We Can All Enjoy the Journey
Written by Daniel Hall, Executive Director, London Cycle Link
Seeing more people walking and cycling during the pandemic has been a silver lining I’ve thoroughly appreciated. Amidst a loss of human connection, it has been heartwarming to see the smiles of people from all walks of life enjoying the fresh air, experiencing nature and getting exercise.
The pandemic has also revealed how we travel is deeply inequitable. As riding public transit and carpooling became a potential place of transmission, the most affected populations were essential workers, racialized communities and higher proportions of women. In my own work in cycling, women and racialized communities are underrepresented because they are more influenced by unsafe streets and a culture of cycling that is male and white dominated.
Since the 1950’s, London, like so many other North American cities, has built around the car at the expense of all other ways of getting around. We’ve widened roads, expanded parking lots, built drive-thrus and spread out our houses and our businesses. This is the London we’ve all inherited, a city where 77% of residents drive or get driven to where they’re going.
My wife and I have lived car-free or car-lite for many years. We’ve endured long walks through unplowed sidewalks, sometimes with a stroller, to reach the bus stop. We’ve experienced countless hair-raising close passes by aggressive drivers while riding our bikes. We grip our children’s hands tightly when we cross the street because of the stress of large vehicles and the fear of them not stopping.
We’ve chosen this life because of our environmental convictions, the financial flexibility it offers and because on most days it’s truly a joy to arrive at our destination under our own power or to read a book while the bus driver takes care of the driving. Did you know that personal vehicles are the #1 emitter in London with over 30% of all emissions and operating a car costs $9,000 a year on average?
We want more people to be able to choose a healthy, sustainable and affordable option and to improve the experience for those who don’t have a choice. To do so, we need to make walking, cycling, and taking transit safe, comfortable and convenient.
We need to commit whole-heartedly to a road system that is safe for all, especially for people walking or riding a bike or mobility-device. This means slower speeds for cars, physical separation between cars and people, and engendering compassion for everyone who uses our streets.
We need to build a network of protected bike lanes and traffic-calmed side streets so bravery is not required to ride a bike in London and walking is a pleasant experience. We need to develop a frequent network of bus routes with dedicated lanes to make transit fast and reliable.
Our streets are one of our greatest public resources, and we can use them to benefit everyone. By offering great transportation choices we can make our city more equitable, sustainable and wealthier. That way we can all keep smiling.