Tag: cycling

Ageing Well and Keeping Active

The award-winning project, Ageing Well, run by Edinburgh Leisure in partnership with NHS Lothian, will be starting two new activities in July, to support people to become, and remain active in later life.

Starting on Thursday, 8th July, there will be a regular Walk around Saughton Walled Garden with a volunteer walk leader. 

The walk is suitable for people who have not walked much before, and are looking to be more active, or are returning from injury or illness. The walk will take up to 30 minutes on flat ground or gentle slopes with firm surfaces and generally no steps.

Register your interest with active@edinburghleisure.co.uk. Participants should meet at the Garden Bistro, at 10.50am for an 11am start.  A contribution of £1 is welcomed towards the activity.

There will also be an 11 weeks’ Cycle Skills Course, starting on Monday, 12th July. This will meet at Saughton Sports Centre initially, with a further 4 weeks on the cycle paths leaving from Ainslie Park Leisure Centre and a further 4 weeks leaving from Meggetland. Good quality bikes and helmets are supplied to trainees so there is no need to own your own.

This course is suitable for those who wish to take up cycling again after a lengthy absence but lack confidence. The course will give participants an opportunity to improve confidence on a bike; increase bike-handling skills; put in to practice the skills they are learning; and the introduction to cycle paths, on the last two weeks of the course.

The course is very relaxed, sociable, and fun and is based on the Cycling Scotland Bikeability material adapted for adults. A contribution of £2 per week is asked from trainees to help towards the running costs of the programme.

Pre-booking a slot on the course is essential – active@edinburghleisure.co.uk

Ageing Well also has a walking programme, which has eight health walks across the city on different days, aimed at different fitness levels.

Further information about the different walks can be found at: 

https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/ageing-well-walks

Since their activities reopened after COVID-19 restrictions lifted again at the beginning of April, they have been supporting 120 older adults to be active again. The emphasis is on meeting new people and making physical activity accessible and enjoyable. All activities are either led by or supported by fully trained volunteers, who are all older adults themselves.

For further information, to register your interest and/or to book a slot, contact the Active Communities team on active@edinburghleisure.co.uk

Heart Research UK healthy heart tip: Get On Your Bike!

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK

Get on your bike

During lockdown many of us ventured into the shed and dusted down our old bikes to escape from the house and get our daily exercise.

Cycling is a fun way to improve your overall health and wellbeing as well as enabling you to get out and explore your local area. As cycling is a low impact activity it is safer on your joints, whilst still strengthening your muscles and improving your cardiovascular system.

We have some tips to get you started with cycling this summer …

If you don’t currently own a bike …

Check whether your employer offers a Cycle to Work scheme as this can make buying a bike more affordable.

If cost is the issue have a look at some stationary pedals. These are pedals that can be used indoors without having to buy a full home-exercise bike or road bike.

Additionally, this way you can watch your favourite TV show whilst cycling and don’t have to be worried about getting caught in the rain!

Social cycle

Cycling can be a great way to meet up with friends or make new friends and be active together. Evidence shows that we are more likely to complete exercise when doing so with a partner or in a group. Additionally, we work physically harder when surrounded by others than when exercising alone.

Look up your local cycle groups, or have a look at Ride Social –

https://www.letsride.co.uk/social

to help you find a group.

Enjoy Nature

Get outside with your bike. Perhaps take the bike to a local cycling trail, woodland or park. Being outdoors will enable you to be more aware of your surroundings, thoughts, feelings and body.

This is a way to actively practice mindfulness without even realising you’re doing it. It doesn’t have to be a super-fast cycle, you’re still doing physical exercise, so go slow and take in the beauty of the world around you.

Funding boost for Edinburgh Napier cycling support

£17,000 will go towards 25 bikes for campus-to-campus travel

Edinburgh Napier students and staff who are interested in taking up cycling are set for increased support thanks to a £17,000 funding boost from Cycling Scotland.

Over the last few years, the University has been working hard to encourage cycling to campus, including offering free bike maintenance sessions and security marking, repair workshops at student accommodation, led rides and more.

