I have just acquired a new bike. I bought it from an excellent bike shop in Plymstock called the Bike Cellar, which I thoroughly recommend. My goal is to try to get fitter and also to go out riding with a grandson who is keen on the activity. I will probably also be periodically dragooned into accompanying Jan on her horse.
Two dashes around Stoggy Lane later and I can already feel the benefit of this physical activity. At a time when our nation is battling obesity, or worried about a sedentary lifestyle, or concerned about carbon emissions, cycling could be our not-so-secret weapon.
The numbers of people cycling has increased significantly in recent years, both in terms of leisure cycling but also people commuting to work. In Central London during rush hour the numbers of cyclists travelling to and fro work, many of them at great speeds, is a sight to behold. In many major cities there are a growing number of dedicated cycle tracks which facilitate the two-wheeled commuter. Even then there are several nasty incidents each week and we clearly have to do more to ensure the safety of those propelled by pedal power.
The key is dedicated and safe cycle routes. In recent years I have been assisting members of the Plymouth Cycling Group get their message across to planners at Plymouth and Devon Highways and Planning Departments that it is vital to design in discrete cycle paths in new developments and to look to join up existing cycle routes wherever possible. Many of usremember the small local scandal of the £60,000 spent on theGlen Road cycle track in Plympton, only to see cyclists continuing to use the road. The problem was that the new track did not connect to existing tracks and therefore the new pathway is hardly ever used.
Many European countries are light years ahead of us in ensuring that their town and city centres encourage the bike and not just the car. I accept that it helps if a terrain is flat and the weather less inclement than ours, but even so we have some catching up to do with our continental cousins.
I have no intention of becoming a zealot, as many converts later in life do, but I do intend to continue supporting common sense policies of facilitating those who are keeping fit, consuming less in fossil fuels and enjoying the delights of the great outdoors.