Cycling safety campaign launch by DfT

The DfT has today launched its latest cycle safety campaign: Think! Cyclist.  You can view a video of Stephen Hammond MP talking about it here.

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New DfT minister is...

MP for Derbyshire Dales Patrick McLoughlin is the new department for Transport minister following Justine Greening getting the bullet
This is the bloke who is now in charge of cycling policy - you can read more about him here.

A what? A bicycle you say?

Let's give him an opportunity to show leadership and enlightened approach to transport matters including cycling.  Here's hoping...

Just 2% of people in Manchester cycle five times per week

At least that's what this research form the Department for Transport says.  Although based on a sample of just 500, its likely to be statistically accurate.

Courtesy of The Guardian. Fortunately not a party political map 

It really goes to show the huge cultural shift that is required in the county to get that figure closer to the high figures recorded in other places - in Holland 59% of journeys in cities are done by bike.
Let's face it, Holland can be pretty bleak in terms of its weather as anyone who's been to Amsterdam in the winter will know.  Yes they have much better infrastructure for bikes, but the real difference, the thing that makes people take bikes out, is that cycling is engrained into their culture: kids ride to school, parents ride to work and elderly people ride to tulip arranging classes.
The encouraging lesson is that there is no fixed reason why Britain cant do better - look at Cambridge's figures for example. After all, if you go back to the 1950s, many more journeys were made by bike right here in Blightly.
Let's hope the wonderful year of cycling we've had so far, boosts these figures by the next time they're done.
The Guardian has produced a lovely map of the data which you can find here