(Bonn Square, Queens Street Oxford. Cyclists allowed between 6pm – 1am. Buses allowed all the time.
So Cycling made it even to the pages of the Economist this week. There I was falling asleep between reading about budget deficits and austerity packages, (I am an economist by trade) and the Economist has a short piece extolling the virtues of cycling. If this bastion of free market economics can see the benefits of cycling and rent a bike projects, there is hope.
One interesting point made by the Economist
“The paradox of urban cycling is that bad traffic is both deterrent and incentive. When demonstrations or signal failures bring Mexico’s streets to a gridlock, businessmen can be seen strapping their briefcases onto Ecobicis (Mexican rental bikes)
Cyclists in places like London and Mexico City yearn for proper cycle lanes, of the kind commonplace in countries such as Germany. A second best solution is the right to ride (gently) through parks and on pavements without being fined. On that score at least Mexico’s traffic police, the scourge of motorists are charm itself.” (Economist, July 17th)
Back in the UK, the Department of Transport offer good news for cycling – the biggest increase in cycling levels in 20 years (5% increase. There was also a 10 % drop in cyclist fatalities in 2009 compared to 2008.
Levels of Cycling in UK On Rise
- In 2008, 115 cyclists died. In 2009 this fell to 104
- There was a 6% rise in the number of cyclists seriously injured on the road – 2,606. Though this increase in serious injuries is similar to the increase in cycling miles.
- Cycling miles increased to 3.1 billion (5% rise)
- Motoring miles dropped from 316.2 in 2008 to 313.2 billion.
Interesting to see a rare year for motoring decreases, though it’s not every year you get both rising petrol prices and a deep recession.
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Hi There, that’s Bonn Square, not St Frideswide’s (which is the one outside the Railway Station), and in addition the Cycling Restriction doesn’t apply to this end of Queen Street, it’s only from the St Ebbe’s Street/New Inn Hall Street junction up to Carfax.
Yes, Thanks. I’ve only been cycling through here for 15 years.