Across Merseyside, cycling is a popular sport with a large number of cycling groups spread across the region. But with the city’s lack of cycle routes and busy roads, cyclists can often feel unsafe.
With the growing concern for the environment, ditching the cars and opting for public transport or riding a bike is becoming a lot more popular.
Liverpool council has launched a public consultation to decide how and where the city will invest in new infrastructure that will encourage people to walk and cycle more often.
Steve Rotherham, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said earlier this year: “I want to kickstart an active travel revolution in our area that makes it easy for people to choose greener, cleaner ways to get about.”
But how safe really are the roads of Liverpool? Lorraine Pro, pioneer of the cycling app Komoot, said: “If there was cycling lanes for us cyclists at least that would give us a little bit more space on the roads but still doesn’t stop the drivers trying to use their vehicles like weapons.
“We feel bullied most of the time, it’s not a great feeling when you’re trying to enjoy a leisurely ride having beautiful nature to view but can’t because you have to constantly keep your eyes on the road.”
Lorraine and her husband Mark are members of St Helens Pedal Power, Liverpool NHS Community cycle club, Croxteth Community cycle club, Aigburth Community Cycle Club, Joyride and Bike Revival Cycle Club.
There are many more groups like this across Merseyside – such as Asylum Link Merseyside, City of Liverpool FC Cycling Club, Cycle of Life rides, Merseyside CTC rides, Peloton, Wheels for All, Wirral Cycling Group and Women on Bikes Liverpool.
Lorraine said: “It’s much better to be with a cycling group as its more strength in numbers. We have been cycling for five years now and it just seems to be getting worse.
“It’s great they have brought out electric cars to help with the planet, but as cyclists we can’t hear them so we have had to put mirrors on our bikes.
“The roads are to share but drivers don’t allow cyclists to have any space. We don’t feel safe at peak hours and tend to ride on cycle paths or even on the curb if the traffic is bad.”
As changes are being made in the city, Merseyside Cycling Campaign is aiming for better and safer space for cycling.
The campaign was set up in 1985 and members meet each month to discuss cycling in the Liverpool City Region. They campaign for safer routes that adhere to the latest design standards.
campaign is there to ensure cyclist are represented
They also fight for safe cycling for all and demand cycle infrastructure that will enable bicycles, tricycles, hand cycles and cargo bikes.
Don Thompson, from Merseyside Cycling Campaign, said: “The campaign is there to ensure cyclist are represented in Merseyside.
“The campaign is in touch with many organisations to comment on consultations, for example one on the Wirral for an active travel pathway between Liscard and Birkenhead and the LCWIP which is the Local Cycling and Walking Improvements Programme that has just been finished which is formed as one of the transport programmes in Merseyside.
“When cycling across the wonderful new cycle path along the Albert Docks it stops suddenly and you have entered Sefton, Sefton doesn’t have the funding yet to take it through.
“When you drive across a motorway you don’t know when it goes from Warwickshire to Hertfordshire to Oxfordshire, its seamless and that’s what we want for cycle paths.”
Don said: “Today we did 45 miles with an organisation called Merseyside Cycling UK and I think we had what we would call three close passes, these are recognised across the country by the police and organisations such as Action Vision Zero and this is when if you pass a cyclist in a car you should be 1.5 meters away from them and people don’t understand that.
“You’ll find a lot of cyclists carry cameras to record these this and the police have a separate unit to decide if it was too close.
“I cycle every day and yes, I get people driving too close and I’ve been involved in moments where I have sort of been knocked off my bike.
“I’ve been cycling a long time and I suppose when you have done something for so long what’s dangerous to you might not be dangerous to someone else.
“There are individuals on the roads and cars that don’t respect their fellow cyclists or other road users
“The overarching concern of all of this is the big climate change issue, if we don’t change our habits things won’t get better.”
Plenty has been done in Liverpool so far with road schemes being underway with proposed cycle routes such as Catharine Street, Princes Avenue and Crown Street.
Kingsley Road has been made into a one way for motor vehicles with segregated cycle lanes in both directions. Despite these and other changes, there’s still a long way for Merseyside to go.
For more information on Merseyside Cycling Campaign visit their website here.
Featured image (c) Lorraine Pro
