooden gates with cycle gaps. The verges were ‘planted’ with wooden posts to prevent parking, creating a pleasant traffic-free route. Fairly soon after closure, a van crashed through the gates and, subsequently, one wooden gate was replaced with a metal one and the other with a row of sturdy concrete bollards. The scheme cost around £5,000, cost-effectively creating 0.6 km of traffic-free route. Terry Avenue is now used by many hundreds of walkers, joggers and cyclists every day. It’s a great place to unwind after a hard day in the office and now links up with the Millennium Bridge across the River Ouse. The trees bordering the road, which used to get hit by lorries, now form a green canopy. It does occasionally flood, which makes for exciting cycling! I showed a party of councillors and council officers around York as part of their successful bid to Cycling England for Southport to become a Cycling Town and we finished the tour on Terry Avenue. The feedback I got from them made me feel really proud of the work I’d done. Tim Pheby worked on the Terry Avenue project when he was employed by City of York Council during the 1990s. For more information, please contact Tim by emailing tim.pheby@transport-initiatives.com or telephoning 0845 345 7597. 2010-12-03T14:30:18+00:00 http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/meet-the-super-commuter/ http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/meet-the-super-commuter/#When:13:18:21Z Once a month I make a journey from my home near Southampton to my company’s office on York Science Park. I rely on a combination of public transport and my trusty folding bike to carry out the 272-mile commute, and also travel to London, Leeds, Birmingham and other cities in the same way. I have cycled to work for most of my life, covering journeys ranging between one and seven miles. When my job changed and I started travelling to major cities across the UK, including York, I got a folding bike. I work in a high pressure job and commuting in this way has several benefits. I use my travel time on public transport to catch up on work, freeing up more time for leisure at home. My journey to York involves a five-mile bike ride from the village where I live to the nearby town of Hythe, where I takes the ferry across to Southampton. I then cycle a further one-and-a-half miles to reach Southampton Central Station, where I catch a train to Waterloo Station in London. I then cycle three miles across the capital to reach King’s Cross Station, where I board a train to York. The final leg of my journey is a two-mile bike ride from York Station to the city’s Science Park. The cycling legs of my journeys are an excellent way of de-stressing, and give me freewheeling thinking time that helps me to solve problems and clarify priorities. Cycling has also improved my fitness levels and given me a much better knowledge of the places where I work. Depending on the weather, I try different routes, stop off at interesting shops and never worry about parking or traffic jams. I carry a pack-away waterproof top and trousers in a small rucksack, along with a pump and cycle repair kit, although I've only had to make one repair in seven years. Here are my top tips for anyone keen to start commuting to work, school or college by bike: Buy carefully: I didn’t go for the cheapest folding bike, but didn’t go for an expensive one that folds up really small because I wanted the stability of a bike with bigger wheels. Be seen: Get good lights and a reflective jacket. Be safe: Get a good, comfortable helmet. Be secure: Get a decent lock. Be adventurous: Start exploring different routes and you’ll discover favourites to suit your different moods. Alistair McNaught is a senior advisor for JISC TechDis. 2010-07-07T13:18:21+00:00 http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/how-the-cycle-50-challenge-introduced-me-to-a-whole-new-world/ http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/how-the-cycle-50-challenge-introduced-me-to-a-whole-new-world/#When:07:58:15Z Joining Cycling City York’s Cycle 50% Challenge was very challenging for me as I’d not ridden a bike since I was a young child. We were loaned a bike and accessories free of charge, which was a big bonus as it meant that I didn't have to lay out the money until I’d decided if cycling was for me.What a challenge it was! I biked to work most days and into York city centre on the weekends, which was a new world to me. There were many benefits; it gave me plenty of exercise, I saved money by not using petrol and parking for free, and, of course, it’s better for the environment.I’m glad that I was given the opportunity to join the challenge because it gave me a nudge to start cycling. After the challenge I bought the bike at a reduced price, which was a great saving, and now I cycle as much as I can. Teena Wiseman is the Staff Benefits Manager at York Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 2010-06-18T07:58:15+00:00 http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/why-i-cycle/ http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/why-i-cycle/#When:11:36:51Z I'm a non-driver by choice. I cycle round York daily. It's quick, inexpensive, non-polluting, helps me to stay fit and keep trim. I breathe in less pollution on a bike than in a car too. I can afford a car but don't want to spend £3000 plus per year when I live locally and because I'm an environmentalist. I was run over once - a driver didn't stop at a give way sign - and I don't want to harm anyone. I use off-road routes, like the one along New Walk. York's a cycling city because it's compact; the places I go are within a 30-minute moderate cycle. I don't pay for parking, can accurately predict timings and like the reliability of cycling. All my family ride - my husband, Graham Smith, cycles the eight miles to work at FERA in Sand Hutton, and daughter, Rosie (9) and stepsons Oscar and Howard (9) cycle too. We can all cycle together with our trailer bikes. The kids have their own bikes, but Rosie prefers to walk herself to school. We are discussing parent and child cycle training, which is currently available from Cycling City York for just £6. I shop by bike, sometimes using a trailer box when I'm buying lots. Anna Semlyen is the author of Cutting Your Car Use - www.cuttingyourcaruse.co.uk 2010-06-17T11:36:51+00:00 http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/a-view-from-the-saddle/ http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/a-view-from-the-saddle/#When:20:16:18Z Welcome to our brand new website and my first ever blog! Thought I would just give you some of my personal impressions of what we (the Cycling City team and its stakeholders) have been doing since York won this status as a cycling city! While of course there has been occasional negative comments aimed at the Cycling City York programme, such as with the Clifton Bridge scheme, the vast majority of you have been very kind in going out of your way and telling us of your praise and feedback which, when we are faced with trying to help readdress a balance to bring opportunities for people to cycle (the transport hierarchy) back up the ladder, will invariably mean that some people's backs will be raised, so it has been heartening for myself and those involved with this programme so get these. Thank you! There of course have been a number of lessons learned and I think one is making sure that no one or any mode of transport is alienated by this central Government grant that is ring-fenced for cycling but hopefully you and others will see we are not telling people what to do but simply asking us all to think again about how we get from A to B within York and maybe there is a better way for most of us, whether it is walking, the bus, car-sharing or cycling. Given the congestion we see I know I'd rather not be in the car or on the bus stuck in traffic. So hopefully what we have been doing and will be doing this next year, in asking people to think again about their travel behaviour they/you may find time to look at the facts and benefits that effect you as an individual or your family and perhaps you may want to make use of the many opportunities that we have to offer. Saving time and money and getting some exercise in aren't bad reasons to at least have a think if you do drive all the time about considering how else you can get to work, do the shopping, drop the kids off at school etc? As you can imagine my schedule is pretty tight normally but I look forward to seeing you at the various events we have, through the emails and of course on line! 2010-05-02T20:16:18+00:00 http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/yet-another-post4/ http://www.cyclingcityyork.org.uk/blog/yet-another-post4/#When:15:41:14Z Taking toddlers for a cycle ride is great fun. Tucked safely into a child seat behind you, they seem to adore the sensation of speed and the views from 'up on high'. But going anywhere with toddlers, as you know, whether it's on two wheels or four, usually involves endless preparation. Make sure you have all the essentials to hand so you can take off on your bike at a moment's notice whenever the sun shines. My cycling check list for Rosie, my three year old, now comprises - kagoule, extra clothes layer, suntan cream, sun hat (for when not on bike), snacks, drinks, emergency sweet ration, secret soft toy - all of which stuffs into one of my panniers very easily. Plan your route before you go and find out where the toilets are and where you can buy extra drinks/snacks if needed. The new Leisure rides maps are fantastic for short, scenic family cycle rides and they also provide lots of useful information like this to help plan your journey. Rosie enjoyed glorious rides out to New Earswick and Naburn last year, amongst others. These rides worked out at around 45 mins of cycling each way and we made a pit stop en route of about three quarters of an hour. This was the perfect opportunity for Rosie to run around like mad and burn off lots of energy - while we did exactly the opposite and chilled out on the grass! 2010-04-09T15:41:14+00:00