Both Sighthill and Merchiston have been awarded Cycle Friendly Campus status from Cycling Scotland, and this latest funding will go towards offering even more support to students and staff who cycle, or want to cycle.

The funding includes £16,496.25 from the Cycling Scotland Campus Development Fund for 25 bikes, locks, helmets, high-visibility jackets and bike marking security kits. This will allow the University to develop its own bike-lending scheme and allow students and staff to borrow the equipment they need to get to and from campus, as well as around Edinburgh itself.

The University has also received £500 from the Cycling Scotland Cycle Friendly Internship Fund for cycle ride leader training and Dr Bike sessions.

The cycle ride training will allow volunteers to host led rides around the city, a great way to encourage new cyclists to get to grips and gain confidence, as well as encouraging sustainable travel and the benefits to both physical and mental wellbeing.

Dr Bike sessions have enjoyed great success over recent years, with students and staff taking the opportunity to get their bikes checked and minor repairs carried out for free.

Ben Standish, Edinburgh Napier Campus Cycling Officer, said: “After a difficult year of being stuck indoors for many of us, this is really fantastic news for the students and staff of Edinburgh Napier.

“Cycling can have a huge range of benefits; it’s affordable, healthy and has been proven to support wellbeing and productivity. We hope the new bikes can benefit some of our students who do not already have access to a bicycle whilst providing a resource for staff and students to run social events.

“Cycling Scotland’s support for bike maintenance sessions and cycle training will add that little bit of extra support which could be the difference of whether someone continues to cycle and cycles safely.

“What’s even more exciting is that we are developing a relationship with VieVelo and the Edinburgh All-Ability Bike Centre who have a range of adapted bikes and ensure that cycling is something everyone can enjoy. If there any Edinburgh Napier students or staff that want to know more about how we are helping our community cycle, I would be more than happy to have a chat.”

Jayne Brown, Development Officer Education, Cycling Scotland, said: “We are delighted to have awarded Edinburgh Napier University funding to increase their current fleet of pool bikes.

“The goal of the Cycling Friendly Campus programme is to make it easier for students and staff to cycle. We achieve this by offering development grant funding for colleges and universities to make improvements to cycling facilities, and support and guidance to achieve a nationally-recognised award.

“Encouraging cycling and improving accessibility to bikes on campus will help to promote cycling as a healthy and sustainable travel option for students and staff.”

The funding news was also welcomed by Edinburgh Napier Students’ Association President, Ankit Duggal. He said: “I am glad to find out about funding from Cycling Scotland, which will provide a great opportunity for students to hire bikes, get some assistance with equipment such as locks, lights, helmets and some Dr Bike sessions to get small repairs.

“As student president, I have tried to promote this project to the university leadership team as well. It will definitely benefit the students to access the active transport which will help them to have some exercise and better physical alongside mental health.

“It is also another way to support climate change by following a greener approach to travelling. Cycling is important for the students and for the University also, to abide by the practice that they advocate to encourage others.”

For more information on cycling to campus, please visit our Cycling page on My Napier.

Edinburgh’s on-street bike parking set to double

A project to roll out secure on-street cycle parking across Edinburgh will be boosted with an additional 1200 spaces over the next two years, subject to funding, in response to increasing demand.

Contractors Cyclehoop Ltd began installing covered bike storage containers around the city in January 2019, with the intention of providing and maintaining 180 units – equating to 1080 bike parking spaces – over their five-year contract.

By creating safe, accessible ground-level storage for bikes, particularly in tenemental areas, the scheme aims to encourage people to take up cycling as a convenient form of transport.

So far 108 units have been installed, which have an occupancy rate of around 91% (591 users) and 476 people on the waiting list for a space. Requests have also been received for units at 206 new locations, with around 14 requests received every week.

As a result, last Thursday’s Transport and Environment Committee approved proposals to increase the scope of the contract with Cyclehoop to add an additional 50 locations (100 units) per year over the next two years to the programme, subject to match-funding by Sustrans. This would provide 1200 extra spaces – more than double the number currently being introduced.

