Campaign

We aim to increase the number of people regularly cycling by influencing the policy and activities of government and other large organisations within the geographical area we cover.

CTC Coventry is Cycling UK’s member group covering Coventry, Solihull, and Warwickshire (except for North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth).  As cycleways does an admirable job campaigning for better cycle provision in the Warwick district of Warwickshire, and our resources are limited, we mainly focus on Coventry.

Air Quality Scheme

Coventry Council is consulting on changes at junction 7 of the ring road, Barras Lane and Spon End.

Deadline for responses: 15 December 2021.

My responses

Coventry’s councillors visit London borough

Coventry council’s cabinet members and officers toured Waltham Forest’s “mini Holland” schemes in October 2021.

Video about the visit to this London suburb mostly developed before 1950 (like a lot of Coventry).

Re-imagining transport

The West Midlands Combined Authority is required by Law to publish and review a Local Transport Plan for the area covered by Coventry, Solihull, Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.

In the past, transport planning has been based on the “Predict and Provide” principle.  That is, “Predict” where under-capacity or safety will be a problem and then provide more roads and/or railways.

Policy makers are beginning to recognise the problems with this approach:

  • Increasing CO2 emissions
  • Streets blocked with cars – parked and (slowly) moving
  • Public health problems due to people having little or no physical exercise
  • Problems accessing services for those who can’t access a car
  • Deaths from air pollution
  • Significant resistance from residents to new road and railway construction

To name a just a few. So this “Green Paper” proposes an alternative. Instead of “more of the same”, transport projects should be assessed according to how much they help with broad societal objectives.  Namely:

  • Creating a fairer society
  • Supporting local communities and places
  • Making people more (physiologically) active
  • Achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2041
  • Sustaining economic success

It’s important to understand where local policy makers are coming from; in order to come up with convincing arguments for spending more on cycling infrastructure.

There’s a survey as well, closing time: 23:59 on Friday 24th September 2021.

Coventry’s cycling history

The video’s author, Adam Tranter​ co-hosts a monthly podcast about active travel, Streets Ahead. You can also follow him on Twitter

Points To Note

  • “cycling to work is linked to a 45% lower risk of developing cancer and a 46% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to driving to work or taking public transport.” source
  • “77% of all job seekers, and 87% of young jobseekers, have no access to a car, van or motorbike.” Jim O’Boyle (Coventry  Council Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change)  source
  • In 2018, 58% of car journeys were under five miles. In urban areas, more than 40% of journeys were under two miles in 2017–2018. For many people, these journeys are perfectly suited to cycling and walking. See National Travel Survey
  • Tips from the Netherlands
  • What’s been done in a British borough. A video about Waltham Forest in London.

Details