It's been over a month since the Get Britain Cycling debate at the Houses of Parliament, and the incredible #space4cycling ride that encircled Westminster as thousands of concerned Londoners took to the streets. There's lots to write about, and indeed a lot has happened since, but as regular readers will have spotted, it's been unusually quiet here on the ibikelondon blog.
So where have I been? I've been busy preparing for a very special project I'm currently working on which you'll be hearing a lot more about over the next few months. I hope, when it is finished, it will really contribute to cycle campaigning in the UK and to help show what we need to do next, as well as be something that everyone can enjoy.
Right now, as part of the project, I am currently in the Netherlands where I've been lucky enough to experience the country bathed in beautiful autumn sunlight. Knowing how wet and windy it can be in Holland, things could have been very different!
The project has had me travelling all over the country, meeting different city leaders, bicycle planners and activists, and visiting some of the best cycling cities in the world. Today it was the turn of Utrecht, a large university city in the south of the country which is doing incredible things with the re-development of its city centre.
But it was a few brief minutes, out on the outskirts of the city, as the kids were leaving school this afternoon, that was an inspiring highlight of the whole trip. The experience of seeing children cycling to and from school in such huge numbers really brought it home for me why I do so much cycle advocacy work, and keep banging away on that "let's bring about mass cycling" drum. So here are a few low-res sneak-peak snaps from this afternoon which will hopefully give you an impression of what it is like here, what is up for grabs for our next generation, and a little preview of what the ibikelondon special project will be like on completion. #Space4cycling indeed.
Enjoy!
Mark
Share |
So where have I been? I've been busy preparing for a very special project I'm currently working on which you'll be hearing a lot more about over the next few months. I hope, when it is finished, it will really contribute to cycle campaigning in the UK and to help show what we need to do next, as well as be something that everyone can enjoy.
Right now, as part of the project, I am currently in the Netherlands where I've been lucky enough to experience the country bathed in beautiful autumn sunlight. Knowing how wet and windy it can be in Holland, things could have been very different!
The project has had me travelling all over the country, meeting different city leaders, bicycle planners and activists, and visiting some of the best cycling cities in the world. Today it was the turn of Utrecht, a large university city in the south of the country which is doing incredible things with the re-development of its city centre.
But it was a few brief minutes, out on the outskirts of the city, as the kids were leaving school this afternoon, that was an inspiring highlight of the whole trip. The experience of seeing children cycling to and from school in such huge numbers really brought it home for me why I do so much cycle advocacy work, and keep banging away on that "let's bring about mass cycling" drum. So here are a few low-res sneak-peak snaps from this afternoon which will hopefully give you an impression of what it is like here, what is up for grabs for our next generation, and a little preview of what the ibikelondon special project will be like on completion. #Space4cycling indeed.
Enjoy!
Mark
Share |
Great pictures, it reminds me that it is the fun of it that got me cycling.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it is so great for the kids to enjoy that freedom instead of being passively ferried around in cars or buses.
I am heartened to see it as a casual, everyday activity.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lovely photos and a great write-up!
Peace :)