Wednesday 15th August is 'Cycling to Work Day', which for many of us is probably every day. This day works to encourage more people to take up active transport. The more people using two wheels for transport, as well as recreation and racing, the better off we all are, despite what you might hear from some quarters.
Cycle to Work Day is now in its sixth year and is promoted by Cyclescheme UK.
For many large towns and cities across the UK, cycling is the fastest option for many journeys due to motor vehicle congestion or unreliable public provision.
Even in cities like London, where the City Hall administration is woeful when it comes to providing safe infrastructure, many bridges still count more bikes than any other mode of transport during rush hour.
Below are just a few of the reasons why you should pick up the bike to commute to work, not just this Wednesday, but every day.
Bikes don't go on strike
Short of picking up a puncture, your bike is unlikely to go on strike and it's even less likely to start charging you an above-inflation increase for the pleasure of using it.
There hasn't been a tube strike for a little while but many rail routes see annual fare hikes above the average pay rise, meaning commuters will be effectively taking a paycut just to continue getting to work.
When there is a tube strike, a fun game to play is to see how many people are happy to be interviewed for the evening news explaining how they’ve waited hours for a bus to make a journey that wouldn't have taken long to walk, and would have been even quicker by bike.
Some are even in sight of a hire bike station when bemoaning the time spent in a bus queue.
Most city cyclists can’t help but view these hapless commuters with anything other than bemusement.
Reduce your fare rises
For those travelling in from further afield who will bear the brunt of the price increases, a way around this could be to incorporate cycling into their journey.
Shortening the time spent on the train, pushed up against sweaty strangers, not only makes for a more pleasant start or end to a working day but also means that savings can be made on rail fares.
Skipping off early at, for example, Clapham Junction rather than London Waterloo could drop the price of a rail fare below what it was before the price hike.
The commuter can then cover the remainder of the distance on a bicycle, although to have been on a peak London bound service will require the outlay for a fold-up bike.
That cost should be seen as an investment that will pay for itself over a short period and the lifestyle change will bring its own rewards.
Cycling is probably faster anyway
Obviously many people are dependant on the rail and bus network to traverse the city, but do you need to be?
TfL has issued figures that show that over half the journeys made in London could be completed in under-10 minutes on a bicycle.
In order for these potential cycling journeys to be realised, the Mayor of London and TfL will need to up their game when it comes to cycling infrastructure.
The letter Q painted on busy roads and promoted by London's cycling and walking commissioner simply won't cut it. Maybe City Hall could get on the phone to Andy Burnham, Mayor of Manchester, and Chris Boardman who recently revealed a revolutionary 1,000 mile cycling infrastructure system for the city.
With cycling almost always quicker than public transport for all but the longest of crosstown journeys, even when the network is running smoothly, strikes and fare increases could provide the impetus to get commuting by bike.
Add to this that when your commute relies on pedal power, rather than the vagaries of public transport, your ability to get to work is unlikely to be derailed by leaves on the line, chronic overcrowding or rising fares.
Planned routes and planned rides
If you’re planning to cycle for the first time, Google Maps has a handy route planning feature that’ll automatically tend towards using quieter roads if you select cycling as the mode, along with generating a surprisingly accurate ETA for your journey.
Transport for London hosts lots of information on cycling routes and Cycle Superhighways on its website, while it’s also worth checking if any of any of Sustrans’ signposted routes can take you where you want to go.
For less experienced riders living and/or working within Greater London, most London boroughs provide free training for riders to help build confidence or refresh rusty skills.
Backed by Sustrans
Cycle to Work Day is being keenly promoted by Sustrans. Chris Bennett, Head of Behaviour Change at the organisation, said: 'We work with hundreds of employers – and thousands of employees - across the UK to inspire more people to cycle to work.
'Commuting by bike is a great way to start and end your day. Not only is it an easy way of fitting more activity into our daily lives, it’s also good for the environment and your purse.
'Getting started need not be complicated, all you need is a bike and the willingness to give it a go.
'I cycle to work and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but don’t just take my word for it –give it a go yourself and see what all the fuss is about.'