excuses... excuses

See

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/...A06%3A50%3A170

or

http://tinyurl.com/33s9z5

"Norfolk's biggest employer has defended its decision not to take part in
the government-backed cycle to work scheme."

"But the county council says that it does not take part in the scheme
because when it asked local companies to tender for providing the bicycles,
they were so much more expensive than buying bikes as an individual,
particularly in the sales, that it was not worth it. Instead it provides
interest-free loans for staff to buy their own bikes, although the loans do
not offer the same tax breaks as the government cycle to work scheme."

"The council, which has more than 24,000 employees, encourages its staff not
to drive to work, and teachers and children at its schools are also asked to
cycle or walk, where possible."

That last quotation...can't say I've ever come across *encouragement* to
cycle to school in all of the years my offspring has being doing this in
Norfolk. Indeed he's had active discouragement at times.

"wafflycat" wrote in message
...
See

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/...A06%3A50%3A170

or

http://tinyurl.com/33s9z5

"Norfolk's biggest employer has defended its decision not to take part in
the government-backed cycle to work scheme."

"But the county council says that it does not take part in the scheme
because when it asked local companies to tender for providing the
bicycles, they were so much more expensive than buying bikes as an
individual, particularly in the sales, that it was not worth it. Instead
it provides interest-free loans for staff to buy their own bikes, although
the loans do not offer the same tax breaks as the government cycle to work
scheme."

"The council, which has more than 24,000 employees, encourages its staff
not to drive to work, and teachers and children at its schools are also
asked to cycle or walk, where possible."

That last quotation...can't say I've ever come across *encouragement* to
cycle to school in all of the years my offspring has being doing this in
Norfolk. Indeed he's had active discouragement at times.

How on earth are people supposed to get to school in Norfolk? Given that
things are far apart due to the sparse population, it's a fairly flat county
and rural bus services are crap? The impression I get from people I know
from Norfolk is that everyone gets a bike, then gets a 125 as soon as they
can.

"Doki" wrote in message
...

"wafflycat" wrote in message
...
See

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/...A06%3A50%3A170

or

http://tinyurl.com/33s9z5

"Norfolk's biggest employer has defended its decision not to take part in
the government-backed cycle to work scheme."

"But the county council says that it does not take part in the scheme
because when it asked local companies to tender for providing the
bicycles, they were so much more expensive than buying bikes as an
individual, particularly in the sales, that it was not worth it. Instead
it provides interest-free loans for staff to buy their own bikes,
although the loans do not offer the same tax breaks as the government
cycle to work scheme."

"The council, which has more than 24,000 employees, encourages its staff
not to drive to work, and teachers and children at its schools are also
asked to cycle or walk, where possible."

That last quotation...can't say I've ever come across *encouragement* to
cycle to school in all of the years my offspring has being doing this in
Norfolk. Indeed he's had active discouragement at times.

How on earth are people supposed to get to school in Norfolk? Given that
things are far apart due to the sparse population, it's a fairly flat
county and rural bus services are crap? The impression I get from people I
know from Norfolk is that everyone gets a bike, then gets a 125 as soon as
they can.

People may get a bike, but few are used to actually get to schools. As for
transport, the County Council provides a coach pick-up service to bus kids
in to school from the outlying rural areas. If you don't live on a coach
route, taxis have been used (county council paid - ultimately rate payers of
course). The usual way for many kids to get to school is as per most places
these days, parental car.

If you look he-

http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/conte...A20%3A53%3A380

or

http://tinyurl.com/ysqzbe

an article published only yesterday, "Schools under fire over bike sheds"
which refers specifically to Norwich, as opposed to Norfolk (the rest of the
county is unlikely to be different - certainly the bike sheds at my son's
high school were *atrocious* and the ones at his current sixth form are
*atrocious*, the county council has precious little to be proud of. From the
link:-

"A lack of decent bicycle sheds at the city's high schools means children
are relying on parents to drive them to school, according to cycling
campaigners.

Norwich Cycling Campaign, which was set up in 1990, said a paucity of
lockable cycle parking at schools meant children were reluctant to get on
their bikes to get to school.

