17th June 2005

This week, during National Bike Week (11th - 19th June), Oxford's Green Councillors are calling for the County Council to commit to reversing the decline in cycling in the County and set more ambitious targets.

Cycling has declined in recent years from around 9.5% to 7.6% of all journeys to work over the last 20 years [1]. The County is NOT on track to meet its own target of 20% of journeys in the County by 2011.

Note: Within the City cycling rates are higher but are still in decline (from around 18% to 16% of all journeys).

Says Green Councillor and keen cyclist Craig Simmons, "The County is utterly failing to meet the needs of cyclists. Despite the fact that there are good environmental and health reasons for promoting and supporting cycling, we are seeing the continuation of policies which marginalise or ignore cyclists. Whereas Cambridgeshire is managing to increase the use of bikes, Oxfordshire is not."

The Greens are also calling for the County to introduce higher targets for Oxford City and aim for a doubling of journeys by bike (to 30%) within 10 years. Many European Cities are already achieving rates of 30% - the County should be far more proactive on cycling.

[1] http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/v087-01_-_section_3.pdf