MODERN FAMILY

FOUR years ago, there would have been more chance of Boris Johnson being Prime Minister than me getting on a bicycle.

I hadn’t been on one since my brakes failed on a very steep hill; me and lycra is not a good look and the thought of running the gauntlet and cycling in Cardiff traffic truly terrified me.

But spurred on by trying to fit exercise into my busy week, and an even more pressing need to save some money, I got back on my bike.

Now, I have been cycling to and from work for about three years, and what surprises me most is that I really enjoy it. There is no better way to wake up and start the day than by cycling along the city’s cycle paths as the sun comes up in the morning.

I’m a long way short of a cycling zealot, but give me a relaxing half hour ride at my own pace over sitting in a queue of stationary traffic any day.

So, it is always good to see more initiatives to try and ease the congestion that is choking our cities, in more ways than one.

This time it is the resurrection of the so-called “Boris Bikes” in Cardiff, with plans to provide 500 cycles located at key points around the city close to public transport. You can use a debit or credit card for the bikes and it is a £2 access fee for 24 hours.

It is a great idea, but will it work? It didn’t before, so will it change this time because eight years on, traffic congestion has got even worse?

The UK is ranked the fourth most congested developed country, and congestion has a bigger impact on business in Cardiff than any other city in the UK. That is an appalling state of affairs and tackling this issue should be front and centre of any city planning strategy.

And traffic jams occur not just at peak time, but all day. Congestion occurs during roughly 15% of the day and drivers spend an average of 32 hours per year stuck in jams during peak periods.

There are hopes that the amount of cyclists on Cardiff’s roads will double by 2026, but if that is to happen and if the hire bikes are to work, the cycling infrastructure needs to improve significantly.

Thankfully, I have only had one near-miss in the three years I have been cycling but I am only on the road for a short period of time and all too often, frustrated motorists get far too close on streets which weren’t built for cars, let alone bicycles AND cars.

The amount spent on cycling in Cardiff averages out at £3.84 per person, significantly lower than European cities with a stronger reputation for cycling. If the council wants more of us to get on our bikes, then they are going to have to look at how that is going to work in real detail and back up targets with coherent planning, before the ever-expanding city grinds to a complete halt.