Manchester: not that terrible for cycling, says council cycling tsar

Last week the Guardian’s North of England editor, Helen Pidd, wrote an angry tirade railing against Manchester’s cycling scene, describing it as a “terrible cycling city”. A bit unfair, says Chris Paul, Transport for Greater Manchester Committee’s cycling champion

Five years ago, faced with another gobsmacking garage bill and a shameful drive-everywhere, £50-a-week petrol habit, I called a scrap man to trade my liability for a decent bike. I plumped for an anniversary edition 1985 Raleigh Classic. All original, from 531ST tubing forks to Brooks saddle tail. These days I go just about everywhere on that bike, rain or shine.

In 2011 I joined the Transport for Greater Manchester (TFGM) committee and gravitated to buses and bicycles. I made sure Manchester City Council and TFGM participated fully in the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group “Get Britain Cycling” Inquiry. This helped provide a platform for Cycle City Ambition, in which Manchester’s ten districts won the largest grant. Later in 2013 I became TFGM Committee’s first Cycling and Active Travel champion.

Continue reading...











from Health & wellbeing | The Guardian http://ift.tt/1VhIqDo
via health