TQ Cycling Survey: interim note (6 September 2012)

Background This survey was devised and conducted entirely by two individuals in their spare time Mike Ginger (involvement in cycle planning and promotion over many years) and Caryl Walter (new arrival in Bristol and committed cycling commuter, though generally not a cyclist for pleasure). The idea was born out of the anecdotal awareness that a very large community of people working in and around Temple Quay are frustrated commuters because of the traffic bottle necks in the area during peak commuting hours, and the severely limited car parking space they have available to them. Cyclists are fairly numerous, but all too often typical cycling conversations involve the exchange of scare stories, or the apologetic statement by a driver that they would cycle, but that they also had a family to support and it was just too much of a risk. When Caryl started commuting in Bristol, she was dismayed to find that the cycling city she had hoped to explore seemed downright hostile to cyclists certainly on her daily route, which leads from the top of the Downs through the centre of town to Temple Quay. Like many other ex-London professionals in Temple Quay, she had followed the promise of a work life balance that would include the opportunity for serious professional development while living a greener, more locally rooted and healthier lifestyle. A generally self-propelled commute was fundamental to this vision (and it reduced commuting time by over half, as well as substituting time spent in the gym). Having lived in other European cities in which pedestrians, cyclists and drivers coexist fairly well in a confined space, she was puzzled as to why Bristol was not kinder to its cyclists, and why so many Bristol cyclists behaved like outlaws. Why were cyclists disenfranchised was it a lack of voice? This prompted the idea to ask her fellow commuters why they cycled or why they didn't. Mike and others established a Bike User Group at Temple Quay House including the running of a number of promotional activities. He has been cycling in and around Bristol for a long time, and is keen that cyclists and non-cyclists views on commuting options should be coherently and effectively articulated. Objectives Involve would-be cyclists to identify key barriers & motivators These key barriers & motivators to provide a steer on most effective policy options Establish how people rate their current journeys as a benchmark Establish how important good cycling infrastructure is to people as part of the their perception of what a healthy city is Identify site specific concerns for action

Results The survey received 421 responses. 43.6% of respondents indicated that they usually or frequently cycled to work, against the remainder who answered rarely or never. A preview of the questionnaire (this is not live) can be viewed at https://web.questback.com/isa/qbv.dll/ShowQuest?Preview=True&QuestID=4347303&sid=sFu TEz6bej . A map layer was provided through Bristol Streets (our thanks to Toby Lewis) see http://v5.bristolstreets.co.uk/#/templequay. The comments have been sorted by area (see attached table).

Findings for non-cyclists

Reasons for not cycling: 73.2% indicated that their major reason for not cycling to work was that it was unsafe/stressful. This was the stand-out response. 70.9% of non-cyclists agreed that they would consider cycling more frequently if safe, well-connected, physically segregated cycle ways were provided for the majority of their commute. When asked to rate their cycle route to work, only ca 11% said their route was either excellent, very good or good. 21.5% said it was OK, and 35.4% said it was poor or very poor, with the rest unsure. 53.7% said that the strenuous hills were a major issue, and 26.7% said getting wet was a problem - however, the same number of people said that the weather was not important. 64.1% indicated that insufficient facilities at work were no barrier, and 45.7% said that being insufficiently confident on a bike was not the issue. Note: we have some ability to break this down into broad post code areas and hence commuting corridors. This is work in progress. Most persuasive motivating factors: health 80.8%; cost savings 53.8%; time savings 52.3%. Three quarters of respondents thought fun was less or not at all persuasive. Only 35% felt that environmental values were a very good reason to take up cycling, but this argument figured highest as a secondary (less persuasive as opposed to not important) reason to cycle.

Findings for cyclists Almost 50% of regular cyclists rated their cycle route to work as excellent, very good or good. About a third said theirs was OK, and about 20% said it was poor or very poor. Note that initial analysis on a corridor basis shows significant variability between corridors. About a third of cyclists indicated that they would consider cycling to work more frequently if there were safe, well-connected, physically segregated cycle ways for the majority of their route. Almost all others said they already cycle regularly but would enjoy it more. Major motivating factors: health 81%; costs 63.8%; journey times 73.8%. As for noncyclists, environmental values and fun featured less prominently.

Cycling as a feature of Bristol Among cyclists, roughly two thirds of respondents said that Bristol was attractive to them because it offered the potential to live a healthier lifestyle than alternative places of work would. 22% indicated that their choice to live and work in Bristol was motivated very much by this prospect, and a further 44% indicated that it was one factor (34% said it was not a factor the survey did not however differentiate between people who were brought up in the area, went to university here etc and people who moved here having considered a range of career/life options). Among non-cyclists, 11.3% indicated that the possibility of a healthy lifestyle in Bristol was very much a motivator to live here, 34.5% said it was one factor and 54.2% said it was not a factor. In response to the question as to how important a stress-free commute by bike is as a characteristic of a city promoting healthy lifestyles, responses were overwhelming: Cyclists: 15.4% said it was the most important factor, with almost 80% stating that it was very important or import.

Non-cyclists: 16% of non-cyclists said the ability to cycle to work was the most important characteristic of a healthy city, with a further nearly 60% saying it was either very important or important. Note: we have also collected a great number of interesting /funny / personal statements in response to the question please tell us why you love cycling in Bristol or why you dont. These will be compiled into an appendix to the final report.

Preliminary conclusions / implications There is a strong perception among cyclists and non-cyclists that cycling infrastructure is insufficient, making cycling in Bristol too often dangerous or unpleasant. The availability of a good cycle route to Temple Quay appears to be strongly linked to peoples actual use of that route to commute to work there. While the strenuous hills were cited as a major barrier to cycling by non-cyclists, noncyclists and cyclists both identified health benefits as by far the most persuasive reason to take up cycling. This would suggest that policies aimed at cycling safety (providing clearly marked infrastructure) and stressing the fitness gains from sweating a little on ones way home from work would be the most effective. In addition, non-cyclists do not rate the time and cost savings of cycling as highly as cyclists. This may be because those for whom these saving are large have realised this and taken to their bikes; but it may also be that non-cyclists havent seen the numbers. The mapping of problems suggests that on-road routes need to be the focus of attention, particularly Whiteladies Road and Gloucester Road. There are some specific issues which need to be addressed:

Short term Provide clearer signing Portwall Lane Priory to Portwall Lane crossing: reduce delays to pedestrians and cyclists Prince Street to Grove: exempt from right turn ban Improve road surface Brigstocke road [etc]

Medium term Remodel the Triangle Remodel Layout Queen Road inbound Remodel Bedminster Bridge [etc]