Campaign to Double Cycling in Exeter

Source: Cycle Exeter

Posted: 30th June 2009

Cycle trips in Exeter have passed the one million mark for the first time and Cycle Exeter is celebrating with the launch of an ambitious new campaign to encourage even more people to get on their bikes.

The Freedom of Your City campaign is calling on all Exeter residents to pledge to cycle more and get one other person to do the same, with the aim of reaching 1.6 million cycle trips a year by 2011. That would effectively double the figure from 2005 when the Cycle Exeter project started.

Freedom of Your City will build on the success that Devon County Council's Cycle Exeter team has achieved in the past four years, raising awareness of the benefits of cycling, training over 1,000 children a year, and creating 18km of new or improved routes in and around the city. An impressive 1,094,000 trips were made on bicycles in Exeter in 2008, which is the equivalent of an additional 817 trips every day and a 37% increase since 2005. The data has been taken from the automatic cycle counters across the city.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: "We're launching this campaign because we want to inspire all types of people in Exeter to switch to two wheels to improve their quality of life and make our city an excellent place to live. If a hundred people make a pledge on launch day and each of them sign up one more person in a week - and they then do the same, we could have everyone in Exeter cycling more by October."

Over 61 million car journeys are made in and around Exeter every year - 40% of which could be made by bike2. If everyone used their bikes for ten of those car trips - less than one a month - it would free local roads from congestion, increase fitness levels in the city and help reduce Exeter's carbon footprint.

As part of Freedom of Your City, Cycle Exeter is:

• Launching a new website - packed with advice and information for residents and businesses on getting started or cycling more
• Extending cycle routes in and out of the city centre
• Creating more bike parking at schools, doctors' surgeries, health centres and around the city
• Supporting local businesses with tailored advice and support
• Offering free cycle confidence training to all residents.

School children are leading the way in Exeter with 20% of all trips to school now made by bike - compared to a national average of only 2%. More than five local schools have already doubled cycling since 2005 and Cycle Exeter is challenging everyone to follow the example of schoolchildren and pledge to help double cycling trips in the city.

Zsolt Schuller, Devon County Council's Cycle Exeter Project Manager, said: "Cycle Exeter is well on its way to creating a new generation of residents who see cycling as the most convenient, cost effective and healthy way to travel around the city. Freedom of Your City is for everyone - mums, dads, children, grandparents, commuters and students alike. With nine out of ten of our residents saying they would support a campaign to encourage more people to cycle, we know the whole of Exeter is behind us and we have confidence in achieving our goal."

Christine Daly, who has completed the County Council's Cycle to Your Heart's Content course for adult cyclists, said: "I find cycling is absolutely great for my state of mind and mood. It takes your mind off work and the stresses of the day and it brings about a sense of happiness and confidence. It's a free de-stressor and you don't even notice you're exercising! The best thing about riding is the sense of independence you get. You don't need to worry about the car or parking. You can just stop anywhere, stay as long as you like for free, and then hop on again!"

Leading businesses in Exeter are backing the new campaign and Royal Mail, EDF and Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club have already made pledges to make their workplaces more cycle friendly.

To encourage people to pledge, Devon County Council's Cycle Exeter team is in Bedford Square today, offering a snack breakfast and cycling freebies to the first three hundred people who make a pledge. This breakfast will help people power their bikes for the rest of the day. Residents will be able to make their pledge by signing the campaign postcard or on the new website www.devon.gov.uk/cycleexeter

The campaign's new website www.devon.gov.uk/cycleexeter will give residents, businesses, health professionals, schools and universities information and advice on cycling more and tips on how to encourage other people to get on their bikes. A new billboard advertising campaign will carry the message; ‘Get on your bike - it's fun, fast and free' and residents will see postcards, stickers and posters persuading them to make a pledge around the city from today.

Pledge your support for Freedom of Your City at www.devon.gov.uk/cycleexeter