There has been a quiet revolution going on in the recent decade and I am delighted to have joined it with my recent purchase of an electric bike. I grew up on a farm at Loweswater just at the end of the last period when cycling was the way to get around. My older sister cycled a lot and so did my mother in the early days, as car ownership was definitely limited to one per household, if that.
I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was an adult and everywhere from my house was uphill so it is a delight to now find I can travel around 50 miles on one inexpensive battery charge and effortlessly tackle the slopes that previously were so daunting. All in all, especially in this recent warm weather, my recent rediscovery of cycling has been a great pleasure and has increased my fitness and health.
However, I am not enjoying the speed and size of vehicles on rural roads. I am disappointed that many of our single-track roads locally still retain a speed limit of 60 mph. It explains why I see so few children or young people on bikes. Even adults are deterred from cycling or walking on rural roads because of the safety aspect.
The RAC report that, of the 1,558 road deaths in Britain in 2021, 981 (63%) of them were listed as occurring on rural roads, that is, outside of a town or city. With such statistics it’s hardly surprising that parents are reluctant to allow their children the freedom to travel independently. Whatever the age, there are well-established health benefits associated with walking and cycling.
So, as an elected Councillor for the new Cumberland Council I am delighted that the Council’s priorities are improving health and wellbeing and addressing inequalities which must include travel and giving all of us the opportunity to move about sustainably and healthily. Hopefully, like Surrey County Council, we can work towards 30 mph being brought in our rural roads and, like Scotland, minor roads will be designated shared spaces for the use of walkers, cyclists and motorists with appropriate speed limits.
Cllr. Jill Perry
Published in Local Newspapers
