Paul Blomfield: Cycling as part of daily life needn’t be uphill struggle

Even in Sheffield, however, cycling rates have doubled over the past eight to 10 years, but 
we have a long way to go compared with hilly Helsingborg in Sweden: 26 per cent of daily commutes into its city centre are made on a bike, compared with less than one per cent in Sheffield.

Look also at the mindset of Holland where its flat terrain is cycle-friendly. I spent a few days in Tilburg, a fairly ordinary city in central Netherlands, last year. I was struck by the fascinating consequence of the impact of a planning approach that gives as much focus to the needs of bikes as to those of cars.

It provides a contrast to the picture of British cycling. In Tilburg I saw a town in which elderly couples, families and young people all saw bikes as the preferred form of transport for commuting, shopping or an evening out. It was a transformational experience.

As the “Get Britain Cycling” report highlights, we need to 
do a number of things to transform the situation in 
the UK.

Clearly, one is funding. That means not simply providing more funding, but making sure that the billions we spend on our roads have funds earmarked within them for cycling and meeting the needs of cyclists.

That will be an important step towards achievements similar to those of the Dutch.

When I invited comments from my constituents for a debate in Parliament, I got a huge response.

There were a number of common themes.

They pressed for more segregated cycle lanes and for more available and consistent cycle lanes that are not used for parking for large parts of the day and that do not disappear on the approach to difficult junctions or hazardous roundabouts.

They argued for road infrastructure to be better designed and for speed bumps that do not have gaps at the side.

They argued against routes 
that follow illogical directions. They pushed for the maintenance of cycle routes with regard 
not only to their quality, but to their visibility to cyclists and motorists.

They argued not only for safe routes to schools, public buildings and places of work, but for 
more secure places for people to leave their cycles when they get there.

I would like a response from Ministers: the role of cycling within an integrated approach to transport.

I am pleased that South Yorkshire has received funding from the Government for a tram-train pilot, which will see the introduction of a continental model with vehicles that run on both tram and rail tracks.

That is a significant development for us and a potential model for the rest of the country.

It is important that we get it right. Part of that is ensuring that cyclists are able to take their bikes on to the tram-trains so that both modes of transport can be used on a journey.

I have raised that issue with the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive because decisions need to be taken now at the stage of system design.

The Department for Transport is also a key stakeholder, hence the need for moves to ensure that bikes can be carried on to tram-trains in this important pilot.

• Paul Blomfield is the Labour MP for sheffield Central, who spoke in a house of Commons debate on cycling.