ABOUT SUSTRANS:
With the approach of the turn of the millennium, a special committee was established to mark the year 2000 with projects that would be funded to a large degree by the UK National Lottery. The non-profit Sustains organization was awarded a large grant to
develop a National Cycle
Network, and the new government of quasi-independent Scotland and the
Districts of Stirling and Perthshire jumped in to help bring a major
route to the region.
Who
likes to win? How about a double-win? How ‘bout a triple win? That’s nothing.
Consider Sustrans’ development of Britain’s National Cycle
Network—everybody wins:
• Traffic is reduced by fewer cars being used for commutation and recreation.
• Traffic is made safer by relocating bikes and pedestrians from busy roadways
to quiet byways and exclusive no-motor-vehicle bikeways.
• Public health is promoted by biking and walking on an expanding network of paths.
• Abandoned railways, underused canal towpaths, and other decaying rights-of-way are revitalized to become useful again.
• Improved access to nature is developed with minimal new impact on the environment.
• Reduced motor vehicle usage means a corresponding reduction in environmental problems, especially dirty air, noise pollution, traffic congestion, and energy consumption.
• A cottage industry of support cafés, restaurants, lodgings, and bike repair shops grows up along the network.
• Artists, engineers, architects, and sculptors have a new outlet for their skills.
• The cost (over £44 million so far) has been underwritten not by taxes but by the UK National Lottery through the (soon-to-expire) Millennium Commission. A dedicated private charity, Sustrans (for "sustainable transportation") oversees the development of the system, working with over 400 local governments as well as British Waterways and other organizations.
• The nationwide route system attracts international visitors as well as domestic users, creating new tourism revenues.
Successful? By any measure. Consider this evidence:
• The British public has voted the National Cycle Network as the National Lottery-funded project that has made the greatest overall impact on UK national life. The competition: over 1,000 other lottery-funded projects.
• During 2008 (the last year tabulated) some 386 million walking and cycling trips were made on the National Cycle Network. With the UK population at about 60 million, it’s clear the network is being well used.
• More than 3,000 Sustrans volunteers donate nearly 200,000 hours annually to the National Cycle Network.
• Over 40,000 UK households and 100,000 children are now biking and walking as part of their daily travel, including to and from school.