Councillor Lesley Macinnes, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “The demand for bike parking in Edinburgh demonstrates the increasing popularity of cycling, and the positive impact it can have on health, travel costs and the environment. I’m delighted that we’re now going to be able to double the secure cycle storage units being installed across the city, subject to funding.

“When this project was first approved, it aimed to resolve issues around theft and the storage of bikes in stairwells, in turn making cycling a more attractive, convenient way to travel.

“Over the past year we’ve seen so many people realising the benefits of cycling, and I hope this decision will encourage even more people to take it up.”

Councillor Karen Doran, Transport and Environment Vice Convener, said: “We know that living in a flat or small house can be a barrier to owning and storing a bike, which is why we began installing secure cycle storage in 2019.

“The take-up so far has been fantastic, and we’re constantly hearing from people who would like a unit in their neighbourhood. So it’s great that we’ll now be able to roll the scheme out further, in a fair and inclusive way.”

All new requests for bike parking are being recorded in a system set up to cross reference their locations against the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). This allows the council to pay extra attention to requests for units in areas lower down the SIMD, helping to balance these with requests from more affluent areas of the city, where residents tend to be more engaged with Council projects.

Transport and Environment Committee first approved the introduction of secure cycle parking in 10 to 15 locations (20 to 30 units) per year, over a three-year period, in 2016, following a successful trial.

The scope of the scheme was doubled and accelerated to be completed over a two-year period in 2018. A five-year contract was subsequently awarded to Cyclehoop Ltd to supply, install and maintain the units.

Cycle storage costs users £6 a month, in addition to an initial deposit and each container holds six spaces. 

Find out more about bike parking on the Council website and read the full report Secure On-Street Cycle Parking Project – Further Expansion.

47% rise in Scots cycling

Scotland has seen a surge in the number of people cycling in the past 12 months, according to data from the nation’s cycling organisation.

Statistics released today (Tuesday 6 April) by Cycling Scotland show 47 per cent more cycling journeys were recorded between 23 March 2020 and 22 March 2021 compared to the same period 2019­–2020.

Since Covid-19 restrictions first came into force on 23 March 2020, the nation’s cycling organisation has released regular updates on the number of people cycling in Scotland, using its nationwide network of automatic cycle counters to compile the data.

Increases of 68 per cent in April, 77 per cent in May, 63 per cent in June, 44 per cent in July and 33 per cent in August were recorded, compared to the same months in 2019.

September saw a rise of 32 per cent, followed by October (22 per cent), November (7 per cent) and December (4 per cent). During bad weather in January this year, cycling numbers decreased 14 per cent before rising 20 per cent in February.

And today (Tuesday 6 April 2021), Cycling Scotland also announced its latest monthly figures, using data from 47 automatic cycle counters nationwide.

The statistics reveal a 52 per cent increase in the number of people cycling across the nation between 1 and 22 March 2021 versus the same three weeks in 2020 – before the first Covid-19 restrictions were introduced in Scotland.

Twenty counters saw a year-on-year increase of more than 100 per cent, with counters in Girvan (Victory Park Road), Callander (Glen Gardens) and Dunoon (Victoria Parade) showing hikes of 256, 179 and 113 per cent respectively.

The information was collected as part of the National Monitoring Framework, managed by Cycling Scotland, to monitor cycling rates across the country.

Latest figures from the Bicycle Association show sales of bikes, bike parts, accessories and services increased by 45 per cent across the UK in 2020, with the trend set to continue.    

Cycling Scotland Chief Executive Keith Irving said: “It has been a horrendous year, but one of the few bright spots has been more people getting back on their bikes.

“Cycling has a key role to play in people getting exercise and fresh air, managing the ongoing pressure on our transport system and, crucially, tackling the global climate emergency we face.

“We’re delighted at the massive increase in cycling and it’s vital we see it continue and expand. 

