Making a Cycling Town: a compilation of practitioners’ experiences from the Cycling Demonstration Towns programme Qualitative Survey 2005-2009 Contents Abbreviations & Glossary 5 Introduction 6 Acknowledgements 7 Chapter 1: ‘Lift Off’ for Cycling 9 Bikeability 13 Chapter 2: Cycling Programme Delivery Best Practice 15 Chapter 3: Cycling Demonstration Town Stories 27 Aylesbury 28 Brighton & Hove 34 Darlington 40 Derby 46 Exeter 52 Lancaster with Morecambe 58 Chapter 4: Common Elements of the Programmes 65 Infrastructure 66 Marketing and Enabling Cycling 72 Schools and Bikeability 79 Workplaces 86 2 Figures and Tables Figure 2.1: Average Proportion of Budget Spent by Measure 21 Figure 3.1: Aylesbury Programme Summary 28 Figure 3.2: Brighton & Hove Programme Summary 34 Figure 3.3: Darlington Programme Summary 40 Figure 3.4: Derby Programme Summary 46 Figure 3.5: Exeter Programme Summary 52 Figure 3.6: Lancaster with Morecambe Programme Summary 58 Figure 4.1: Marketing Channels & Tools Used by the Cycling Demonstration Towns 73 Figure 4.2: Bikeability and Bike It Participation by Cycling Demonstration Town 79 Table 2.1: Average Staff Time Invested by Measure 18 Table 4.1: Investment in Infrastructure 71 Table 4.2: CDT Information Resources & Distribution Channels 72 Table 4.3: Investment in Marketing and Enabling Cycling Initiatives 77 Table 4.4: Investment in Cycling Promotion at Schools 84 Table 4.5: Investment in Cycling Promotion at Workplaces 89 Box 2.1: Examples of Internal Teams Supporting CDT Delivery 19 Box 2.2: Examples of External Local Partners Supporting CDT Programme Delivery 20 3 Case Studies Timed Signs, Aylesbury 32 Gemstone Route Maps, Aylesbury 33 Advance Stop Lines, Brighton & Hove 36 Personalised Travel Planning, Brighton & Hove 39 Local Nature Reserve Routes, Darlington 45 Local Motion Brand, Darlington 45 Derby BMX, Derby 49 Scootability, Derby 51 Bicycle User Groups, Exeter 57 Transition Year Cycle Promotion, Exeter 57 Community Grants Scheme, Lancaster with Morecambe 61 Led Rides, Lancaster with Morecambe 63 Side Road Cycle Priority, Exeter 68 Morecambe Promenade, Lancaster with Morecambe 71 Bike Off Cycle Theft Reduction Campaign, Brighton & Hove 78 Bike It and ‘Beauty and the Bike’, Exeter 80 St Werburghs C of E Primary School, Derby 85 Workplace Travel Tally, Exeter 89 Cycling Champions, Lancaster with Morecambe 90 4 Abbreviations & Glossary ASL Advance Stop Line AVDC Aylesbury Vale District Council BCC Buckinghamshire County Council Bike It Bike It works directly with schools to encourage children to cycle to school. The aim of Bike It is to create a pro-cycling culture in schools that continues long after the Bike It Officer has finished their work. BUG Bicycle User Group CDT Cycling Demonstration Town CIVITAS European Union programme promoting cleaner and better transport in European cities by funding demonstration projects of ambitious integrated sustainable urban transport strategies. CRB Criminal Records Bureau CTC Cycle Touring Club - the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation Cyclocross A type of cycle racing involving riding laps around a short circuit which includes different types of cycling surface. DCC Devon County Council DfT Department for Transport ECC Exeter City Council ERDF European Regional Development Fund FTE Full Time Equivalent Go Ride British Cycling’s Club Development Programme aimed at improving both young riders and clubs. It focuses on volunteers and young members – improving coaching standards and increasing the number of young riders with access to coaching activities, as well as supports the creation of school-club links. Key Stage 2 A stage of schooling which covers Years 3 – 6 (ages 7 – 11 years). As such it includes Years 5 and 6, when Level 2 Bikeability training typically takes place. LaCC Lancashire County Council LCC Lancaster City Council LEA Local Education Authority LNR Local Nature Reserve LTP Local Transport Plan OFSTED Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills PTA Parent Teacher Association PTP Personalised Travel Planning SATS Standard Assessment Tests. National tests taken by children at the end of school Years 2, 6 and 9.) 