Big Breeze Bike Ride (23rd / 24th June)

On the weekend of 23-24 June 2012, British Cycling are organising the UK’s first ever event to get thousands of women riding a bike at the same time.  

As part of the biggest ever campaign for women’s cycling, you can get involved by arranging your own informal bike ride using our Facebook app. Big or small; in a park or around your local area; for your friends, family, neighbours or colleagues... every woman, everywhere!

We’re encouraging everyone to swap their usual walk or get together for a fantastic bike ride instead – and to tell us all about it.  The easiest way to do this is to use our fab new Facebook app and toolkit and if you don't use Facebook, do drop us a line at 0161 274 2117 or an email here about your Big Breeze Bike Ride.

Our friends at Hull City Council are hosting a Hull Big Breeze Bike Ride event on 24 June as our flagship event. Hundreds of women will be invited to join an informal Breeze ride around beautiful East Park for family-friendly fun. If you live in or around Hull – please tell your friends and colleagues!

 More details at the Big Breeze Bike Ride website.

Oxford Road Annual Celebration of Cycling 2012 (Weds 20th June)

During National Bike Week in June, the Oxford Road Corridor partners (Uuniversity of Manchester, MMU, Central Manchester NHS Trust & Royal Northern  College of Music) will be celebrating all things cycling from 8:30am to 3pm, on Wednesday 20 June.

 There's a host of activities to encourage cyclists, new or experienced, young or old:

• stalls with information, raffles and freebies
• free breakfast
• free raffle with excellent prizes
• cycling routes to University

Help spread the word by downloading a poster or flyer for display in your building or bike shelter.

Stalls at the Event:   15+ cycling related companies will provide a range of information, advice, prize draws and freebies. There will be free bike tune ups, security marking, electric bike trials and much more!

Companies and groups supporting the event include: Transport for Greater Manchester, University of Manchester Bike User Group, Bicycle Boutique, Bike Right!, Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op, Love Your Bike, Ken Fosters, UoM Security, MMU Security, icycle, British Cycling, Manchester City Council, Sustrans, Revolve MCR, University of Manchester Sport, MMU Sport, Withington Cycles and Juicy Electric Bikes.

Incentives Available: On the registration stall the Corridor Manchester Transport Group will provide incentives including high viz jackets, waterproof seat covers, pumps, cycle computers and more (on a first come, first served basis).

Free Breakfast (for staff): From 8.30am until 11am a free breakfast voucher (up to the value of £3, with a limited number available) will be available for Eats Refectory and Potter's Refectory.

Free Prize Draw - entry for all those that come along!

See here for more details.

Bent bicycle wheels? It 'as to be' ASDA !

Continuing on the theme of poor cycle parking provision by some of the major retailers in Greater Manchester..... these photographs were sent in by a recent visitor to the ASDA store in Eastlands.

(c) Debbie Ellen

According to the Greater Manchester Parking Standards (2006), Food Retail spaces (greater than 900 sqm) should provide a minimum of 1 cycle parking space per 200 sqm.  The Eastlands ASDA was reported to have 100,500 square feet of retail space - which is the equivalent of 9336 square metres.  So, according to the GM Parking standards, Manchester City Council's Planning Department should have requested ASDA to install 46 cycle parking spaces.

The mystery shopper had to search quite diligently to find the cycle parking and so it is possible that there are additional cycle parking 'facilities' at the ASDA site but it is clear from the photograph that there are not 46 cycle parking spaces at this specific location. 

The GM Cycle Parking guidelines - for use by Local Authority Officers and Developers (2002) also clearly states that for Short Stay Facilities (up to 2 hours) the design for cycling parking should be: "Sheffield style racks, or wall mounted bars."  The guidelines go on to highlight that "Wheel slots and butterfly racks are not suitable." (Emphasis added).

ASDA's cycle parking facilities do not meet the GM Cycle Parking guidelines and because they do not provide good support for the bike are very likely to cause damage to the bicycle wheels and do not provide very good security.

In fact, the Greater Manchester Police Cycle Parking Design Guidance says of "butterfly racks": "These devices should not be used unless security is provided through other means, (i.e a secure compond)."  So ASDA has installed cycle parking facilities that do not meet GM Police standards either!

