Vive la difference!  Creating streets that are good for both cyclists and pedestrians

If you could genetically map both walking and cycling, you’d probably find that they shared 95% of the same genes!  Walking and cycling are virtually cousins of each other, they share so many characteristics: they are both free at the point of use, environmentally benign, sociable, and extremely healthy.  They have also both been virtually ignored by politicians and transport professionals for decades.  The levels of walking and cycling have been in persistent long-term decline, partly due to the bias in the way our streets and designed in favour of cars and against active travel.  Whilst national and local government rhetoric has changed, pushed on by rising alarm at obesity and health, the change in actual outcomes is frustratingly slow.

With so many shared characteristics, this presentation will ask what the relationship should be between those promoting walking, and those promoting cycling.  It will suggest that there are two traps we should avoid.  Firstly, we should not focus our attention on our gripes and groans about each other while ignoring the bigger, more important changes – like slower speeds – which we should be arguing for.  The walking and cycling campaigns have some common targets, and enemies.  It only supports them if the pedestrians are too busy attacking the cyclists and the cyclists are too busy attacking the pedestrians.  But secondly and just as importantly, we should resist attempts by policy-makers to treat walking and cycling as the same.  It is easy for them to think of the two as being the same, with the same needs, rather than understand the differences – but that does a disservice to both.

While they are very similar, those 5% of genes which are different are very important.  This presentation will go on to set out what I think those differences are, and why they can’t be ignored.    By the end of the presentation delegates should have a clearer idea of how they think walking and cycling campaigns can support each other, and be better able to articulate the similarities and differences between these two cousins.

	Warrington Cycle Campaign has over 200 members and is committed to making better use of the roads for all sectors of the community. Our main objectives are:- A safer environment by the adoption of a 20mph speed limit in all urban areas On-road cycle training for all children Better account taken for the needs of cyclists at road junctions and roundabouts Responsible cycling - using lights at night and respecting pedestrians Take a look at their website to view topical issues, etc
	20's Plenty For Us provides a wide range of resources, information and material for local 20's Plenty campaigners. These include many mixed groups where cyclists and pedestrians are working together for lower speed limits where people live.
	Cyclenation (formerly Cycle Campaign Network) works to create a nation of cycle friendly communities and is the federation of local cycle campaigns with nearly 90 such campaigns throughout the UK.
	CTC - the UK's national cyclists' organisation, are the country’s largest group of people on bikes. Their mission is to make cycling enjoyable, safe and welcoming for all. Their work includes high-profile campaigning on behalf of all cyclists.

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