“To get even more people cycling, we need to invest more in infrastructure so people feel safe to cycle. We need more dedicated cycle lanes, separated from vehicles and pedestrians. We need to reduce traffic, especially on residential and shopping streets. And we need to increase access to bikes and storage to tackle the barriers too many people face so anyone, anywhere can enjoy all the benefits of cycling.

“Helping far more people to cycle is key in delivering a green recovery from Covid and supporting a just transition towards a net-zero Scotland. Every journey cycled will make a difference.”

Claire Sharp is a charity worker who lives on Glasgow’s south side. She started cycling again last year. “I live next to a main road that leads into the city centre to my work; it’s an easy route but the traffic there is so heavy. I was too scared to attempt it in the past,” she said.

“I knew lockdown was going to happen and thought it would be good to get a bike. Partly as the roads would be quiet, which would be good for a beginner, and also for exercise as the gyms would be closed. Luckily, I managed to get one the weekend before lockdown started.

“Apart from being able to get out and exercise, it’s improved my mental health as it’s given me confidence to do something I didn’t think I could do. It’s made me feel empowered. I’ve also found going for a cycle after work helps me process things that have happened during the day and makes me less stressed.”

She added: “I’m hoping to be brave enough to start cycling to work when all the Covid-19 restrictions are removed, although I might need some more persuasion in the winter. I’m looking forward to more cycling for exercise and bike-ride day-trips with my friends.”

Asif Sattar (45) is an IT worker from Motherwell. He said: “I played football all my days and as there was a lockdown I took up cycling. Cycling was a way for me to break free of the lockdown gloom. 

“As I was working from home, getting out on my bike helped me exercise, clear the mind and refocus on my health during the pandemic. 

“Me and a group of friends now go out every week and have even planned a cycling holiday once the restrictions ease.”

Scottish Government: Reclaim the joy of walking to school

The Daily Mile Foundation, Living Streets Scotland, Paths for All, and the Active Nation Commissioner, in partnership with the Scottish Government, are calling on families to reclaim the joy in everyday movement on the journey to school.

As schools return after months of being closed, the return of primary pupils to schools in Scotland is an opportunity for children and families to start the day active and energised, by choosing to make the journey by walking, wheeling, skipping, scooting or cycling instead of by private car.

The call is supported by a range of sport, health and physical activity organisations and is part is a strategic approach by the Scottish Government to support active journeys to school.

The campaign supports Scotland’s ambition to become the first Daily Mile Nation, and the Scottish Government’s Clear Your Head campaign by encouraging families to connect and chat with others on an active school run.

Over the last year, many families rediscovered the joy of getting outside and walking, cycling and exploring their local areas.

During lockdown the number of adults visiting the outdoors at least once a week had increased to 80% by August 2020.

These increases are also seen on the journey to school: in September 2020 more than half of pupils in Scotland walked, cycled or scooted to school, and the number of pupils walking to school increased by 3.8% on the previous year. With active travel at its highest level for ten years, families have an opportunity to lock in the benefits of an active journey to school.

Mairi Gougeon, Minister for Public Health and Sport said: “I’m a keen runner and walker and even if I can only fit in a quick ten minutes around the block in the morning it has such a positive impact on my day.

“It’s been great to see the increase in walking running, cycling and scooting and we should build on these positive habits so that they become a routine part of the day. Not only do these activities have many benefits for our physical and mental health, they can also improve our environment.”

Lee Craigie, Scotland’s Active Nation Commissioner said: “It’s time for a cultural shift in how we undertake our everyday short journeys, in particular the school run.

“Instead of this daily journey continuing to be a stressful chore that clogs our streets and lungs with vehicles and their emissions, we must all play our part in creating the sort of environments where children (and their parents and teachers) can start their day with fresh air and exercise.

“When walking, cycling, scooting and wheeling to school becomes the norm for everyone, we embed healthy, sustainable, fair travelling behaviours in our communities.”

Families should adhere to social distancing rules and wear face coverings at the school gates.

