With a snap election called in the UK, the key policies are already likely to be decided by the parties – the professional lobbyists who have been influencing their way through the halls of Westminster in the past years and months will have said their piece and done their deals. But that shouldn’t stop us having fun, riding bikes, or dreaming of a better world. We’ve come up with a few policies we’d like to see adopted in the interests of mountain biking, and cycling more generally.
Everyone: Scottish Style Access Rights
We all want this, please. Let us roam responsibly, on foot, by bike, with tents, canoes, etc etc. We don’t need to explain this further – just crack on and do it!
Hannah: Mandatory Sheds
Planning regulations already make stipulations around how many parking spaces new dwellings should have. I would like to see the rules get an update to introduce mandatory minimum shed provision for all new dwellings. Such provision should be proportionate in size to the number of bedrooms, to allow the storage of at least one bicycle per intended occupant. Regulations will stipulate appropriate dimensions and proportions, to ensure doors are wide enough to accommodate handlebars and prevent UK train style storage fiascos. Regulations will also stipulate that provision should provide ramped or level access to the nearest road or cycle path – no steps permitted – and must include an electrical outlet to allow for the charging of ebikes.
Chipps: Stronger penalties for bike theft and the introduction of a national bike database.
Stronger penalties* – as it sounds. And to aid bike recovery, how about an AirTag style registration and recovery scheme** for bikes – perhaps funded by an extra tax on SUVs?
*Mark suggests: bike thieves to be made to thread internal cables on bikes as part of their rehab.
**Hannah adds: how about reliable bike insurance too, so you can actually leave your bike places. None of this ‘you had to have the right lock attached to the right thing’. And courtesy cover bikes for if yours does get stolen.
Mark: Ebike Subsidies
I’ve got solar panels and an electric car thanks to government subsidies to encourage the switch. I want to see the government give similar incentives to encourage people to buy electric bikes. The Cycle To Work scheme doesn’t give a big enough budget to cover ebikes, and it’s also of no use to lots of people who could really benefit from having an ebike instead of (or as well as) a car, like pensioners, or full time parents, or self employed people.
Chipps: Subsidised bike skills learning, coaching and guiding qualifications
Make it cheaper and easier for youngsters to learn cycling skills and to then progress into rudimentary guiding, with map reading and weather awareness part of the syllabus. Basically, make cycle skills as easy and accessible to learn as football.
Hannah: Minimum Pump Track Provision
I would like to see pump tracks become as common a sight in parks and playgrounds as swings and slides. To facilitate this, I’d like to mandatory play areas, including pump tracks, included under section 106 regulations for new developments. I’d also like to see playground and park provision (including pump tracks) be a statutory requirement of local government, with associated funding to make it happen.
Mark: Bikes On Trains
I would like to see a policy that makes taking a bike on a train a reliable and viable option. A requirement on train providers to more than 4 spaces bikes per train would be a start, perhaps with a phased increase in that minimum year on year. I want to see the government introduce a standardised and simple booking system across rail operators for longer journeys to allow you to make firm travel plans with confidence. And I’d like to see bikes on the Chunnel being a mandatory thing again – ie one that the operator can’t just decide to remove… do we need to rejoin Europe to make that happen?
Hannah: NCN investment and segregated cycle infrastructure on all road (re)development
The development of cycle infrastructure should be given the same priority and powers as roads and other national infrastructure projects. Proper powers, strategy and funding to come through a government department responsible for actually delivering cycle infrastructure. No new road building or widening to be possible unless it’s accompanied by a fully segregated two lane cycle path.
We could go on at length, but we’ll let you head to the comments to submit your own ideas – and if you spot any actual manifesto pledges from anyone that looks like it’ll help mountain biking, put those in too!
