Mini-Holland

Mini Holland •
9
Expand and relocate the Council’s successful bike scheme.
Launched in June 2013 in partnership with Bikeworks, this
community cycling hub offers access to refurbished bikes at
low cost, high quality repairs, maintenance and build-a-bike
workshops, as well as industry-accredited training and jobs in
cycle maintenance for young people and ex-offenders.
We have aligned borough policies and strategies with our
ambition, including our Local Plan, and require all new developments
to have “future proof” levels of cycle parking and access.
Since 2012 the Council has been conducting an annual borough
wide survey of cyclists, and those who would like to cycle,
asking what would encourage them to cycle more.This has given
us valuable infiormation on where they like to ride, and the parts
of the borough where things need to improve.
Progress has been made in ensuring the borough’s HGVs
and those of developers are equipped with the latest safety
equipment, and drivers trained to interact safely with cyclists.
In 2012, we ran a campaign to highlight cycle safety to driving
schools and taxi firms. Cycling is now being mainstreamed in
Council activities and across departments, such as regeneration,
economic development, sport and leisure. In addition, cycling
and walking have been an important element of our public health
strategy since 2010.
The Council is encouraging staff and councillors to lead by
example and undertake more business by bike. As well as
reducing our transport impact on the community, we think
cycling for business improves our knowledge of the borough
and brings us closer to the community we serve.
We are proud of the progress of our Cycling Action Plan, but
are keen to secure Mini-Holland funding as we want to go much
further and much faster. While cycling is increasing, we recognise
that at 2% of journeys the borough still has a low mode share
when compared to Inner London and even some provincial
towns such as Hull, Cambridge and York.
However, we acknowledge the issue and see an opportunity to
rapidly grow cycling modal share in the borough by providing the
right types of cycle provision in the right places through the mini
Holland programme.
We have already had the pleasure of seeing a little bit of the
borough ‘going Dutch’. During the London 2012 Olympics our
own temporary ‘mini Holland’ was created in the Walthamstow
Marshes where supporters of the Dutch Olympians were
camping for the duration of the Games. In order to travel to the
Olympic Park the Dutch brought their own ‘OV fiets’ cycle hire
bikes with them.