Public bike hire, safe bike parking, and a mega car club

Walking, wheeling and cycling are regular modes of travel for many of us.  But many are put off because of bike theft, road safety fears, and poor integration with public transport.

I’ll support our local authorities to roll out more and better walking and cycling routes that stay off the roads and avoid dangerous crossings – and there is much good work to build on.  I’ll support more initiatives to help kids walk or cycle safely to school, like the great success we’ve seen at Hotspur Primary in Heaton.

I’ll establish a bike hire network at key public transport interchanges and secure cycle locker parking across the network.  Bike theft is a major reason people don’t cycle.  If someone has their bike stolen they are 25% more likely to give up cycling.

I’ll create a car club network so everyone can hire a car at short notice, by the hour.  My preference is to support the expansion of existing car clubs that exist so their coverage becomes near universal.  Hire starts form £5 an hour.

Once people have the security that walking, cycling and public transport can meet 90% of their transport needs, and they can hire a car at short notice for low cost, many really will choose to save the £thousands a year it costs to own and run a car.  That improves health, our economy, and our environment.  And leaves us with more money in our pockets.