After the incredible scenes in Yorkshire over the weekend, today sees the Tour De France come to Cambridge. While some people have struggled to get to work, others have been busy taking children out of school and digging out the Lycra before heading out to support the riders.
The Tour was last in England in 2007, with 2 million spectators turning up for the London to Kent two day race. It’s estimated it brought a whooping £88m to the south-east economy, including £35m worth of media coverage for the area. So, if you live near the route, consider yourself lucky, as the average spectator travels 130km to see a stage of Le Tour.
Tour De France Facts:
- The Tour de France is the world's largest annual sporting event
- The entire race covers approximately 3,500 kms and lasts 3 weeks
- 3.5billion people tune in annually to watch the Tour de France
- Over 188 countries around the world broadcast Le Tour, with 4,700 hours of TV coverage
- 12 million spectators line up along the route in a typical year's race
- 1958 saw the first Brit win a stage of the Tour, Yorkshire's Brian Robinson.
- In 2012 Bradley Wiggins became the first British rider to win the Tour de France, followed by Chris Fromme, a second British winner, in 2013.
Roads "Too Dangerous for Cyclists"?
In anticipation of the Tour coming to the area, BBC Look East commissioned a poll around cycling in the area. The results indicated that nearly half of those questioned considered the roads too dangerous for cyclists and 68% felt the roads were not designed for cyclists.
3000 adults were polled across the UK, and the results of the 300 in the East showed an almost equal split when asked how safe they thought the roads were for cyclists. 49% felt roads were not safe while 50% thought they were.
Cambridge is known as the “City of Cycling” and we have blogged about an increase in cycling accidents in the city, before. The Office for National Statistics confirmed its status as the Cycling capital in 2013, showing it to have the highest levels of cycling in England. It showed that 47% of adults cycle at least once a week, beating Oxford who scored 28% (perhaps Cambridge would fare better in an Oxford/Cambridge bike race).
Unfortunately, in 2010, Cambridge was also branded the “most dangerous city for cyclists”. It was named as Britain’s "bike theft capital" and also the most hazardous in England and Wales. So perhaps it’s not surprising that 2 out of 3 people polled felt that the roads aren’t designed to be safe for cyclists.
Martin Lucas-Smith from the Cambridge Cycling Campaign said "people felt unsafe to cycle" in many UK places. Adding "things like narrow cycle lanes" and "badly maintained roads" led to cyclists feeling unsafe.
"We'd like to see proper allocation of space on these roads which can almost always be achieved simply by a bit of redesign, so people can cycle safely and easily."
Cycling Statistics
Statistically cycling is one of the safest forms of transport. Results from the Department of Transport for road casualties in Great Britain 2013, show that of the 1,713 people killed in reported accidents, cyclists were the lowest casualty type with 6%. The number of pedal cyclists killed decreased by 8 per cent from 118 in 2012 to 109 in 2013. Seriously injured pedal cyclist casualties also decreased, this time by 2 per cent to 3,143. In a statement the Department of Transport said they have more than doubled funding for cyclists to £374 million to help deliver safer junctions.
Cycling to Work and School
The poll showed 52% felt that employers do not facilitate and encourage cycling to work. For many small and medium size businesses the expense and space needed to provide secure bike racks and showers can be difficult to find.
Sustrans is a leading UK charity enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for every day journeys. Their aim is to have 4 out of 5 local journeys made by bike, foot or public transport by 2020 (double the current figure).
Their head of policy, Claire Francis, said:
"Employers who encourage cycling can increase their profitability and have employees who take fewer sick days but without decent facilities and support, many businesses miss out on these benefits. Cycle parking and showers in an office should be as common as a printer and a coffee machine.But we also need the government to deliver better infrastructure and slower speeds on our roads, so that people feel safe to leave home on their bike."
The Cycle Scheme is another organisation trying to make cycling a more popular way to get to work. The scheme, which is free for employers to sign up to, offers employees a tax free bike. This, on average, can mean savings of up to 42%.
Chris Boardman, Gold Medal Winner in the 1992 Olympics, talking on BBC Look East said that while cycling is statistically safe it doesn’t look or feel safe. In the Netherlands 50% of kids ride to school, while in the UK it’s estimated that just 2% of pupils rode to school in 2011.
Tour De France Legacy
Following on from our cycling success in the Beijing and London Olympics, and Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome winning the Tour De France, it’ll be interesting to see the effect that having several stages of the Tour in the UK will have on British Cycling. Ed Clancy, Olympic Cyclist talked to BBC Look East about the difference having a “home Tour De France” will make.
"Perhaps it's now the next step in making cycling more popular having a home Tour de France if you like. It's the sort of thing that's once in a generation...so it's definitely worth giving it a watch.
Nearly 1 in 5 people in the East of England feel inspired by the Tour De France coming to Britain. In Yorkshire, the region hosting the first two stages of Tour, this number goes up to nearly 1 in 4.
While people may feel inspired to get on their bikes, it seems that safety is a major reason for people not doing so. Chris Boardman, Olympic medallist and British Cycling policy adviser, said: "It's clear...people don't feel safe when riding their bikes on our roads. In order to rectify this we need a clear commitment from government and local authorities to prioritise the safety and needs of cyclists in all future transport schemes."
Injured in a Cycling Accident?
If you’ve been injured in a cycling accident and feel it was through the fault of someone else’s negligence, then you may be entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation. Call our friendly specialist advisors on 0800 756 7774 can talk to you about your situation and see if you have a valid compensation claim. There is no charge for this service and you are under no obligation to claim with us.
http://info.mayiclaim.co.uk/personal_injury_compensation_claim_news/bid/350125/Are-Roads-Unsafe-to-Cycle-as-TdF-Visits-Englands-Cycling-Capital
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