Why does Bridgwater need a cycling campaign?
As we said in our ‘Why Does It Matter?‘ page, we need to get many more ordinary people to do their everyday journeys on bikes – commuters are the prime example. Government and council messages encourage everyone to do this already, but that’s not enough:
- the existing network is badly designed, poorly maintained and difficult to use;
- many destinations like schools, shops and offices don’t have enough safe bike routes to them;
- many people are put off cycling on the road because they perceive them as dangerous, and drivers often have bad attitudes towards cyclists.
We Ask for Better Bike Lanes
Aren’t there enough bike lanes already?
To answer this, you really need to understand what it’s like cycling around Bridgwater currently. Up to now, a lot of the bike lanes have been built in a rather disjointed way. So while it’s great to be able to cycle in some parts of town where you’re separated from motor traffic and pedestrians, there are lots of places where it’s still dangerous to use the roads. That’s why you’ll see lots of people riding on the pavement (which is illegal, by the way).
In 2020, the Department for Transport published an important new document which sets out exactly how cycle routes should be designed and built. This guidance matters to everyone — not just cyclists — because it aims to ensure that bicycles can flow freely around towns and cities while causing minimal impact on others, like pedestrians and drivers. This document is LTN 1/20.
So what does BACC do about this?
We review all the local planning schemes to see whether they comply with LTN 1/20, and how well they link up with the existing network. We then work alongside the local authorities so they can deliver the best solution for local residents.
In addition to this, we are campaigning for a truly joined-up network of cycle routes through the town: east-west and north-south. When any major works are proposed, we look at how well they will serve this aim.
We Help People Onto Their Bikes
We understand that getting started with any new activity can be daunting at first. If you perceive the roads to be dangerous for cycling, this will put you off getting started. That’s why we run regular organised rides. With the help of Sustrans volunteers, we carefully plan our routes and manage the rides so you can focus on enjoying yourself.
To give you a flavour of what it’s like, Cycling UK have put together this short video.
As well as giving people a confidence boost, we also try to highlight some of the lesser-known routes that bikes can use to get around town. These not only make it safer but very often make it faster than driving!
You can see all our upcoming rides and sign up to join them on the Let’s Ride page. As well as this, all our rides are published in our calendar, and you can subscribe to our emails so you don’t miss a thing. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates.
We Highlight the Benefits of Cycling
We work to promote a better image of cycling in Bridgwater and in general. There are so many benefits to cycling, but these are often overshadowed by other stories in the media.
We get out to events in the local community, such as street fairs and the annual Active Travel Day. This enables us to hear what local residents think about the state of cycling in Bridgwater, so we can address the issues that matter.
We put out regular posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that draw people’s attention to why all of this matters.
And we publish articles here on our website with a bit more detail about issues like the Celebration Mile project, cycling on the pavement and bike security.
All of this activity raises the profile of cycling in Bridgwater and why everyone — not just cyclists — will benefit from our work.