That means children not only miss out on the exercise cycling offers, but
are also at risk, because parents parking outside school gates to drop off
or collect youngsters can make nearby roads more dangerous."

There was also a recent article - but can't locate the URL at the moment,
where the county council is considering a scheme where those studying for
A-levels can be provided with a motor scooter to get to college. There was
also mention of a bicycle & helmet, but the amount of money awarded to buy a
bike & helmet meant that what would be able to be purchased would be a BSO
rather than a bicycle :-(

"wafflycat" wrote in message
...

"Doki" wrote in message
...


Forgot to add. Parts of Norfolk are flat. But it's parts, not the entire
county. Whilst mountainous it most certainly isn't, it is undulating to
varying degrees. Many's the bod I know who has come to Norfolk, cycled and
said "I thought Norfolk was supposed to be flat" Then on the bits that are
flat, there's the wind blowing for mile after unrestricted mile in from the
North Sea across the broads or edge of fens.

"I thought Norfolk was supposed to be flat"

Try Gas Hill in Norwich.

Am Fri, 1 Jun 2007 11:09:40 +0100 schrieb wafflycat:

"wafflycat" wrote in message
...

Forgot to add. Parts of Norfolk are flat. But it's parts, not the entire
county. Whilst mountainous it most certainly isn't, it is undulating to
varying degrees. Many's the bod I know who has come to Norfolk, cycled and
said "I thought Norfolk was supposed to be flat" Then on the bits that are
flat, there's the wind blowing for mile after unrestricted mile in from the
North Sea across the broads or edge of fens.

Still the number of commmuter cyclists seems to be higher in the flat
topography of the East of England, including rural Norfolk. Last year on
one of my projects I played a bit with data from the Census. One of the
maps that we did not use in the final report shows the share of commuters
by ward using bicycle to get to work:
http://www.reurbanisierung.de/share_bike_ward_uk.png
This share is slightly higher in rural Norfolk compared to many other parts
of rural England. You can also easily spot the red spots of Cambridge and
Oxford. Also places like York, Hull, Grimsby and Boston further north show
rather high shares. As the congestion charge in London came later, the
shares for bike commuting in London are rather small :-)

Andreas

Andreas Schulze-Bäing wrote:
Last year on
one of my projects I played a bit with data from the Census. One of the
maps that we did not use in the final report shows the share of commuters
by ward using bicycle to get to work:
http://www.reurbanisierung.de/share_bike_ward_uk.png

NICE MAP! Wow! Thanks!

BugBear (heartily impressed)

Andreas Schulze-Bäing wrote:
http://www.reurbanisierung.de/share_bike_ward_uk.png

What the hell caused the hot spot near Lossiemouth?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...68042&z=8&om=1

BugBear

"Andreas Schulze-Bäing" wrote in message
.. .

Still the number of commmuter cyclists seems to be higher in the flat
topography of the East of England, including rural Norfolk. Last year on
one of my projects I played a bit with data from the Census. One of the
maps that we did not use in the final report shows the share of commuters
by ward using bicycle to get to work:
http://www.reurbanisierung.de/share_bike_ward_uk.png
This share is slightly higher in rural Norfolk compared to many other
parts
of rural England. You can also easily spot the red spots of Cambridge and
Oxford. Also places like York, Hull, Grimsby and Boston further north show
rather high shares. As the congestion charge in London came later, the
shares for bike commuting in London are rather small :-)

Andreas

Public transport is, to put not too fine a point on it, absolute ****e in
rural areas. Needs must, no matter the topography, and cycling is an option
*considered* when public transport is so dire. People may well put on a
census return that they commute by bike, but due to the evidence of my eyes
in rural Norfolk, not many actually do use a bike regularly. In Norwich
itself there's plenty of bikes in use, as in towns, but in the rural areas,
not anywhere near so much IMO.

wafflycat said the following on 01/06/2007 12:23:

Public transport is, to put not too fine a point on it, absolute ****e
in rural areas.

I have an elderly grandmother who unwisely moved to the middle of
nowhere in Cambridgeshire a while back, despite being warned that she
would be stuck *when* she is no longer able to drive (which has now
happened). She has a bus service. It runs on Tuesdays...

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/