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A plea to Government!



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 15th 18, 12:31 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
colwyn[_2_]
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Posts: 345
Default A plea to Government!

The Bicycle Association has today unveiled new research that shows the
national strategic importance of cycling, and that if the government met
its own target to double cycle usage by 2025 then cycling would deliver
a £10 billion boost to the economy, sustaining more than 100,000 jobs.

The cycle industry isn’t currently considered to be “strategic” by the
UK government. That needs to change, argues the Bicycle Association’s
new report, launched today in London’s Guildhall. The Value of the
Cycling Sector to the British Economy was written by Carey Newson and
Lynn Sloman of the sustainable transport consultancy Transport for the
Quality of Life.

The report was unveiled before an industry panel convened at the Bicycle
Association sponsored International Cycle History Conference hosted in
the Guildhall by the City of London Corporation. Bicycle Association
operations director Steve Garidis revealed the main findings of the
report in front of industry figures such as Raleigh MD Pippa Wibberley
and Moulton’s Dan Farrell.

Garidis said the report revealed that the UK cycle industry is worth
three times more than the UK steel industry, and employs twice as many
people. ‬Cycling related businesses currently generate at least £5.4
billion for the UK economy each year, and they sustain 64,000 jobs, some
in bike shops but most in cycle tourism of one sort or the other.

A bicycle is sold roughly every 10 seconds, estimates the report.

The Bicycle Association is using the report’s findings to make an
“industrial case” for cycling, and to stress to the government that
cycling is of cross-departmental importance.

The request for cycling to be seen as broader than transport alone is
already bearing fruit, said Guy Boulby at the event in response to
Garidis. Boulby is head of cycling and walking in the Department of
Transport’s Active and Accessible Travel Division, but he said the
government was becoming increasingly receptive to the cross-departmental
approach recommended by Garidis.

The BA’s report estimates that there is a 4:1 “ethical return” when
consumers purchase bicycles. That is, for every pound spent on a bicycle
the wider economy benefits by £4. This is calculated from net gains
thanks to improved health, reduced congestion and cleaner air – issues
that cut across government departments. The sale of a £450 bicycle
generates national economic benefits of around £1,800.

“The UK has the opportunity to lead the world,” said Garidis.

“We can make the use of smart, clean bikes and e-cargobikes a key part
of a new green transport system which can power our future economy.

“More cycling also has the potential to stimulate the economies of our
cities, making them function better.”

He added that this stimulation also has a high-tech element because “by
making towns and cities more attractive places for the tech industry to
locate, they will be able to attract a highly-skilled, dynamic workforce.”

Garidis wants the industrial case for cycling to lead government support
for the uptake of ebikes and e-cargo bikes:

“The Office for Low Emission Vehicles does not currently recognise
e-bikes as ‘low emission vehicles’. The Bicycle Association is calling
for OLEV to recognise the potential of e-bikes to positively impact our
transport systems, and public health, and to help ensure they are seen
as a priority by including them within its definition of low emission
vehicles.”

Garidis wants the government to provide financial subsidies for e-bikes.

“Providing a subsidy for e-bikes, alongside electric cars, would
kick-start public awareness of e-bikes and drive their mass uptake –
just as they have in the rest of Europe,” said Garidis.

“This would reduce pollution, road congestion and unlock health benefits
created by cycling.”

Phillip Darnton, Chair of the Bicycle Association, added:

“It is time to stop being so coy about cycling. The solution is right in
front of us. We need e-bikes and e-cargo bikes to be recognised as low
emission vehicles and eligible for the kind of support other electric
vehicles receive.”

The report unveiled today is the first of a number of research-led
initiatives by the Bicycle Association.


https://www.bikebiz.com/news/bicycle...se-for-cycling



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  #2  
Old June 17th 18, 03:02 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Peter Parry
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,164
Default A plea to Government!

On Fri, 15 Jun 2018 12:31:28 +0100, colwyn
wrote:

the Bicycle Associations new report, launched today in Londons Guildhall. The Value of the Cycling
Sector to the British Economy was written by Carey Newson and Lynn Sloman of the sustainable transport consultancy Transport for the
Quality of Life.


Paid for by the body representing the bicycle industry in the UK.
Unbiased then.

Doesn't mention that the UK bicycle industry is so insignificant that
the ONS don't bother including their production in cycles manufactured
but just take the Chinese import figure.

"The BA provides the industry with a powerful collective voice to
promote the interests of our members with government and to lobby for
policies and funding which benefit cycling."

Wasn't there a similar report from the LSE paid for by Sky and the CTC
a few years ago which sank into well deserved obscurity?

Garidis said the report revealed that the UK cycle industry is worth
three times more than the UK steel industry, and employs twice as many
people. Cycling related businesses currently generate at least 5.4
billion for the UK economy each year, and they sustain 64,000 jobs, some
in bike shops but most in cycle tourism of one sort or the other.


The 2011 LSE report on the value of the cycling economy said it made
a 2.9b total contribution to UK economy. That's a leap of 2.5bn in
7 years from 2.9 to 5.4bn but no one seems to have noticed.

It is also a remarkable recovery from the dire situation only last
year when the BA announced a different study commissioned by the BA
from data consultancy SQW which valued the cyclings contribution to
the UK economy at 1bn.

The LSE report also claimed cycling supported 23,000 jobs in 2011 and
that has now apparently zoomed up to 64,000 jobs despite bike shops
going out of business by the sack load yet again no one seems to have
noticed. All this despite a continuing decline in bicycle sales and
no increase in the 2% of journeys completed by pushbike.

A bicycle is sold roughly every 10 seconds, estimates the report.


It should have said a " Chinese made bicycle".


We can make the use of smart, clean bikes and e-cargobikes a key part
of a new green transport system which can power our future economy.


So tatty dirty bikes don't help?

Garidis wants the industrial case for cycling to lead government support
for the uptake of ebikes and e-cargo bikes:


It also failed to mention that the recent EU instruction on compulsory
insurance for all electric bikes should kill off that tiny market
before it gets going.


 




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