Bikes on trains....

Compared to most public transport services, Northern Rail are more progressive in facilitating people to be able to travel on the train with their bicycles.

Northern's website states that the company is "strongly committed to promoting cycling. It is a sustainable and healthy form of transport and complements our train services. It is a key part of our integrated transport approach which is supported by our parent companies Serco and Abellio."

The company's 2010 cycling strategy document recognises some of the peak hour problems:

"Many of our trains consist of only two (or in some cases one) carriages. This can present serious difficulties in accommodating more than two bikes per train unit. In addition, our passenger numbers are growing by about 10% pa, so more trains are crowded. We wish to maintain our current flexible approach which avoids specific bans on rush hour trains and allows bikes to be carried free of charge."

More positively, the cycling strategy committed Northern Rail to the following actions in 2010/11.

"• Ensure that staff, particularly conductors, are fully briefed on Northern’s cycle policy
• Maintain our policy of not charging
• Maintain our policy of no formal peak restrictions
• Maintain our policy of ‘no advance reservations’
• When trains are refurbished we will explore opportunities for improving cycle space, on
the principle of providing flexible space
• Ensure that all the Northern fleet is signed externally and internally showing where bike
space is located
• In any future programme for new designs (e.g. Pacer replacement) we will ensure that
flexible space is maximised."

Unsurprisingly, they are also encouraging people to travel with folding bicycles.

"This is a growing market and we are happy to work with cycling organisations to encourage the use of folding bikes for cycle commuting. They take up minimal space and there are no restrictions on the number carried per train."


Northern Rail are looking to update their Cycling Strategy and the Northern Rail Cycle Forum have requested suggestions for both short and longer term objectives.


If you have any constructive suggestions, please send them to Les Webb, secretary for the  Northern Rail Cycle Forum at   les.webb at sustrans.org.uk  by the end of October.

Perhaps Metrolink would like to talk to their Northern Rail counterparts about how to integrate bicycles into a busy public transport service.....

20’s Plenty is green

It’s a popular misconception that fuel efficiency peaks at 50-60mph. However, What Car magazine found that for many cars 20mph was the most efficient speed.  In urban conditions 20mph beats 30mph for saving fuel. 20mph limits mean less acceleration and braking. Walking and cycling increase. 

Britain suffers from excessive speeds and volumes of motorised traffic, which affects our environment, climate and health. Traffic brings pollution, congestion, noise and degrades the built environment. Road transport contributes one-fifth of the UK's total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the main greenhouse gas. Road transport CO₂ increased nearly 23% between 1990 and 2010. Transport is the only sector where greenhouse gas emissions are rising.

When 30km/h (18.6mph) zones were introduced in Germany, car drivers changed gear 12% less often, braked 14% less often and required 12% less fuel. This implies 20mph limits without humps can cut residential transport emissions by 12%. Traffic smoothes, gaps between cars shorten, it’s easier to merge and there’s less idling with dangerously concentrated pollutants. Limits either speed up trip times due to smoother traffic, or do not significantly affect times from origin to destination. 

Some people are afraid to walk or cycle.  20mph limits improve fairness in sharing the public space of roads between vulnerable users and traffic. Bristol found 20mph increased walking 23% and cycling 20.5%. Traffic reduction could cut another 5-10% of fuel use.  This all helps drivers to save money, reduce pollution and conserve our dwindling reserves of liquid fuels like oil and diesel.

With 20mph limits it’s easier and safer to reach local amenities. This helps keep nearby shops viable - with important accessibility and mixed use planning benefits.  20mph supports local facilities and jobs in the face of competition from edge of town developments or e-shopping. Those without a car, the elderly, disabled, families or on foot or cycling are more likely to frequent and enjoy local and convenience stores for longer, strengthening their community and making their lives more sustainable and resilient.

20mph is up to 40% quieter than 30mph, making urban areas more pleasant. People can more easily talk and play outside which raises health and neighbourliness and reduces crime. An additional eco benefit includes less need for road signage lighting as this is not required on many warning signs in a 20mph limit.

Environmental groups supporting wide 20mph limits include: Friends of the Earth; CPRE; Campaign for Better Transport; The Conservation Volunteers; Environmental Protection UK; Chartered Institute of Environmental Health; CTC the national cyclists’ organisation; Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges; Ramblers’ Association; Sustainable Development Commission; ETA Trust; Transform Scotland; Sustrans; Living Streets; The Liberal Democrat and Green Parties; Stockholm Environment Institute and more.

A 20’s Plenty for Us Briefing, October 2012.

Love Cycling GO Dutch...coming soon to Manchester!

Following the launch of the Manchester Interim Cycling Strategy earlier in the year and subsequent press coverage of Manchester City Council's stated ambition to become the No.1 Cycling City in the UK by 2017 comes the welcome announcement of the Love Cycling GO DUTCH event in Manchester on 20th November.

The meeting, co-sponsored by Netherlands Business Support Office in Manchester and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in London will provide an opportunity for local council officers, transport planners and cycling advocates to meet with leading Dutch and UK experts and policy makers in the fields of cycling and urban planning.

With the recent successful £36+ million Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) bid and the Cross City Bus Oxford Road Corridor funding -  Manchester has the opportunity to develop more imaginative, consistent, coherent, connected and safe cycling infrastructure.

Time to Go Dutch!

When: 9.00am-5.30pm: Tuesday 20 November 2012

Where: Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square, Manchester, M60 2LA.

A full speaker list will be available soon. Places are limited, so please register your interest

Those boots were made for walking...October is Walk to School month

October is International Walk to School Month. 

Each October, primary school children from across the UK join forces with over 40 countries worldwide to celebrate the benefits of walking to school.

Walk to School Month in the UK is run by Living Streets. In 2012, we’ll be celebrating with Strider’s International Walking Challenge. This month-long activity encourages pupils to walk at least once a week for the month. We provide classroom packs that include everything a school needs to run a month-long challenge, encouraging pupils to walk. 

This Walk to School Month, Living Streets is delighted to be teaming up with children’s shoe manufacturer Start-rite to encourage more children to walk to school during International Walk to School Month. 

Start-rite are sponsoring 20 schools in the Greater Manchester area to take part in Living Streets’ WoW (Walk once a Week) scheme which awards badges as incentives for children to walk to school regularly. 

More details on Living Streets' Walk to School Month website.