It pays to invest i...
 

[Closed] It pays to invest in bikes

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New economic research published today makes the case for a fundamental rethink in the way local authorities plan for cycling.

The model shows how a surprisingly small number of additional cyclists will pay for investment in new cycling infrastructure. The model suggests:

* An investment of £10,000 requires one additional regular cyclist
* An investment of £100,000 requires 11 additional regular cyclists

- http://www.bikeforall.net/news.php?articleshow=613


 
Posted : 20/03/2009 11:01 am
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I suspect the model is beyond my comprehension. I am happy to carry on cycling in exchange for a £10,000 tax rebate, if that is really what it proves is needed.

🙂


 
Posted : 20/03/2009 11:09 am
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If an investment of £10K requires one extra cyclist, why does the £100K investment require 11 cyclists (or £11K each) given that same investment could be divided into 10 smaller projects thus lowering the required investment return?


 
Posted : 20/03/2009 11:13 am
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If an investment of £10K requires one extra cyclist, why does the £100K investment require 11 cyclists (or £11K each) given that same investment could be divided into 10 smaller projects thus lowering the required investment return?

Because your maths is wrong 🙂

100000/11 = 9090


 
Posted : 20/03/2009 11:19 am
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back to fields!


 
Posted : 20/03/2009 11:21 am
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Darlington has had £500,000 a year invested for three years, with the same again in the next three years. This has been spend on a mix of physical measures and marketing.

In the first two years, cycling rates went from 1% of trips to 2% of trips. Car trips were down by 10%.

I can now ride [url= http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/To-Darlington-Town-Centre-on-the-ETC ]from home to the town centre without touching a main road[/url], on a route which I'm happy to let my 5-year-old daughter ride. She rode 10km, with my wife, a couple of Saturdays ago, getting to her swimming lesson, a birthday party and her grandparents. There will shortly be a second possible route to town opening.

4% of trips is apparently a tipping point, so the next couple of years could be interesting.


 
Posted : 20/03/2009 11:32 am
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agree'd, those numbers don't make sense (at least on their own)

presumabbly theres some account taken for irregular cyclist who use the facilities less than 3x per week.


 
Posted : 20/03/2009 11:56 am
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Yes the word 'requires' means that makes no sense.


 
Posted : 20/03/2009 12:05 pm
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I think it's easier to calculate the economic benefits of regular cyclists.

"An investment of £10,000 requires one additional regular cyclist" means that a Council should be able to justify spending £10,000 on cycling facilities if they can show that one extra person will ride three times a week because of it.


 
Posted : 20/03/2009 12:24 pm