@gmcycling goes for membership growth in 2014

The lovely people over at Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign have just issued the winter edition of its member's newsletter - your truly has even delivered a few - by bike of course.
As part of the ramping up of activity for next year, the campaign wants you - want's you to become a member that is.
And, being the generous souls, new members are being offered the first year's membership for nowt.
The campaign exists to champion the cause of cyclists in Greater Manchester and act as an independent voice on matters effecting the two-wheeled brethren.

The more members GMCC has, the greater weight the voice carries - so if you care one jot about riding, infrastructure, safety, traffic etc in Greater Manchester, you should join.
It costs a tenner to be a member - the cost of a couple of inner tubes - so, what ya waiting for?
Click here for deets.

@gmcycling demands space4cycling in Manchester

The name of this blog was always intended to be partly tongue in cheek. Don't get me wrong, Manchester is a great city to cycle in: lots of people interested in cycling at all sorts of levels and we're blessed with some superb terrain within striking distance of the M60. But it's not a cycling utopia; far from it.
So, what do you do about it? Well, the lovely people at Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign would like you to get out on your bike and make your feelings known. 
To coincide with the Tory party conference which started at GMEX today, GMCC is organising a awareness ride around the roads which are closed due to the conference. Starting at 6.30pm tomorrow evening (30 September) at St Peter's the space for cycling ride is not a protest and is apolitical.
It is taking place to raise awareness of the barriers to everyday cycling and to keep the issue of safer cycling on the political agenda.

If you can't make it  - because for example you'll be riding home from work in Uppermill - you can sign the petition here. The petition will be presented to members of the APPCG, Manchester City Council and TfGM.
If you have even the faintest interest in cycling in Greater Manchester, then you should sign the petition and go along for the ride if you can.
Good luck to all those taking part.

Manchester: cycling utopia?

Buried in this article from this week's Cycling Weekly is the stat that Manchester has seen an increase in cycling to work of 25 per cent between 2001 and 2011.
Can't argue with that can you? Well, maybe.
I'm always a bit skeptical of statistics presented in percentages - maybe its working in PR makes you cynical about these things.
The real questions relating to 25 per cent are: from what number did the count start and how does Manchester compare to other cities.
More broadly than that, is there a coherent plan to sustain the growth and, if there is, what objectives is that plan moving toward. Put another way, what does a successful cycling strategy for Manchester look like and how will its success be measured. 
You can find TfGM's Interim Cycling Strategy here on the Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign website - there's even a picture of Manchester's most famous cyclist on page 33. The Interim strategy sets out the city's vision for cycling.

Interim: always tends to be a bit shite

Interim suggests that this strategy is going to be overhauled and I'm pretty sure consultation is on-going although there's no reference to this on the City Council's website.
There are many bold words and a series of targets in the document as I'm sure you'd imagine but I think we all know that the result will be slow, incremental change backed up with headline figured like 25 per cent increase which make it seem like we live in a cycling utopia.

Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign

Last night I took myself along to the monthly meeting of the Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign (GMCC) to get a feel for what it's all about and how they are going about trying to make Manchester a safer and better place to ride.
My initial impression is that you couldn't really wish to meet a nicer and more dedicated group of people.  But there is also a formidable knowledge and steely determination which, to their enormous credit, has not been blunted by years of, let's say, missed opportunities from the civic powers in the region.
These are the battle-hardened cycling infantry striving to influence cycling policy for the benefit of existing and would-be cyclists from Altrincham to Staly-vegas and the campaign deserves your support.
It seems I went along at quite an critical moment in the development of cycling policy in our region. Also in attendance was a representative of Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM): the newish name for the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) changed to reflect its new powers as provided by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) formerly the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA).  As you would expect with the public sector involved, it is a superb example of an Acronym Rich Environment (ARE). 

Greater Manchester: doesn't Oldham look like Australia

TfGM were there to seek input into their new over-arching cycling strategy which, as I understand it, will guide the policies and ultimately infrastructure with which we'll ride on for the next 15-20 years.  Regardless of what may have gone before, you have to credit TfGM for approaching cycling advocate groups to help draft the strategy rather than presenting a document as a fait accompli.
So, there you have it: GMCC lovely bunch of two-wheeled enthusiasts trying to make Greater Manchester a better place to ride and TfGM seeking input into a strategy to guide the next 20 years of cycling in the region.  All in all a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Ride safe