Bike Beats Car (lots of them!)

My work commute does not involve a lot of heavy traffic on the whole. Most of this is due to the fact my shifts start at 07.30hrs and finish at 20.45hrs (I only do 3 per week though!). Sometimes I work night shifts and these mirror the days, starting at 20.30hrs and finishing at 07.45hrs. It also helps I work in a location away from the city centre.

Some colleagues start at 09.00hrs and travel via the city centre. They moan about the traffic and lack of parking spaces. I've suggested (in a light hearted kind of way) they consider cycling instead. Some look aghast at the suggestion, others make clear they would if it was not for the roads as they are "...far too busy" and some point out they live too many miles away - sometimes up to ten and so they are "...in a hurry"! Now I can appreciate the concern re abysmal cycle infrastructure but I think the argument re which is quicker is more open to debate.

Anyway, today was the last of a few night shifts. I had a bit of time to kill until meeting the Golden Child on the way to school, so I decided to take a cycle trip into Manchester city centre during rush hour and film the results. I chose the A56 from the M60 orbital motorway at junction 17 (Prestwich) to just short of Victoria station, the Manchester Evening News Arena and Manchester Cathedral - the start of the city centre from the north. It's a distance of 4 miles or so along a busy arterial route with a hodge podge of cycle provision and a far from brilliant road surface. Just your typical UK cycle commuter environment then!

View A56 commute in a larger map

I hope to demonstrate how the cycle commuter will travel faster than a car commuter during rush hour and that it's not too unpleasant. In the event I covered the distance in a quarter of an hour or so which is faster than the vehicles I passed (but I've sped the video up by x 4 so as not to bore you).

Some may say the result is not fair as the majority of the route is downhill and any return journey during the evening rush hour would therefore be slower than by car. Piffle I say to that. I'll have to see if the evening cycle journey beats the motorised one (but being familiar with the road though I think I know the answer already), however this video looks at the commute into Manchester and, as you can see, it is just a tad faster than using a car at this time of day. And the parking is easier/cheaper too!

Cycle commuting: the way forward.

Integrated Transport

Two stories caught my eye today and made me despair slightly.

The local tram network - the Metrolink in Manchester - is reconsidering allowing bicycles to be carried on trams during off peak times. This follows a recent decision to maintain the ban, including folding bikes unless in a case. Local cycling groups made a concerted effort to force a reconsideration. Protesters took ironing boards, amongst other things, on to the trams in order to show how ridiculous the current bike ban is. The non-bike objects are allowed to be carried as the regulations stand. I had no part in the local effort but certainly applaud those who took the time. There is still no reversal of the ban but maybe there is hope.

Contrast this with a posting by David Hembrow from Holland. He describes a bike scheme for users of local rail services - the OV-fiets. Apparently 40% of rail passengers in Holland arrive at the station by bicycle. As so many bikes cannot practically fit on the trains the Dutch have developed a bike hire scheme with a difference which integrates with the rail services, is available at a minimal cost and for a decent hire period. This allows commuters to make the local journey to and from the stations without having to use a car.

What a difference in attitude. Is it possible we will ever be that forward thinking in the UK? I think we might get somewhere near at some point in the future but it will take a major shift to get people out of their cars and that has to mean a major increase in cost. We are just too selfish as a species and so appealing to people to consider the environment just doesn't have the impact to make the difference needed. I'm sure when oil is next pushing towards $200 or $300 a barrel we will see an upsurge in car share schemes, more people cycling and so on. Roll on the day is all I have to say.

Setting Up A Blog

Inspired to start blogging since starting cycling a 13 mile (return) work commute from Prestwich to Bury this year. I hope to write a bit about my experiences, vent my frustrations and document changes in fitness levels.

Also planning a sponsored cycle of the Pennine Cycleway in summer 2010 to raise money for the Marfan Trust. I hope to have a following (of sorts) to help inspire me in the preparation and the ride itself.

Anyway, thanks for looking and let me know what you find of interest or what you would like to write more (or less) about.