Space for Cycling

The LCC's Space for Cycling Campaign I think is fantastic.  It deals head on with the real political issue that is important if cycling conditions are to improve and numbers enjoying cycling are to increase.  Space needs to be allocated to cycling so that proper infrastructure can be built.  The space is there but the political battle of who benefits from it needs to be won.

Here is my bike on the Prater Hauptallee in Vienna with my Space For Cycling Bike Plate.

The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain have produced a fantastic document that explains exactly the technical issue that needs to be addressed.  The Dutch System of Sustainable Safety and CROW based road design needs to be implemented.  They have managed to put everything I hoped this blog would communicate in one PDF file:

There is certainly enough frustration amongst London cyclists with their "Die-in Protests" and more widespread understanding of the solutions available thanks to the View From a Cycle Path and Bicycle Dutch Blogs amongst others.

Austria built an empire by compromise, marriage and diplomacy.  The Brits built one with aggression and violence.  Maybe I am a Brit in the wrong empire but I am very impressed and totally support this style of head on political and technical campaigning.  Compromise does not work in road design it results in an un-clear mess of function and usage that no amount of useless paint can fix.  Dealing with the issues head on has got to be more effective than continuing to gently encourage with marketing.

I will watch very closely in 2014 to see how the situation in my home country develops.