Is Bristol a cycle-friendly city?

Analysis undertaken by international transport infrastructure firm Colas recently declared Bristol to be the most cycle-friendly city in the UK.

The claims published on social media raised a few eyebrows, not least because of the quoted figure that the city has “more than 107,084km of mapped cycleways and 1,942 cycle routes at present”.

A Bike Life report published by Sustrans in 2019 records 49 miles of traffic-free cycle routes and 12 miles of cycle tracks that are physically protected from traffic and pedestrians.

Discrepancies in figures aside, the Colas graphic re-sparked debate around just how cycle-friendly Bristol is.

While some were keen to celebrate the city’s pro-cycling status, others were quick to argue there is still a long way to go before Bristol can be called a safe place for all to cycle in.

“Thousands of people in Bristol cycle every week, but that doesn’t mean Bristol is a good city for cycling. We hear many complaints about dangerous driving and cycle lanes that suddenly disappear,” said a spokesperson for Bristol Cycling Campaign.

“We are working with Bristol City Council to improve the schemes they have proposed recently but if we are going to get people (especially women and children who are less likely to cycle currently) out of their cars and onto bikes there needs to a huge investment in infrastructure in the city and an increase in the level of ambition for cycling in the city.”

The need to make cycling more inclusive was starkly highlighted in a report published by Sustrans and Arup. It revealed that a significant number of people currently underrepresented among frequent cyclists would like to travel more by bike.

According to the Bike Life 2019 report, the proportion of residents who cycle at least once a week was:

• 19 per cent of women
• 37 per cent of men
• 17 per cent of disabled people
• 31 per cent of non-disabled people

Barriers that prevent many from cycling include concerns over safety, low levels of confidence, poor facilities, the cost of a suitable bike and a feeling that ‘cycling is not for people like me’.

Zoe Banks Gross, a cyclist and head of partnerships and public affairs for Sustrans south, said Bristol is a place that is conducive to active travel, but there is still a way to go to make it a city where cycling is the natural travel choice for many people.

“We know from our Sustrans Bike Life report in 2019 that safety is the single largest barrier to more people cycling in Bristol,” Banks Gross told Bristol24/7.

“While some steps have already been taken to improve this, we continue in our efforts to prioritise safe and accessible routes so more people feel confident to give active travel in the city a try.”

The Bristol and Bath Railway Path provides 15 miles of off-road routes – photo Ellie Pipe

The cycleway by the Broad Quay fountains has been criticised for not being clearly distinguished from pedestrian routes – photo: Betty Woolerton

The region boasts the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, a 15-mile off-road stretch linking the two cities and many other communities, that is being upgraded as we speak. There are a number of other notable routes such as Concorde Way, offering mostly off-road routes with some stunning views to boot – if a few hills.

But then there are the areas with no cycleways at all, badly marked routes such as at Broad Quay, so-called cycle paths that are blocked by parked cars and the cycleways, such as the path leading from St Paul’s up Temple Way towards Old Market that abruptly end.

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Jake Voelcker, the owner of Bristol Bicycles on Haymarket Walk, is among those who believe work to improve cycling infrastructure in the city needs to happen faster.

“Bristol city centre is more cycle-friendly than it was ten or 15 years ago,” said Voelcker.

“But the cycling infrastructure is patchy and, as you move away from the centre of town, the cycle lanes disappear and become very disjointed.

“Time and time again we hear from our customers that they don’t feel safe cycling on busy roads. To get more people on bikes, cycling needs to be safe for new cyclists, for children, for older people. This can only be done by installing high quality, segregated cycle paths everywhere, which all link up with each other.”

Voelcker added: “The climate emergency is real, so we need to act like it’s an emergency and radically improve cycling facilities now.”

Responding to criticism of the city’s cycling infrastructure on Twitter, Mhairi Threlfall, a cyclist and former Labour cabinet member for transport, argued that too much negativity only serves to put people off cycling.

“Bristol is a fantastic place to cycle, despite being hilly with narrow roads. I have a straight mostly off-road route to work and into town,” said Threlfall via Twitter.

“Of course it could be better (condition of the road especially) and more should be done, but I don’t understand the negativity at all.”

She continued: “The bad does need to be improved and campaigned for (especially for non-conventional cycles) but I feel so often the good is forgotten, especially when there is also bad in other cities as well as good.

“This is not negating the issues, just saying there is a lot of good too.”

The cycle way leading to Old Market along Temple Way ends abruptly – photo: Ellie Pipe

The Old Market roundabout has a dedicated cycle crossing now – photo: Ellie Pipe

Mark Chaskelson, of EcoMove, a Hotwells-based store that specialises in e-bikes and e-scooters, says he has witnessed a rise in the popularity of cycling in Bristol.

“We’re known as one of the most bike-friendly cities in Europe (let alone the UK) with cycle lanes on all major roads, as well as over 300 cycle parking spaces throughout the city,” said Chaskelson.

Vehicles blocking marked cycleways is a common sight in Bristol – photo: Ellie Pipe

Main photo: Betty Woolerton

Read more: ‘The main barrier to seeing everyday cyclists in Bristol is safety’

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