OFF TRACK | NUMBER CRUNCHING
Let’s get statistical
How much dirt do you need to contruct a BMX racing track? What birthday will the Tour de France be celebrating next year? And how many women are shunning the gym in favour of cycling and other outdoor exercise activites? It’s all here in our monthly brain dump…
Adam Coffman, MP and All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group member
What bikes do you own? Too many! I’ve got a steel Pearson I ride in London that must be 30 years old. I’ve an Ambrosio training bike that’s been getting a lot of use lately because the weather’s been so bad. My ‘best’ bike is a Colnago and I’ve got a nice Trek as well. I’ve also got a Ridley cyclo-cross bike and a Dolan track bike – neither of which get the use they should. Finally, there’s an old MTB too. We’ve been to Majorca for our family holiday for two years and I think there’s nowhere better than the lanes and mountains in the north of the island. There’s a brilliant shop run by Bruce Griffiths who hires bikes out and organises rides every morning. I’m a member of Stourbridge CC and we’ve organised a trip to the Alps each year – usually to coincide with the tour – and that’s always phenomenal.
Tell us a bit about your background in cycling and politics: I’m the MP for Dudley – the town I grew up in and the borough I live in. It’s a huge privilege to represent the place you grew up. Before that I worked as a political adviser to Gordon Brown and prior to that I worked for the Labour Party, and before that for housing associations and PR companies in the West Midlands.
What’s your dream vision for city cycling in the UK? We need better infrastructure. That means more dedicated and safer cycle routes, lower speed limits for other vehicles, a focus on tackling dangerous junctions, and better facilities for parking bikes and getting changed at work. Earmarking just two per cent of the Highways Agency Budget for next generation cycle routes would have a huge impact. In London, where cycle investment is five times the national average, the benefits and the growth of cycling are obvious. I also want to see cycling on the curriculum, with every child learning to ride safely at school. Cycle safety should also be a core part of driving tests, so everyone is aware of cyclists.
What can the trade do to influence decision makers? Work together, agree a set of priorities and keep pressing your case. Changing things takes time and effort, so it’s important not to be despondent if things don’t change immediately. Lobby your MPs and encourage customers to do the same.
90 BIKEBIZ JULY
BIKEBIZ.COM
A quarter of children are expecting a new bike this summer, while 70 per cent say they expected to play outside ‘loads’ this holiday season (source youth research specialist Dubit).
¼
99
Le Tour is just one year shy of a century. This year the prestigious event’s Grand Depart is in Liege, Belgium.
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