1000 and counting.... cycle training pays off in Sheffield

"It has cost public funds the equivalent of a metre of modern highway and led to a council-estimated increase in cycling of 70%. And that's in Sheffield, where both the landscape and shifts in political control are as up-and-down as they come."

Photo Caption:Wendy Melia cycling in Sheffield. 

Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian

A recent Guardian article has praised the work of Sheffield-based Pedal Ready cycle training co-op which has just past the milestone of training 1000 adults to cycle safely and competently in Sheffield.  In an accompanying audio slideshow the1000th trainee, Wendy Melia a HR officer at the Department for Work and Pensions recounts how the one-to-one cycle training has given her the confidence to cycle the two miles to work.

So what's happening in Greater Manchester?

On 22nd June 2010, during Bike Week, Manchester City Council announced that they are funding an adult cycle training scheme which would provide free training for up to 300 people. The cycle training will be provided by BikeRight! the Manchester-based cycle training company and if you live or work in Manchester you could be able to sign up for a free cycle training session. The project blurb highlights how "If you don't cycle and want to learn all the right skills, or are returning to cycling and want to brush-up on your technique then this FREE training is just up your street" and that "During the training you will"

• Discover how to deal with busy traffic

• Learn about road positioning and how to be seen by other traffic

• Find great cycling routes for your everyday journeys around Manchester

• Get tips for riding at night-time or in bad weather

• Learn all about safety, clothing and other equipment

• Pick-up maintenance tips

• Learn to ride if you are a complete beginner."

As the BikeRight! promo says: "Get fit, save money, meet people, get to work and back on time, avoid traffic jams, save fuel, exercise for free, loose weight, burn calories, learn new skills, gain confidence… what more can we say to get you cycling around Manchester? -How about FREE adult cycle training?"

So thats all really fab from Manchester but what is happening in the other 9 local authorities in Greater Manchester?

Well, those lovely people at Love Your Bike wanted to ask the same question and had noticed that buried away in the Local Transport Plan (LTP2) was a commitment from all the GM local authorities to establish adult cycle training projects before April 2011. The LTP2 document states that:

“Actions for Cycling: During the next five years, we shall take the following steps to improve cycling:  Delivery of improved school cycle training  and establishing adult cycle training - the latter inline with the recommendations of a study to be commissioned" 

So Love Your Bike wrote to all the Chief Executives and Council leaders at the other nine Greater Manchester local authorities asking when they would honour their commitment in Local Transport Plan 2 to establish adult cycle training schemes.  Listed below are the key points from the responses received:

Bolton: "Further to your recent e-mail enquiry to Access Bolton, I can advise that it has now been passed on to our Chief Executives Department. They will respond to your enquiry within 14 days."   [Automatic message received on 21st June (and following a reminder email - on 15th July). Love Your Bike has apparently not yet received a response].

Bury: "In conclusion, I regret to say that without bespoke funding we are unable to deliver a wider programme of adult cycle training."

Oldham: the provision of adult cycle training, has been considered in Oldham.  The Cycling Officer and Road Safety team at the Unity Partnership, which works on behalf of Oldham Council, are looking at establishing targeted adult cycle training initiatives. ...These adult cycle training courses would be delivered by officers from the Unity Partnership but the number of courses available would be limited in number.  They are planned to be piloted over the next twelve months.

Rochdale: " we in the Road Safety Team, have offered Adult 1:1 cycle training for at least the 5 years I have been over the team.  I know that the CTC based officer who is linked to RMBC Sustainability Team also offers Adult Cycle Training."

Salford: "I have now passed your email on to Sue Lightup, Strategic Director for Community, Health and Social Care."  (21st July)

Stockport: "Adult cycle training is available for Council employees as part of the Councils own staff travel plan.  Officers are considering how adult cycle training could be provided for the public."

Tameside:  "Here in Tameside we take a holistic approach to cycling both in capital infrastructure and in promotional activities. During the first 4 years of LTP2, Tameside has spent over £580k purely on cycle schemes during this period. These were mainly linked with off road schemes such as surfacing the NCN 66 linking Ashton with Oldham and on the ongoing upgrade of the cycle link connecting Ashton and Manchester via Droylsden."   Its a shame that the Council's holistic approach didnt extend to answering the specific question(s)!

Trafford: "It is encouraging to note that cycling levels in GM have increased by 17% (2009 values as compared to the 2005 base) but unfortunately due to the financial constraints imposed on local authorities regarding public sector spending, it is unlikely that the council can allocate any monies for adult cycle training at this moment in time. However, recognising that the correct cycle training could help break down the barriers for a lot of people wishing to commute via cycle, we will continue to source and secure any future funding opportunities that may arise in the future."

Wigan: We have also been offering free cycle training sessions to the residents of Leigh, as part of the Leigh Cycling Project; ten adults signed up for this during Bike Week last year.   In addition, we get ad-hoc telephone calls and emails from adults requesting cycle training and we try to accommodate them, where possible.   These have been one-off projects but we are exploring ways of providing more structured adult cycle training on a longer term basis.

So with a couple of small exceptions, it would seem that there isn't much in the way of adult cycle training being provided by other local authorities across Greater Manchester.  A number of responses made the same point (excuse?): "So although there was a commitment to investigate the potential at GM level and implement any recommendations this study at GM level has not been undertaken so there are no recommendations for individual authorities to follow at the present time." 

Basically the arguments put forward seem to be that because "no Greater Manchester-wide study was undertaken" and that "no central revenue funding has been available for adult cycle training" that the Greater Manchester local councils have been unable to provide adult cycle training schemes.

What is encouraging about the Sheffield Council adult cycle training scheme is that it has been funded from the Council's main transport budget.  Sheffield didn't wait for any revenue from central government.  It saw that there was a need for adult cycle training and got on and did it.

The Sheffield cycle training for 300 people last year was provided for approximately £16,000.

Sheffield's population is estimated to be 534,500 and according to the 2001 Census data, Bury's population was 180,608 and Tameside's population was 213,045. Pro-rata, in terms of population, adult cycle training schemes for Bury and Tameside (just to take two examples) could be run for around  £5,000 (100 people) in Bury and £6,000 (120 people) in Tameside.

This is not about access to Government or Cycling England funding it is about the LACK of political priority for measures to increase cycling levels in Greater Manchester - which are very low compared to other metropolitan areas in the UK. Many other local authorities across the United Kingdom have actively supported adult cycle training projects with funding from a wide range of sources: health, transport and even crime reduction budgets (or from fines for inconsiderate cycling or driving but thats a subject for abother blog entry). These Council's have recognised the importance and effectiveness of cycle training in encouraging more people to cycle safely and confidently.  They haven't moaned about the lack of central government funding - they have got on a done it.

The road crash data (Killed and Seriously Injured, KSI) for Greater Manchester in relation to cycling shows that in the past few years the (thankfully small number of) people who have been killed whilst cycling have mostly been adults - and yet the response from the road safety units - that often have responsibility for cycle training -  is that they have not established adult cycle training - because there is no central government funding available.

So if you live or work in Manchester and would like to cycle more (to work, the shops or for leisure) but don't feel confident on the roads then get in touch with BikeRight! and sign up for a Freewheeling cycle training session.

If you live and work in another Greater Manchester council area - we suggest you get in touch with your councillors and Chief Executive and ask them when they are going to provide adult cycle training in their area.

It will be important to make sure that pro-cycling measures and funding are included in the new Local Transport Plan (LTP3) - but that, as they say, will have to wait for a future blog.