Written 28 October 2016:
If you have visited Glasgow recently then you have probably seen the in fashion mode of transport – bikes.
The rising popularity follows the harrowing NHS report that said air pollution kills 40,000 people in the UK yearly.
It seems like Glasgow is pulling together to do their bit and starting to choose cycling over driving with the number of people cycling there tripling since 2007.
With Glasgow City Council having spent over £13 million on cycling-related initiatives over the last five years, and with more routes approved to further connect Glasgow in coming years, this trend is expected to continue.
The council recently completed the South-West City Way. That means there are now cycle routes going to the likes of the Hydro, SECC, Kelvingrove park, the city centre and various subway stations.
The council hope to make Glasgow one of the most sustainable cities in Europe, according to a council plan.
Bailie Elaine McDougall, Executive Member for Transport, Environment and Sustainability, said: “This cycling strategy will help to get more people active in Glasgow and we will work to encourage the take up of cycling across our city.
“[This will result in] improved levels of air quality across the city due to vehicular traffic being replaced by increased cycling levels. This will have a positive health impact for all people in Glasgow.”
Local campaign, Go Bike, focuses on the health benefits of opting for a two-wheeler on the environment.
They say those who cycle only a few miles a day live an average of ten years longer than those who do not exercise.
Glen Urquhart, barman in Glasgow, said: “Walking home from work would take 45 minutes and I can cycle it in less than 15, which Google maps tells me is the same time as a taxi.”
Despite his enthusiasm, Glen has experienced some obstacles when cycling in the city. He said: “Great Western Road is a big part of the route I take on my commute to work and it often feels like an obstacle course avoiding car wing mirrors and then having to swerve back because of other traffic.”
This is a common concern. The number of serious injuries to adults has increased by 28% since 2004, according to this years annual cycling monitoring report.
Figures released by Transport Scotland in 2015 also showed accidents involving cyclists had risen 0.5% on the previous year.
As recently as last month, a cyclist was killed by a lorry in Glasgow. The council will introduce segregated cycle lanes and traffic lights just for cyclists to make cycling safer in the city.
In August, the Glasgow City Council secured £3.25 million from the Scottish Government’s Community Links Plus funding for further cycling developments, including cycle routes to connect the South Side to the rest of Glasgow to add to the 310 km of cycling networks the city currently has.
For those wanting to make use of Glasgow’s new facilities, getting your hands on a bike has became much easier with second hand bike shops popping up all over the city.
The Bike Station is an organisation that buys, sells and repairs bikes.
Hugh MacGregor, Maintenance Co-ordinator at the Bike Station, said: “There is a cultural shift happening, and cycling is becoming a more considered mode of transport with people’s growing awareness of health and efficiency.
“We always get a steady stream of new cyclists, and people taking up cycling as a whole. Month on month, our sales have increased by 18 per cent on last year.”
Other Glasgow bike rentals are also expanding, as Glasgow’s public cycle hire scheme operated by Nextbike – those bikes brightly marked with ‘People Make Glasgow’ – now has 400 bikes in 43 stations. This figure has leaped from 300 bikes and 30 stations when the project launched in 2014.
Glen said: “I can only hope that more people will get involved with cycling.
“I think it’s the way forward, even if you do have to battle through the Scottish weather to get around from time to time.”
http://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/plan-create-mini-holland-cycle-13388423
Sarra Christine 