Letter: Let's praise Brighton for its cycling friendly outlook

QUOTE:
ALL credit to Brighton and Hove City Council who have been following Government guidance “to reallocate road space to people walking and cycling, both to encourage active travel and to enable social distancing during restart�.

The new cycle lanes on the A270 Old Shoreham Road are a good route and would certainly have been very helpful to me when I used to work at a variety of NHS bases to the west of the city.

But particularly as autumn and winter approach, we need a full and proper cycle network across the whole city so that everyone of all ages and abilities can enjoy the convenience of safe, door to door travel without using a car or public transport while also maintaining the necessary social distance..

E-bikes have become very popular and take the effort out of hills for a whole new group of riders.

Cargo bikes are becoming a more frequent sight for business deliveries or with children aboard.

It is always a joy to see the happy faces of pedal people and their passengers of advanced years.

Many more e-scooters and a wider range of users will be accommodated on our cycle lanes in the future.

Some years ago, cycling facilities were suggested all the way along the A270, crossing the daunting Hangleton junctions and Locks Hill to Applesham Way at the city’s western boundary.

It’s time to look again at the plans and to continue the Old Shoreham Road route to high standards so that we can join up with the cycle lanes being built by West Sussex from the Shoreham end of the road.

Brighton and Hove is implementing a car-free city centre and aims to become carbon neutral by 2030.

The arguments have been made many times for greater social equity in transport for the almost 40 per cent of households in Brighton and Hove who don’t own a car or van.

We are also all aware of the enormous health and environmental benefits of active travel.

When the traffic stopped during the strict lockdown period, we saw how our neighbourhoods were enhanced and how more children and families were able to cycle.

Let’s now take our learning forward and move away from car-dependence for a better society.

Becky Reynolds

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/1858...endly-outlook/