Saddle Up Says Bank, As It Slashes Staff Parking
The title of this post, is the same as that of an article on Page 12 of today’s Sunday Times.
This is the precis.
HSBC is swapping spaces for bike racks to persuade workers to drive less, and to discover why Britons refuse to pedal.
It’s an interesting position to take.
And I agree with it! Especially, if offices have good public transport connections.
Why do Brit’s refuse to pedal, when cycling is common and popular in the Netherlands, Denmark etc.
1. Terrain – much of Britain is hilly, this makes cycling slow and hard work on the upgrades.
2. Weather – Britain is rainy, more than half the days of the year in Manchester, this mean you often get wet [through] cycling.
3. Risk – notwithstanding suicyclists jumping lights, undertaking, unlit etc., any cyclist is very vulnerable to their own and other road users’ mistakes and are likely to suffer injury in all but the slightest collision.
4. Time. Unless you are very fit, cycling is slow, it is much quicker to drive, or catch the bus, tube, tram or train.
Comment by R. Mark Clayton | June 3, 2019 |
There could be another reason in some Northern cities like Manchester. I find drivers are much more aggressive towards pedestrians, than they are in London. Not sure if they actually are! But then in London, I know the quiet walking routes, through the squares and parks, which I don’t in Manchester.
You certainly don’t see the same number of cyclists in Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds, that you do in London.
But then London has cycle routes. Does Manchester?
Comment by AnonW | June 3, 2019 |