On Yer Bike
This piece was first published in the brilliant Colchester 101 magazine. Copies are available for free around pubs, shops and other public places in the town.
The legendary “get on yer bike” phrase was born out of Essex Man. It is appropriate then that Norman Tebbit’s political legacy is now booming here in Colchester. The former Conservative MP for Chingford suggested cycling as a response to the early ’80s recession. Pedal forward almost thirty years later, and cycling is being promoted as a lifestyle choice in Colchester, and not as a cheap political gimmick either.
First off we have Cycle Colchester, a Department of Transport initiative that has secured the status of an official Cycle Town for Colchester. With status comes prestige, as well as £4.2m in European funding to help promote cycling as a transport alternative. Cycle to school and work schemes are in place, as well as training and mechanic courses.
The long-term legacy of Cycle Colchester is about to be put to the test with the consultation of local people over two proposed cycle routes. Running along Lower Castle Park, the first ride is a scenic spin along the Colne. The second suggestion is a route through The Folley, which separates Upper and Lower Castle Park.
As a committed cyclist (um, can’t afford a car…) then obviously I’m a flag waver. But for the consultation to really work, views from all road users are required. The posturing of the urban bike warrior gives bicycles a bad name. There’s room for everyone out there folks, yep - even along St Andrew’s Avenue.
Ah, but how to convince non-cyclists to take to the streets of Colchester on a bicycle? On yer bike was the message made to Wivenhoe locals last month when the Estate Management team from the University tried to explain the road confusion that the new Knowledge Gateway is going to create north of Greenstead.
Clingoe Hill is clogged up“>. It ‘aint gonna get any better with a new feeder road being built. The serious suggestion for folk commuting out of the Tendring Peninsula was one of pedal power. Fine in theory, but you need the infrastructure to convert people to two wheels.
For a town that is very reliant upon retail and industrial sites, not to mention having a train station out of the town centre, converting Colchester to become a bicycle nation is never going to be easy. We may have a Dutch quarter, but the Southway is somewhat short on cycle segregation.
You need to grow a cycling culture slowly, slowly. The more visible cyclists become around the town and the more tempting and convenient the lifestyle will appear. It took over a decade for London to learn to love the bicycle with the appearance of Boris Bikes around the capital.
Every little bit counts, which is precisely where Keep Colchester Cycling comes in. Supported by Cycle Colchester, keepcolchestercycling.com is being launched to simultaneously showcase Colchester, and encourage people to enjoy the town from a free to hire bike.
The Colchester cycling community has donated the bicycles. They are made available for use by members of the public who do not own the bicycles, but can pay a fully refundable deposit to hire them for personal use. Every Keep Colchester Cycling bike will come with a lock, a safety pack and set of cycle maps, including discount vouchers for venues along the different routes.
It is a fascinating project, combining transport practicalities with social art. As well as getting from A to B, it is hoped that users will use social media to document their ride, and open up the culture of cycling to others.
The huge success of the Tour of Great Britain rolling through our historic town last summer proved that there is more to Colchester than crazy roundabouts. The event not only created a buzz about cycling within the town, but also provided genuine economic benefits to local traders.
Cycle Colchester, Keep Colchester Cycling, even the crazed suggestion to “get on yer bike” by our friends from up at the University - spring is coming and now truly is the time to consider taking to the saddle.
Chapeau!
