Cycling across BCP
Whenever green or sustainable transport is mentioned, cycling is the first thing that most people think of. And why should they not? Bikes and trikes are a cheap, quick and a fun way to get around and the only CO2 emissions are the breathing of the rider!
But not only does cycling get you from A to B, it is also an excellent form of exercise. It helps you get fit and toned as well as being an excellent stress buster. According to Harvard University, an average person will burn between 300 and 400 calories every 30 minutes whilst cycling.
One of the biggest concerns putting people off cycling is not feeling safe, particularly when cycling along busy roads filled with faster moving vehicles.
To help counter this BCP and Dorset councils are investing in a network of 78km of new cycle lanes as part of our TCF programme.
The aim is to provide safe infrastructure that will encourage more people onto their bikes, particularly for shorter local journeys to school, work, meeting friends or going shopping.
Our ambition is to reduce people’s reliance on their cars, particularly for short journeys, by offering a range of attractive alternative travel choices.
It is important to remember that not everyone has the option to drive, therefore the Council has a duty to make other options as safe and convenient as possible. Reducing non-essential car journeys will reduce pollution, improve congestion, make other modes safe, and improve the local environment for us all.
You can find out more about cycling across BCP, including hire of bikes, Beryl, cycling to school and cycle routes on our travel and transport page.
Cycling considerations and etiquette
Sharing the road with motor vehicles can be dangerous, which is why the Council is in the process of installing new infrastructure, which keeps walkers, cyclists, scooterists and motor vehicles separated and safe.
In the meantime, a little consideration and perhaps training can go a long way to help protect yourself. While you can't control what drivers and other road users do, you can control how you ride and conduct yourself on the road and that can make a big difference to how other road users interact with you.
Bike training and maintenance
Many schools within the BCP Council area offer Bikeability courses for their pupils and there are also many adult cycle training courses available across the conurbation.
Useful links
Local bike hire in the south east Dorset area