Lincoln has seen its cycling rate rise over recent years but is traffic congestion in the city and a lack of appropriate routes, posing a threat to this?
With a lack of direct cycle routes, cycle ways and safe crossing points featuring highly in the feedback given by Cycling UK Lincoln, the rural packages soon to be offered by tourism businesses, seem to many, the safer option for beginners at this moment in time.
Peter Ramsey of the Lincoln Transport Strategy for Lincolnshire County Council, said at the transport drop-in-session last week at Ruddocks of Lincoln: “We’ve gone over the North Hykeham Relief Road and the Lincoln Eastern Bypass mainly with the public’s suggestions in this very early stage, but with that being said, we are definitely looking at improving accessibility for cyclists”.
Cycle England a Yorkshire led project, is communicating ideas with Visit Lincoln and Access Lincoln and is looking to make significant improvements to Lincoln’s cycling facilities. Visit Lincoln received £1 million worth of funding at the end of last year by Visit England’s Discover England Fund and by March 2019, they are hoping that the city will be ‘Cycle Ready’.
In addition to this, £15,000 worth of grants will be given to Lincolnshire businesses looking to offer visitors, normally keen cyclists from Holland and Germany, a ‘leisurely cycling experience’.
A report released today by an environmental charity, shows that the NHS could save up to £319 million over the next 21 years, if participation levels rose to a similar level displayed in London. This shows that more can definitely be done for cyclists and how the UK should concentrate its investment in cycling improvements.
Richard Clements, Manager of the Giant Lincoln Store, said in relation to the cycle routes in and around the city that: “We only have a couple of cycle routes. The one from Lincoln to Boston and the one along the Brayford. We’ve suggested it to them (the council) before, so any further changes would definitely be welcome.
Karen Lee, Lincoln MP, will be hosting a Community Engagement Event for Transport on the 21st February at Sincil Bank. The event will focus on the issues surrounding transport into and out of the city, but this will serve as the perfect opportunity for the questions posed by cyclists to be heard.
Admission is free and tickets can be acquired for the event by cyclists and motorists alike at-https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/karen-lee-mp-community-engagement-event-on-transport-tickets-52902592077