5 Introduction In October 2005 Cycling England granted ‘Cycling Demonstration Town’ (CDT) status to six towns Report Structure across England, with funds from the Department The first chapter of this report summarises Cycling for Transport. This funding enabled them to set England’s recommendations for development and up an initial three-year travel behaviour change delivery of a town-wide programme to promote programme – including both infrastructure and cycling, developed from the lessons learnt Smarter Choices measures - to increase cycling working with the six CDTs during Phase I. for short urban trips. The second chapter of this report reviews some of The Cycling England CDT programme aimed to the key elements and considerations affecting the learn about the relative impact of different types CDTs at the programme delivery level – outlining of measures in different local contexts, as well potential issues or different approaches taken, as as about best practice implementation of the well as sharing the lessons learnt by the towns. most effective measures – enabling other local authorities and stakeholders to learn from these The third chapter tells the story of each CDT demonstration projects and making the case for programme and what the towns did to enable and further investment in cycling. encourage cycling, as well as the challenges and issues they faced along the way. The six CDTs, funded from October 2005 – October 2008 (Phase I), were: In the fourth chapter common elements of the • Aylesbury CDT programmes are outlined, highlighting the range of approaches taken, key considerations • Brighton & Hove and lessons learnt. The common programme elements covered are: • Darlington • Infrastructure • Derby • Marketing & Enabling Cycling • Exeter • Schools and Bikeability • Lancaster with Morecambe. • Workplaces. In June 2008 Department for Transport (DfT) and Cycling England announced continued funding of the CDTs – committing further funding to these original six towns from November 2008 to March 2011 (Phase II). At the same time they also announced the creation of eleven new Cycling Towns and England’s first Cycling City, to implement their own demonstration projects during this time. Now that Phase I of the Cycling England CDT programme is finished, Cycling England has been capturing the initial experiences of the CDTs and learning from these – as well as assessing the impact of these programmes on local cycling levels. This report contributes to Cycling England’s work on this – capturing the stories and experiences of the towns based on reflective evaluation from the local officers and stakeholders 6 involved. Acknowledgements This report is based on extensive interviews The report is also informed by interviews held with and data collection in each of the Cycling the following stakeholders involved in the CDT Demonstration Towns (CDT), involving local programme at a national level: officers, Members and stakeholders. The following are acknowledged for their input to this research • Andy Cope: Sustrans – Project Manager for process: CDT Monitoring • The Cycle Aylesbury team, Buckinghamshire • Phillip Darnton: Cycling England – Chairman County Council and local stakeholders • Martin Ellis: Department for Transport – • The Brighton & Hove Cycling Demonstration formerly CDT Project Manager Town team, Brighton & Hove City Council, local • Steve Garidis: Cycling England stakeholders and Dean Spears • John Grimshaw: Cycling England – formerly • The Local Motion team, Darlington Borough Board Member, now Special Advisor Council and local stakeholders • Debbie Howard: Blue Rubicon – Senior PR • The Cycle Derby team, Derby City Council, Consultant for Cycling England local stakeholders and Bella Fortune • Adrian Lord: Arup – Project Manager of Cycling • The Cycle Exeter team, Devon County Council England’s Professional Support Team and local stakeholders • Tony Russell: Sustrans – Coordinator of • The Celebrating Cycling team, Lancaster City Cycling England’s Professional Support Team Council and local stakeholders. • Lynn Sloman: Cycling England – Board Member. In addition to those named above, thanks are extended to the following for their contribution to this report: Susanne Afra, Tricia Allen, Margo Hemphill, Beth Hiblin and Adrian Webb. 7 8 1 ‘Lift Off’ for Cycling First results show that the Cycling Demonstration Can this be achieved in my town / city / local Town (CDT) programme has been a major authority? success, with all six towns achieving their aim of getting more people cycling, more safely, more Yes. The CDTs represent a range of regions, often. For the first time in the UK outside London, types, and topographies and there is no reason to ‘lift off’ has been achieved for cycling. The national believe this success cannot be replicated in other trend of a gradual decline in cycling levels has towns and cities in England given two simple but been reversed. Averaged across all six towns, crucial criteria: cycle counts increased by 27%1. • Consistent political leadership and a determination to champion sustainable travel Cycling contributes to seven of Government’s key • Sustained investment over time. objectives, shared by six departments. Health benefits How can this be achieved? Increased cycling in the CDTs went hand-in-hand The most valuable lesson from the CDTs is that with a town-wide increase