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This page last updated:
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
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How to... enjoy Peterborough by bike
Jonathan Sandall gets on his bike.
IT keeps you fit, stops you getting stuck in traffic jams and is environmentally friendly – so why don't more of us ditch our cars and get on a bike?
Currently about five per cent of Peterborough residents, roughly 8,000 people, regularly cycle in the city compared to about 25 per cent, or 29,500 people, in nearby Cambridge.
Transport officers at Peterborough City Council are keen to encourage more of us to get on our bikes, and will next week launch a new map of cycle routes in the city and encourage people to leave their cars at home for the day.
As a keen cyclist myself, I am happy to say that Peterborough is a very cycle-friendly city. There are more than 125 miles of cycle routes, including the £11 million Green Wheel which circles the city.
I live and work in the city centre, and it is far more practical to bike to work than it is to drive or get the bus.
Not only does it allow you to whizz past congested areas and travel door-to-door, but it is also an excellent form of exercise and helps cut the number of vehicles on the road which has obvious environmental benefits.
Toria Leeds, cycling officer for the city council, said: "During the '60s and '70s the Peterborough Development Corporation pioneered the extensive use of cycle paths, and the network we now have is fantastic.
"Our roads are getting busier and busier, but we know that a large number of car journeys made are short trips within the city.
"In most cases it would be quicker and healthier to leave your car behind. Cycling is becoming more popular, as people become more conscious of the importance of exercise and the impact their vehicles have on the environment. But there are many more people out there who could use their bikes more often."
The Green Wheel provides quick and easy access to a large number of interesting villages on the outskirts of Peterborough, including Peakirk, Glinton, Newborough, Maxey, Helpston and Water Newton.
In an effort to make the city's network of cycle routes easier to understand, a new map is being launched on Monday, September 18. It contains useful information on places to go and things to do in and around Peterborough.
Miss Leeds added: "It contains information for people who choose to commute to work on two wheels, as well as leisure cyclists and specialist cyclo-cross and BMX areas.
"The new map has already been available in some cycle shops since early August, and initial figures show that it is proving to be extremely popular.
It has been designed to be much more user-friendly when opening in windy weather, and it has a special coating to make it more resistant to rain."
Almost eight per cent of people who work in Peterborough currently commute on a bike, and about nine per cent of children ride to school.
The city council has recently written to 30,000 households offering advice on the many transport options available in the city and encouraging them to consider reducing car usage. The work is said to be making a noticeable difference.
On Friday, September 22 2006, Peterborough will join hundreds of European towns and cities in a bid to persuade people to leave their cars behind and make better use of other forms of transport on In Town Without My Car Day.
There are a range of prizes on offer for people who change their travel plans and register their change of journey details with the city's Travelchoice team.
If you are planning to start cycling to work, but want some moral support, the cycle buddies scheme could be the answer. By visiting www.carsharepeterborough.com you can be matched up with other cyclists heading to similar destinations.
Councillor Graham Murphy, the city council's cabinet member for the environment and community safety, said he, too, is keen to see more people start cycling regularly.
He said: "We already have more than 200 km of cycle routes in and around Peterborough, including the Green Wheel, four primary cycle routes, in addition to a further three National Cycle Network routes.
"We are continually expanding the cycle network through the Local Transport Plan and developments such as the Hamptons, and we have a further seven primary cycle network routes planned for the near future."