We know that cycling is by far the best way to get around Cardiff and most of you no doubt know this too.
However, WalesOnline has conducted a little experiment to see how it compares to other forms of transport.
Of course the bicycle wins…
Starting from the same location in Whitchurch at 8:15am, five people set off for the WalesOnline office near Wood Street. One in a car; one on the train; one on the bus; one jogging and finally, one on a bike.
The bus came in dead last, but edges out the car in terms of cost by about £6. Both were slower than running, which came in 3rd and with zero cost. The train came in second and of course the bike took first place.
“It means you leave when you want to leave and you don’t have to rely on a timetable, there are no concerns about delays on public transport and the most congestion you ever face is a group of pedestrians who don’t hear you ringing your bell.
Whilst the outcome isn’t all that surprising, there are a few things we can learn from this.
The humble bus clearly needs a little more help getting through the traffic, particularly from Whitchurch where traffic tends to build up at the Philog to join Manor Way. Deterring people from driving into town at all would help…
Also, starting in Whitchurch there is easy access to the Taff Trail. At the time of writing this is “the” cycle route. Other areas to the east and west are not as well served with safe cycle routes. Had the starting point been Pontprennau or Llanishen the outcome may have been very different.
Fortunately, construction of the primary routes should start later this year or early next year. However, before that happens the Council has to conclude its consultation exercise.
We’ve already talked about how you respond to the consultation, but there are also are also a number of events being held over the next few weeks, such as the one our colleagues at Cardiff Cycle City are organising for the 23rd February. It’ll be a great opportunity to have your say and to get a clearer idea of what is going where. Whilst we’ve done our best to wade through everything in our deep dive, a little extra clarification can go a long way.
Cardiff By Bike 