Category: News

Why cyclists don’t always use the cycle lane

By Hazel Dawe

Car drivers are often annoyed when they see people not using a cycle lane. Yet there are many good reasons why people might choose to cycle on the road rather than in the cycle lane.

The 15-minute city

By Jonny Ives

How far can you walk in fifteen minutes? How far from home could you be if you hopped on a bike and pedalled for a quarter of an hour? If you drew these two 15-minute circles on a map with your home at the centre how much of your day-to-day needs would be within reach?

Pavement parking – why do we tolerate it?

By Alison Hill

If you have been out for a cycle or a walk today in the city, I can bet that you will have passed a vehicle parked on a pavement. As it is such a commonplace occurrence you may not even have noticed, but look again on your next walk and think about what that pavement parking means for someone pushing a buggy, someone on a mobility scooters, someone who is visually impaired, a parent with a small kid on a bike or even two people walking side by side. Ask yourself how do people get past a vehicle obstructing the pavement?

Maps are fun!

By Andy Chivers

Maps are fun, maps are educational, maps tell the truth, maps are beautiful. You can probably tell that I am a map enthusiast… Maps have changed out of all recognition now that our phones can tell us where we are, and how to get to anywhere else.

Back in the saddle

By Leandra Cardoso

The Bikes for Key Workers project launched at the end of April 2020 and has succeeded in giving bikes to over 200 local NHS and social care key workers. Leandra Cardoso tells us about her experience of receiving a bike through the project and how it has changed her journey to work.

How to prevent your bike being stolen

By Becci Curtis

Roads have steadily got busier since the end of May, but the return of motorised traffic has not halted the increasing popularity of cycling. Bike shops have struggled to keep up with demand, but as the number of bikes sold (or put back into use) grows, unfortunately, so does the number of bikes being stolen. However, bike theft is not inevitable and there are some things you can do to help keep your bike secure.

Hills, headwinds, and rain…things to prepare for

By Andy Chivers

Articles about cycling are typically illustrated by happy people pedalling on the flat in warm sunshine. As recent weeks have reminded us, the weather is not always like that.

Cycling for all in the county, says Active Oxfordshire

By Josh Lenthall

Last month the Department of Transport published Gear Change, a national strategy that seeks to make England “a great walking and cycling nation”.

Be nice, say hi! What to do near horses

By John Magrath

Now that so many more of us are getting out and about on our bikes, it feels like a very good time to revive some excellent advice from Cycling UK about what to do when we encounter horse riders.

The best and worst Oxfordshire summertime cycle paths

By Andy Chivers

Many of us are enjoying rides into the countryside and one of the pleasures is seeing other people on their bikes, especially family groups. For those in the city, getting out to the countryside presents some interesting choices, and sometimes the routes need a haircut even more than the rest of us.