Active travel not ‘war on motorists’ says West Midlands’ cycling and walking champion
The West Midlands’ cycling and walking champion says she is not waging a ‘war on motorists’ as she looks to give people safer and viable choices for travel.
Beccy Marston was appointed as the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Active Travel Commissioner a year ago with the aim of removing barriers people face that stop them from cycling or walking.
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WMCA has been handed a £36 million war chest to implement schemes and create more routes for walking, wheeling and cycling to be invested over the next year.
In her first year in the job, Beccy has been working with local authorities, partners such as Sport England as well as local campaign groups to understand needs and help shape future plans.
She and Road Safety Commissioner Mat MacDonald, who was appointed at the same time as Beccy, have been developing a new ‘Kids Streets’ initiative to make it safer and more accessible for children to walk to school.
Beccy also played a part in the appointment of Lime to run the new e-bike and e-scooter contracts in the region.
She is also pushing bikeability sessions in schools, which sees cycle training given to youngsters in a bid to build confidence in their use.
Her work has seen her earn global recognition after being named in the top 100 Mobility Changemakers by Zag Daily and she is keen to see schemes to progress.
Beccy said: “There is still work to be done to ensure we have the right routes and paths to enable people to walk, wheel or cycle.
“We have invested heavily in infrastructure. We have just received another £36 million that will be invested in the next 12 months.
“We’re reviewing the walking, cycling investment plan which is our big network plan which is our big plan of where local authorities are improving the network and making sure it’s fit for purpose.
“If we can get the smaller, local trips safer, that’s the starting point for people to think maybe I can do a larger trip.
“If there is a really good, viable public transport option, people need time to change their behaviour.
“We’ve done lots of free bus ticketing events and they’ve been really popular as it gives people the chance to try it without seeing it as double paying.
“People don’t relay the full cost of a car. They don’t equate that to the cost of a trip and if you break it down, it can be far cheaper to use public transport or to walk, wheel or cycle.”
She added: “It’s got to be the right tool for the job. Don’t see it as an attack on motorists, see it as a way to improve your health, the air that you breathe.
“Sat in traffic you are breathing in more pollution and the air you breathe on the side of the road walking is cleaner.
“People get in a car to drive to the gym to do exercise. If you cycle to your office, there is your exercise done for the day.
“You’ve got an hour back – it’s quicker, it’s reliable and you do more stuff, see nature. It’s worth trying it in the summer.
“It doesn’t mean you have to get rid of your car, just think about a different way to travel and combine your exercise for the day.
“This isn’t a war on motorists at all. This is about giving you safe, viable choice to travel in a different way.”
The authority hopes the new contract with Lime will result in an increase in cycle and scooter use where they are available.
Beccy said: “I’m really happy Lime have been appointed. I think they’ll do exactly what we need the system to do.
“eBikes are a game changer in terms of people saying ‘I’m not fit enough, I’ve got health issues, problems with joints, I won’t be able to do hills’.
“It removes an additional barrier. Having an opportunity to rent one makes the case for people to go that’s easier than I thought it was.
“They’ve got good community credentials. They’ll be supporting us with not only driving more people to use the bikes but opportunities to attract new riders.”
Work is currently ongoing on infrastructure improvements across the region such as in Birmingham and Dudley to make it easier to walk, wheel and cycle.
Other initiatives include handing bikes to NHS workers and providing adult cycling training, alongside bikeability schemes in schools.
Beccy said: “You will eventually be able to cycle all the way from Wolverhampton City Centre through Dudley, parts of Sandwell and into Birmingham.
“It’s piecemeal at the minute as we get the funding, we get the next section. The long term goal is to be able to cycle through all the West Midlands towns.
“We are looking at bikeability delivery. We’re doing a regional instructor recruitment campaign to get more workforce to able to reach more children.
“The amount we are seeing who can’t ride a bike now when historically, it was the number one Christmas present.
“Less and less people are going out on a bike, because they don’t feel safe because of the traffic.
“The more cycle paths we put in, we can say it is safe because you’ve got your own lane. It gives that confidence you can do it.”
