Pandemic ’experiment’ shows cycling desire
IT WOULD not have been possible to engineer a better experiment than the Covid-19 crisis to demonstrate that if the roads are safer, easier and more convenient to cycle and walk on, people will choose to do so rather than be forced to use their vehicles, the Guernsey Bicycle Group has said.
The group has set up a petition calling for dedicated, safe walking and cycling infrastructure to form part of the Revive and Thrive recovery strategy from the pandemic.
GBG chairman Sam Field was thrilled with the response so far, as more than 650 people have signed in a matter of days, publicly showing their support for improved cycle and pedestrian pathways.
‘Alongside this there have been dozens and dozens of people emailing our deputies expressing their concerns about cycle and pedestrian safety and requesting improved infrastructure to make it safer, easier and more convenient to choose to cycle or walk rather than default to a vehicle,’ he said.
‘Revive and Thrive is the perfect time to show this support to our deputies that there is a strong local demand and want for better cycle and pedestrian protection.
‘Although many deputies are sadly already saying “nothing we can do, it’s down to the next Assembly after the election”, we have a massive economic stimulus package coming along and the current Assembly will decide how to use a large part of that.’
Mr Field said much of the spend would be kept local – with the design, labour and lots of the materials available locally, so the benefit would be returned to Guernsey.
Looking at the bigger picture, he said more walking and cycling makes for a healthier population, with reduced rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and less cancer, amongst other illnesses, and reduced air pollution.
‘Picking up on the current Covid-19 crisis, the susceptibility of the individual is increased in anyone with these conditions.
‘Investing in cycle and pedestrian infrastructure is often described as investing in public health – where £1 invested can pay back up to £5.50 in reduced health spending.’ He said the petition’s support shows that there is a demand for developing cycle and pedestrian infrastructure in the Revive and Thrive spending plans.
‘It is well demonstrated that if you build cycle and pedestrian paths to make it safer, easier and more convenient to move by bike or foot, people will choose to do so, rather be forced out of their vehicles by stealth taxes or big stick approaches.’
. The petition is at https://bit.ly/37BxvkJ.