To create more space for safe interactions and social distancing, schools and local authorities can consider implementing traffic-free school streets during the busiest times.

Heart Research UK health tips

Spend more time outdoors

As the days get shorter, you may feel less motivated to go outdoors for regular exercise.

Spending time outdoors can help to improve both your physical and mental health.

What’s more, if you do something that gets your heart beating faster, warms you up and leaves you feeling slightly out of breath, it will benefit your heart too.

We have some tips to help you make the most of the great outdoors to help keep your mind, body and heart in sound health:

  • They say there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing! When you go outdoors, make sure you wear suitable clothing to stay warm and dry. Feeling cold and wet is a miserable experience and it may deter you from going out regularly.
  • Start each day by wrapping up warm and heading out for a stroll around the garden, neighbourhood or local park. You could take a hot drink to help you to stay warm.
  • Getting out on your bike can be more challenging in the cold, dark winter months. Why not blow away the cobwebs as you discover local cycle routes on your bike. Don’t forget to take your bicycle lights with you so you don’t get caught out as the days get shorter.
  • Look out for opportunities in your daily schedule to get up and go outdoors, even if it is just for ten minutes. Try to plan activities in your diary to make you get outdoors every day.

Make room! Drivers need to give cyclists space during lockdown

As bicycle use spikes during local lockdowns, drivers need to be aware of the 1.5 metre rule which encourages motorists to make room and protect cyclists.

During the first 30 days of lockdown in March, the Department for Transport (DfT) found that cycling fatalities were more than double the number compared to the same periods from 2015-18 – even though the level of vehicle traffic had dropped to 36% of its pre-lockdown level.

Of the 15 cyclists in the UK that lost their lives from 23 March – 22 April all but two incidents did not involve a motor vehicle. 

Various road safety initiatives have launched to raise awareness of the Highway Code’s Rule 163 that there should ‘plenty of room’ when overtaking – often recommend as 1.5 metre distance or roughly the width of a car.  It also states that drivers should overtake only when it is safe and legal to do so.

Motorists who flout the rule face a careless driving charge from the police, which can result in three penalty points on their licence and a £100 fine, or  in some cases, a more serious criminal conviction.  Undercover policemen on bicycles have used helmet-mounted cameras to help apprehend offenders

Research commissioned by Cycling Scotland found that 34 per cent of the population don’t always leave a 1.5 metre gap from cyclists, while almost 64 per cent were unaware of the three-point penalty on their licence if they are caught driving too close

Motorists should also bear in mind that insurance premiums generally increase by around 5% for the first three points on a licence, shooting up to as much as 25% for six points – premium loading can continue to apply until the points come off the licence after five years

The latest figures from DfT show cycling use jumped 10% during the week beginning 12th October compared to a week earlier.

Greg Wilson, founder of Quotezone.co.uk – which launched one of the UK’s first price comparison services for bicycle insurance – says: “We’ve seen an increase in traffic to our bicycle insurance comparison website since lockdown began – with people keen for socially distanced transport and exercise. 

“I would also expect an upcoming spike in December anuary with many putting bikes at the top of their Christmas list this year.

“This increase signals potential dangers – while there may be fewer cars on the road, the reduced congestion levels could encourage some motorists to increase their speed.   With so many people taking up cycling during lockdown a greater number of cyclists on the road may be relatively inexperienced, so making sure drivers make room with the 1.5 metre rule has never been so important

“We work hard to get drivers the best policy at the best price, and even when a driver has received penalty points we still have panel members that can offer them competitive quotes. However, the best plan is to ensure you don’t get those endorsements in the first place, which is why we recommend that drivers take their time, keep their distance and use the 1.5 metre rule when it comes to cyclists – that way we can ensure we all stay safe on the road.”

Quotezone.co.uk is one of the UK’s largest insurance comparison websites – comparing a wide range of competitive quotes across both car and bicycle insurance – helping over three million users.

Edinburgh Cycle Hire reports 119% growth over 12 months

Edinburgh Cycle Hire has reported growth of 119% between September 2019 and 2020. Over 221,000 trips were made during that time, eclipsing growth reported by other UK cycle schemes and the record set by the company last year.

