How to improve cycling in Canterbury

On 25^th June, Councillor Mel Dawkins chaired a zoom meeting with environment experts, campaign groups and cycling enthusiasts met to discuss the future of cycling and walking in Canterbury.Mel is a keen cyclists and during lockdown has been involved in Extinction Rebellions regular bike rides to highlight the need for greater connectivity in and around Canterbury City Centre. You can watch her speaking about the need for more cycle routes on XR Canterbury’s You Tube channel.

The meeting was attended by well over 30 and concluded with Top Ten Asks for Canterbury, a document which we hope will help the council achieve the target to cut CO2 emissions to net zero by 2030 whilst creating a sustainable, inclusive and green transport infrastructure. The discussion highlighted that the opportunity presented by COVID, to improve cycle infrastructure was immense. Cycling has increased during lockdown and commuters are looking for alternative safe ways of travelling to work without using public transport – there needs to be a fundamental shift in attitude to build on this and encourage cycling going forward

Publishing the document today, Councillor Dawkins said “cycling is essential to our town – it helps clean our air, improve our heath, reduce congestion and we can not afford to carry on as before”.

The main document, available here calls for Canterbury City Council to: .

1. Modal shift – an attitude change which promotes the principle of cycling as an essential form of transport through educational means
2. Promoting safety for cyclists and pedestrians – 20 mph zones
3. A complete cycle network – to increase participation and enthusiasm by providing a comprehensive alternative to car use.
4. Cycle parking – increasing the number of safe areas to park and store bikes
5. Inner city ring road cycle route – redesign
6. Public transport strategy links – an all-inclusive alternative to the car
7. One-way street for cars – two way streets for bikes
8. Connectivity – increasing sustainable travel routes as an easily understandable alternatives to car travel
9. Accessibility – making cycling and walking more accessible
10. Be ambitious, create a vision, rethink the future of cycling and walking