(c) Debbie Ellen

We have some additional investigation to do to find out exactly how many cycle parking spaces are available at the Eastlands ASDA site.

But meanwhile, some questions for Manchester City Council Planning department:

* Did the planning permission granted by Manchester City Council require ASDA to install cycle parking at the site?

* If so, how many cycle parking spaces were stipulated?

* Did the Planning permission require that the cycle parking met GM Cycle Parking guidelines?

* Did Development Control check to see whether the correct amount (and type) of cycle parking was installed?

We will report back on any response(s).

Tried looking on the ASDA website for their cycle parking policies but to no great avail (see image below). If anyone has any further details of ASDA's cycle parking policy or has had specific dealing with them on this issue - please leave a comment.

Go Outdoors... Go Cycling... but No Go for cycle parking

With 30+ stores across the UK you may well have visited one of the Go Outdoor shops - particularly given the range of sports and leisure equipment and clothing available in the stores and online.

 The website for the Go Outdoors store on Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, M4 6DE provides an impressive list of store facilities:

• Baby changing facilities 
• Wheelchair Access
• Climbing Wall
• Cycle servicing
• Public Toilets
• In Store Hamilton’s Eat Drink Relax Café
• Tent Display Area (indoor)
• Calor Gas Stockist
• Changing Rooms
• Tent Repair (for tents sold by ourselves within warranty)
• Boot Fitting Area
• Gait Analysis Machine 

But one facility you will not find at the Gt Ancoats Street store is any cycle parking stands, should you choose to cycle to the store. Although the company seems very keen to let you know that they will not take any responsibility for loss or damage to cars, bikes or any other vehicles parked in the car park - should you find anything to lock your bike too!

So whilst the marketing banners invite people to:


GO Camping
GO Climbing
GO Running
GO Riding
GO Walking
GO Cycling
GO Travelling
GO Caravanning
GO Fishing
GO Skiing



Just don't try to GO cycle parking!



If you are a customer of GO Outdoors and would like to securely park your bicycle when giving them your money why not drop them an email via enquiries@gooutdoors.co.uk or call them on 0114 2796368.

Mind you, no cycle parking facilities at all may be better those on offer at the Go Outdoors store in Swindon.  See photo on right!

Copyright via Cyclestreets
  

Cycling in the Rain.... survey time

Rain in Manchester - perish the thought !


Perhaps not unsurprisingly there are a number of academic research studies which have suggested that the number of people choosing to cycle decreases when it rains or is cold.

A study in Vermont (USA) concluded that "Precipitation, temperature, wind and snow conditions had significant and substantial independent effects on the odds of travel to work by bicycle among a diverse panel of adult bicycle commuters."  However, a recently published study in the Netherlands examined time-series data collected on 16 cycle paths near two cities in the Netherlands between 1987 and 2003. This study reported that the "regression analyses show that, not surprisingly, recreational demand is much more sensitive to weather than utilitarian demand." 

Or in other words - people who cycle to work and for utility trips are less likely to be put off cycling when it rains!

Well now there is an opportunity to see whether this is true in Manchester - that gloriously sunny City in t'north. The Manchester City Council Travel Change Team (TCT) are looking for people to keep "Cycling in the Rain" diaries.

Basically the Travel Change Team are asking people to keep a diary each month of whether you have chosen to cycle when it is raining or not.

All you have to do is fill out the diary page (Excel spreadsheet) and submit the diary back to Travel Change each month. You will also need to complete an initial questionnaire form so that the Travel Change Team know who is taking part.


If you would like to take part in this survey you will need two documents and those lovely people at Manchester Friends of the Earth / Love Your Bike have thoughtfully made them publicly available on their Scribd site.

See Initial Questionnaire and Diary Sheets spreadsheet


Send the completed forms to the Travel Change Team at: travelchange@manchester.gov.uk

We look forward to the day when the cycling infrastructure and cultural acceptance of cycling in Manchester will see more people choosing to cycle - whatever the weather - just because it is the normal thing to do.... and is as simple as.... well riding a bicycle!




                                                                 Copyright: Amsterdamrize.