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New video from Streetfilms explores Cambridge: Britain's Cycling CapitalCambridge - Britain's Cycling Capital - Streetfilms Vimeo still

New video from Streetfilms explores Cambridge: Britain's Cycling Capital

Film looks at how city achieved coutry's highest level of cycling - and what challenges lie ahead...
by Simon_MacMichael
Wed, Aug 05, 2015 22:40
5

Cambridge is the undisputed cycling capital of the UK, with levels of people riding bikes for daily journeys that campaigners in other cities here can only dream of attaining – and a short video released today by Streetfilms explores how that has been achieved, as well as looking at some of its infrastructure.

The 10-minute film addresses issues such as the traffic scheme introduced in the city centre to encourage people to use bikes rather than cars for daily journeys, as well as the use of filtered permeability in residential areas, both areas examined in an earlier Streetfilms video about the Dutch city of Groningen, which has the highest proportion of cyclists in Europe.

– Video: Groningen - The World's Cycling City from Streefilms

It was filmed in May this year by StreetFilms’ director, Clarence Eckerson Jr, who interviewed cyclists, campaigners and a local bike shop owner among others, and who says: “I just really loved the energy of Cambridge. It was remarkable to just see so many people riding bikes. And kids!”

Cambridge: Britain's Cycling Capital from STREETFILMS on Vimeo.

There’s a question mark, however, over how much cycling can still grow in Cambridge in the future; Roxanne De Beaux of the Cambridge Cycling Campaign points out in the video that for that to happen, more segregated infrastructure will be needed to encourage those who don’t currently ride to do so.

Meanwhile, Mike Davies of Cambridgeshire County Council discusses measures that need to be taken to ensure that the city’s new residents – its population is expected to grow by a third in the coming years – embrace bikes rather than using cars to get around.

Other short videos shot in and around the city as part of the Streetfilms project can be found here.

Cambridge
Cambridge Cycling Campaign
Streetfilms
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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5 comments

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SpeedyMark | 9 years ago
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Yes, Cambridge may have a bit of cycling infrastructure and a lot of cyclists but don’t get carried away. Go three miles out of the city to the north and you will find nothing (the guided busway to St Ives doesn’t count for 95% of cyclists). Busy, narrow, potholed roads, impatient motorists and lorries galore. I cycled in Holland this year (over 170 miles to see the TdF) and Dutch infrastructure is amazing EVERYWHERE. Motorists are polite and considerate to cyclists and quite often the cycle paths are wider than the roads. The two appear to have been built together, not the cycle path as an after-thought. They don't think that painting a picture of a bike on a road makes it a cycle path either. Don’t confuse Cambridge and Holland – they are a million miles apart. The UK has a long, long way to go in terms of infrastructure and attitudes…

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HKCambridge replied to SpeedyMark | 9 years ago
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SpeedyMark wrote:

Yes, Cambridge may have a bit of cycling infrastructure and a lot of cyclists but don’t get carried away. Go three miles out of the city to the north and you will find nothing (the guided busway to St Ives doesn’t count for 95% of cyclists).

I think the residents of Histon, Impington, Oakington, Over and Swavesey might take issue with dismissal of the busway. As well as the busway there's the A10 path, DNA path, Coton path, Jane Coston bridge, NCN 51 and 11. Not great, and still works in progress, but there are connections. Levels of cycling in south Cambs are higher than any other non-urban area, and higher than almost all UK cities. It certainly isn't great and there's lots more to be done, but cycling doesn't just stop at the city edge.

I rather think the whole point of this is that it doesn't take much to be the British capital of cycling. Nobody is exactly clamoring for the title. Doesn't make it untrue, though.

Quote:

Motorists are polite and considerate to cyclists and quite often the cycle paths are wider than the roads.

Ha! I had close passes in Groningen worse than anything I regularly receive in Cambridge. Plus corner cutting on wrong side of the road. But they were less frequent because of the segregation in most places. The infra is good, but I wouldn't trust Dutch drivers much more than British ones.

Quote:

The two appear to have been built together, not the cycle path as an after-thought. They don't think that painting a picture of a bike on a road makes it a cycle path either. Don’t confuse Cambridge and Holland – they are a million miles apart. The UK has a long, long way to go in terms of infrastructure and attitudes…

Infrastructure yes. But the actual modal share in Cambridge does rival that in parts of the Netherlands, and that's despite poor main road provision. Imagine how many more people could be cycling if that was fixed too.

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HKCambridge | 9 years ago
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It's a lovely film. But check out his short films in Cambridge too! https://vimeo.com/streetfilms One on the guided busway, one on residential cycle parking, one on filtered permeability.

There was also one where he wanted to be cyclist number one on the cycle barometer, which resets at midnight.

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Airzound | 9 years ago
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I wish they'd stop cyclists from cycling the wrong way along Sydney and Bridge Streets. Snipers on the roof tops would be a start. If I had a penny for every cycle moron cycling the wrong way along these streets then I could retire tomorrow and never ever have to worry about money ever again. Lots of cyclists in Cambridge RLJ and think nothing of causing pedestrians to jump for their lives as they ride through red lights at controlled crossings or jumping onto the pavement to avoid a red light. I hate cyclists in Cambridge. They are a frikin' menace and I'm a cyclist!

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richiewormiling | 9 years ago
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i'd say well done, very well done.

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