The scheme has seen exponential growth with average trips per day up by 46%. This is due in part to the 75 new hire stations installed at sites across the city including Montgomery Street and Belford Road next to the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern One) and Dean Gallery.

Other sites included West Crosscauseway, Corstorphine Road and Craigleith Road. These are areas previously not served by a cycle scheme and is part of a strategy to create a cycling network for the city as an alternative to short car journeys.

New users to Edinburgh Cycle Hire have totalled more than 34,000 bringing the overall to 57,000 customers cycling in and around the city. Earlier in 2020 the popular scheme was extended into South Queensferry with start/end journeys totally nearly 4,500 in the first six months and 1,500 new customers joining the scheme. Proving that cycle hire can function as a public transport service, as well as improving inner city connectivity.

George Lowder, Chief Executive, Transport for Edinburgh said: “What makes this performance truly outstanding is that this growth encompasses a period when the country was in lockdown, with homeworking, no Festivals and few visitors in The City.  

“The people of Edinburgh have embraced cycling and we will continue to strive to grow the scheme to meet with this increasing demand.”

Alex Macdonald, General Manager Serco said: “We’d like to thank our customers to the moon and back for making the positive choice to cycle.

“Coincidently the one million kilometres our customers have ridden would take them from the moon, to earth and back again.”

Cllr Lesley Mcinnes, Transport and Environment Convenor, the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Edinburgh Cycle Hire has proved itself to be an accessible and easy alternative to travelling by car and is a vital part of the city’s sustainable transport network, providing another useful choice of how to get around in Edinburgh.“

The scheme has not been without its challenges: theft and vandalism has been an issue with bikes stolen and dumped in public places and damage to hire points.

Further investment has been made to the cycle hire’s infrastructure to deter this type of anti-social behaviour and maintain the scheme’s sustainability.  However, this impacts on delivering services across the city, especially in areas where cycling could become a more accessible mode of transport for many communities.

A partnership has been created with Police Scotland to support efforts to recover stolen bikes and prosecute those who choose to damage the scheme’s infrastructure.

Chief Inspector Neil Wilson, Police Scotland said: “Police Scotland, Edinburgh City Division has been working in close partnership with the Edinburgh Cycle Hire Scheme (ECHS) to address theft of their fleet and vandalism to their infrastructure.

“We have undertaken crime prevention surveys of hire stations throughout the city and we will support ECHS in the implementation of enhanced security measures. Our officers have been briefed on how to spot a stolen bike and regularly undertake targeted patrolling, which has resulted in numerous apprehensions and prosecutions.

“We will continue to develop our approach in partnership with ECHS and would encourage the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity involving the cycle hire network to police.”

To bring cycling to the community the scheme was awarded funding from SP Energy Networks’ Green Economy Fund and Funding by Smarter Choices Smarter Places, which is Paths for All’s programme to increase active and sustainable travel throughout Scotland.

The programme is grant-funded by Transport Scotland.  The cycle scheme will implement an outreach programme to help people make the choice to walk or cycle for short local journeys, and to encourage groups who were reluctant to cycle feel confident getting on a bike.  

In March Edinburgh Cycle Hire took ownership of an additional 68 ebikes through eBike Grant Fund, delivered by Energy Saving Trust and funded by Transport Scotland.  These have been a popular choice with nearly 21,000 trips made.  Feedback has shown a broader demographic of uptake for ebikes, especially amongst older users, proving that you never really forget how to ride a bike. 

During the summer Edinburgh Cycle Hire, in partnership with Sustrans and funding from Transport Scotland responded to the Covid-19 pandemic by providing free passes to NHS Workers to support them with their essential work.   

With increasing demand for the scheme, Edinburgh Cycle Hire’s future looks set to continue in a positive direction as the city continues to seek out ways to improve its connectivity in a sustainable way.

Find out more about Edinburgh Cycle Hire online.