Author: GoBike

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GoBike members have been heartbroken and dismayed by the recent untimely passing of someone cycling on Glasgow’s roads. We would like to send our condolences and love to the family and friends of Emma Newman. We cannot imagine how deeply her loss will be felt – we know the grief of those who knew her will reverberate with everyone who cycles in our city and would have shared the same streets. It could have been any of us.

In light of this incident, GoBike have sent a communication to the council in a spirit of mutual understanding and in the hope that we can safeguard vision zero as a shared priority in our city, for Emma and for all those like her. We will update you when we receive a response.

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Contraflow Cycling: Open letter to Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland

Cyclist stopped in front of No Entry signs on a residential street with parked cars down one side

Glasgow City Council’s adoption of its new Active Travel Strategy is a great step towards making the city’s streets safe and inviting for vulnerable road users, and GoBike warmly welcomes it.

Adopting the strategy can only be a starting point. For years, the way Glasgow City Council and Police Scotland have dealt with proposals for contraflow cycling has made cycling less inviting as a travel choice.

Contraflow cycling (exempting cycles from one-way restrictions, see endnote) is safe.

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Open letter: Global coalition calls on governments at COP26 to boost cycling levels to reduce carbon emissions and reach climate goals quickly and effectively

Today, the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) and a global coalition of pro-cycling organisations are publishing an open letter calling on governments attending COP26 in Glasgow to commit to significantly increasing the number of people who cycle in their countries in order to reach global climate goals quickly and effectively.

The world needs much more cycling if we are to combat climate change. Without quicker and more determined action by governments worldwide to cut transport carbon emissions, we will be dooming present and future generations to a world that is more hostile and much less inhabitable.

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InfraDay is back for 2020!

Our annual Cycling Infra Day is on Friday the 16th of October. We ask you to look in your local area or regular cycle route and photograph examples of infrastructure which are great, not so good, or what definitely needs improvement. 

It’s fair to say 2020 has been a tough but interesting year for cycling. We want to have a look back at our how our infrastructure has changed over the past year, and also see how the new pop-ups under the Spaces For People funding are working out for the people using them.

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Let’s get a better Highway Code!

Yes, consultation is underway on changes to the Highway Code. Their aim is to increase protection for ‘vulnerable’ road users, that’s pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders (see GoBike Consultation Digest).

Why is this important? Here’s why:

The Highway Code matters because it shapes the culture on our roads, from how road users treat each other, to how we police road users.

The Guardian, 28 July 2020

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East Renfrewshire is making positive steps for Active Travel

Like many local authorities, East Renfrewshire has been giving some thought to transport and travel in the post-Covid world, and has received an initial £100,000 of Spaces for People Funding for safer walking, cycling, and wheeling.

This is a huge opportunity. In the past, many parts of East Ren have often felt like a hostile and dangerous place for people on bikes – yet the sheer number and diversity of people seen out enjoying walking and cycling during lockdown have shown just how much of a difference safer, low-traffic spaces can make. Almost 100,000 people live in the East Ren council area and with reduced capacity on public transport likely for the foreseeable future, safe routes for active travel are critical to avoid further locking in car-dependency.

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Green not Grey for our Streets – What street in Glasgow wouldn’t look better with a Parklet?

We are seeing lockdown starting to ease and our local high streets reopen for business, and with that comes the conversation about what to do with our public spaces to help both businesses and people with physical distancing.

One option might be to add some Parklets on many of Glasgow’s local high streets, particularly outside cafes and restaurants.

Continue reading “Green not Grey for our Streets – What street in Glasgow wouldn’t look better with a Parklet?”
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New Normal = Normal Issues

Hielenman's Umbrella narrow cycle lane 2020

It’s been three weeks since the funding for ‘Space for People’ was awarded to Glasgow City Council. As part of this we have a new addition in the heart of our city that includes cycle infrastructure. The pavement has been extended on Gordon St and Argyle St at Glasgow Central Station. To create this space there has been a change to road lanes going Westbound, with both becoming contraflow cycle lanes.

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Is Glasgow going to come back a better place to cycle after lockdown?

I think this is a question that a lot of us have been asking ourselves; will we see change on our streets? Will our streets finally be for the people? Is this the starting point towards a more sustainable and carbon neutral Glasgow? 

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Breaking the Cycle

Hello everyone, some of you may know my name from Twitter/X or have seen one of my videos (sorry for the swearing), but even if you have or haven’t, my name is Thomas and I was the former Co-Convenor of GoBike.

I thought it would be a good time to introduce myself via my first blog post on GoBike website to let you all know a little bit about me and how I got here!

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