Electric vehicles drive the COP26 transport agenda. But what about bikes?
To achieve net zero emissions and limit global warming, £2.8 billion has been pledged for the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) by 2035 (1). Although £2 billion is going towards boosting walking and cycling (2), active transport barely got a mention at the COP26. EVs were the focus.
Do we need more vehicles on already congested roads?
Unlike active transport, EVs can only be zero emissions if they are powered by renewable energy. However wind farms don’t just blow in over night. Renewable energy takes time and consideration to set up while ensuring minimal environmental impact.
Action on air pollution can’t wait until renewables are installed and EVs are phased in. Worldwide, ambient air pollution accounts for 4.2 million deaths a year (3). To put that in perspective, COVID-19 deaths are estimated to be over 3.3 million (4). In 2019, 75% of reporting zones in the UK had illegal limits of air pollution for nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant from car exhausts (5). Why is air pollution not as urgent as COVID-19?
EVs can lower pollution from exhausts in urban areas. But what about Non-Exhaust Emissions (NEEs)? Brakes, tyres and road surface wear are major contributors of atmospheric heavy metals and micro plastics. There is little data on NEEs, but a 2020 study estimated that tyre wear pollution could be 1000 times worse than exhaust emissions (6). Yet, there is no regulation on tyre wear pollution (6). Without properly disposing EV batteries, hazardous waste could seep into the soil and water. Ethically sourcing rare metals is also an issue. Boxing up climate change and focusing solely on lowering emissions puts us in danger of fixing one environmental issue only to ignore or even create other issues.
Increasing traffic free cycle routes, walking routes and improving public transport could be done much more quickly and easily than the gradual phasing out of private petrol vehicles. Society can change within a year, a month or even a day, as we witnessed with the onset of 2020 lockdown measures to control COVID-19. People can make a choice to change the way they travel rather than wait for technology to catch up with demand.
Deadly roads
Every 22 minutes someone is killed or seriously injured on UK roads (7). In 2019 1,752 died on the roads while there were over 150,000 casualties (8). In April 2020, as road traffic decreased by 63% in the first lockdown, casualties fell by 68% compared to a 3 year average (9). Wildlife is also affected by road traffic, with badgers, hedgehogs, foxes, amphibians and birds estimated to be hit in their hundreds and even thousands. If we introduce electric cars, which are quieter and more difficult to hear, what will the impact be on road fatalities?
The statistics on road deaths alone should be enough to show that cars need to come off the roads. Yet private vehicle usage continues to increase.
The UK’s roads are fuelled by frustration and impatience. Cyclists are seen as no more than a nuisance by motorists. When overtaking, the majority of cars do not give cyclists the distance that they would give cars as recommended by the highway code. Many cycle paths are pretty much unusable, disconnected, not maintained or unsafe (see photos at end for examples). Pedestrians dominate shared cycle lanes which are often just an ordinary footpath with a bike sign painted on.
Poorly designed cycle lanes along roadsides (or in the gutter of a road) are much more of a danger than having no cycle lanes at all. Simply put, white paint lines do not protect cyclists from motoring metal. Vehicles park, drive, and block cycle ways so that cyclists have to navigate their way through busy roads. Furthermore, drivers overtake bikes on blind corners, cut in front on roundabouts and even shout or swear in anger at cyclists (would they give a horse rider or tractor this treatment?). Often, a 30 second wait is all it takes for a driver to safely pass a cyclist.
It’s no wonder that two thirds of adults feel that it is too dangerous to cycle on the roads and only 2% of trips are made by bike (10). Less people cycling means more cars on the roads, increased air pollution and more traffic accidents.
But given the chance, cycling can revolutionise our transport system, cities and societies.
Cycling can take people further and faster than walking. It is a low impact exercise, suitable for everyone from any socio-economic background. The majority of disabled people are able to cycle (78% according to Transport for London) (11). In the UK, a society where 63% of adults are obese (12) and many suffer from mental health issues and stress (13), getting people outside, connected with nature and exercising has never been more important.
Congested roads result in annoyed drivers, slow journey times and pollution. Cycling creates a community and encourages a healthy, outdoor lifestyle.
To increase cycling as an effective and safe form of transport, not only do we need improve infrastructure, cities also need less cars and better attitudes towards cyclists. If people want to ride bikes to work, school or the shops, let them. Cycling provides a simple, fast, accessible and affordable green transport solution while promoting healthy lifestyle choices. Boosting bikes should be priority.
Photo 1 - The cycle path dissolves into a trail along an A road.
Photo 2 - Cars queue in the bike lane. Drivers do not expect cyclists overtaking on the left.
Photo 3 - Insufficient space on the road means that cars are forced to drive in the bike lane to let oncoming traffic pass.
Photo 4 - The bike lane goes through a bus stop. If a bus were to stop, the cyclist would have to navigate around and through traffic, or wait behind the bus breathing in the exhaust fumes. Also, cars pull into the bike lane to make way for emergency vehicles, potentially knocking off a cyclist in the lane.