Rise in cyclists – but is it the weather, traffic or cost of petrol?

Alistair Mitchell, member of Cycle for Jersey Group and the Road Safety Panel Picture: JON GUEGAN. (33680242)

THE spiralling cost of living – and particularly the price of petrol – could be contributing positively to Jersey’s efforts to go carbon-neutral, according to a cycling campaigner.

Alistair Mitchell, of Cycle 4 Jersey, said that greater efforts should now be made to ensure cycling was made safer and continued to grow in popularity.

And he said the numbers of cyclists on the roads in recent weeks had increased ‘without a doubt’ – bringing environmental and health benefits.

He added: ‘On the cycle track round St Aubin’s Bay into St Helier you see more and more people every morning. The bike racks are full.

‘It may be the better weather, or because the roads are clogged with traffic.’

He added: ‘During the two lockdowns people rediscovered the pleasures of walking and cycling.

‘But people are weighing up the cost of running a car and deciding it’s cheaper to ride a bike. If the pennies are tight it could be a reason to switch. So there is a combination of factors.’

And Mr Mitchell pointed out: ‘It goes along with the Island’s carbon-neutral future. People are becoming more eco-aware.

‘We’re a small island; a lot of our journeys are very short, and more people are realising that there are other options to the car.

‘With the “Bikeability” courses in primary schools, we’ve got a generation of children who are learning how to ride bicycles properly. The word is getting around.’

He also said that he believed more should now be done to maintain the trend and added: ‘We understand we cannot put cycle tracks everywhere. But where we can’t put them, what we need to do is make the roads safer for cyclists.

‘Speed limits need to come down to 20mph in more places.

‘Car drivers and riders of bikes have equal right to be on the road.’

Kate Huntington, the founder of Alternative Transport Week, an initiative designed to highlight the financial and environmental benefits of green transport, said: ‘I am certainly seeing more people cycling, but whether that’s the summer or whether it’s the price of petrol, I don’t know.’

She estimated that an average-sized car, such as a Ford Focus, might cost about £100 to fill with unleaded petrol and added: ‘I’ve assumed that anyone doing a commute to town or doing the school run would be refilling their car at least once a week.

‘On that basis I’d expect the average driver in Jersey to be spending about £1,700 on fuel in four months. Given that you can pick up an electric bike for as little as £1,500, it would pay for itself within four months.

‘It’s an obvious way of saving money – without even factoring in the costs of parking.’

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