Duncan Knox

By embedding this initiative into our everyday work, we’re helping more children get on their bikes, supporting sustainable travel, and building safer, healthier, more confident communities across Surrey.

…giving both the bikes and their refurbishers a fresh start.

The results speak for themselves. One school saw Level 2 participation soar from just 10 riders to 48 after joining the scheme, a clear sign of how removing barriers transforms opportunities.

And the support doesn’t stop there. Pupils who borrow a bike are gifted a free upcycled bicycle to keep, complete with helmet, lights, lock, and hi-vis gear. Many of these bikes are refurbished by people in prison learning new skills or by apprentices gaining valuable experience in bike maintenance

Children who aren’t yet ready for Bikeability Level 2 receive extra coaching through Learn to Ride sessions, helping them gain confidence and prepare for real-road cycling.
All of this is fully funded, so cost is never a barrier.

In selected schools in areas of higher deprivation, every Year 6 or Year 7 pupil is invited to a ‘Try-it-out Day’, where qualified instructors assess their cycling skills and provide loan bikes where needed.

But for some families, there are barriers, from the cost of a bike, to a lack of confidence or experience on two wheels. That’s why Surrey County Council, working with Active Surrey, is taking extra steps to make cycle training accessible for every child.

Through the nationally recognised Bikeability scheme, Surrey County Council’s Cycle Training Team delivers high-quality cycle training to over 12,000 children every year, giving them the skills and confidence to ride safely on our roads.

Every child deserves the chance to experience the freedom, fun, and independence that cycling brings - and in Surrey, we’re making sure no one is left behind.

I always look forward to reading the brilliant Kingsmeadow Chronicle - the fanzine for the Chelsea Women Football Team - issue 21 out now! @mowkingsmeadow.bsky.social @cfcwfanzine.bsky.social

Key quote from the great Lewis Mumford in 1955 — “Adding car lanes to deal with traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to cure obesity.”

It's a goal of mine to help make this the most famous, well-known and UNDERSTOOD quote about cities in history. Please share it as much as you can.

I would imagine you would love this shop in London! Keep up the good work👍

Well not so hair raising since we put average speed cameras in👍

…it was hard enough to even get these more modest proposals approved in the face of vociferous opposition, even when trying to make it safer for kids to get to the school!

You are right that it can be busy at school journey times and I take the point completely about considering the network as a whole. Unfortunately we were not in a political situation that would have made it possible to consider more radical options such as a point closure….

Really interesting and helpful👍. Here is an example of how we improved a priority junction for pedestrians outside a school in Molesy by applying those principles. maps.app.goo.gl/HsrNVk2MYfUZ...

Previously the queue of cars backed up onto the main road causing temporary gridlock in both directions. A new footway was installed on Monkton Lane to provide a safe walking route to a rugby club car park. Overall, anecdotally, it feels like traffic has evaporated- survey due soon to confirm👍

.a signalised crossing on the main Weybourne Rd to facilitate alternative walking to the school. We also provided a grant to William Cobbett Junior School nearby for them to install an electronic vehicle gate so that their forecourt could be closed to cars other than those dropping off SEND…

Not every street is suitable but it is an excellent tool in the right places. We recently installed a school street on Bullers Road in Farnham (the first in Surrey). This is a cul de sac leading to the Farnham Heath End secondary school. This was installed in conjunction with….

Here is a diagonal signalised crossing for cycles only maps.app.goo.gl/Hv95PDmaMpar...

Beach wagon and beach paraphernalia

I recently bought a “beach wagon” to take all our beach paraphernalia (camping chairs, towels, wet suits, bucket and spades etc) onto the sands. It has quite a large capacity and it occurred to me that it could be brilliant for a big shop on foot! Might be considered cooler than a granny wagon?

In Surrey we are systematically reviewing and reducing all the 60 mph national speed limits on rural roads. We have reduced a lot of single track lanes to 20mph with other roads being reduced to 30mph or 40mph. I can’t see how you can have a vision zero Road safety strategy without doing so.

It is a bound surface, but I accept it could do with being wider. It is still a reasonable traffic free commuter route.

The “Saturn Trail” on the Basingstoke Canal in Woking is okay.

Here is a good one in Camberley where a cycle track was marked out on flagstones….. maps.app.goo.gl/fqVyRCdC5cyc... thankfully it has all been replaced with tarmac.

YouTube video by Landor LINKS LIVE 20’s Plenty Online Conference: Delivering 20mph

This has resulted in many narrow single track lanes with passing places being reduced to 20mph and other rural roads being reduced to 30 or 40 mph. More info can be found in this presentation youtu.be/e9vd4vtqftc?... with my slot starting at about 35mins.

I am sceptical over the worth of Quiet Lane designations. It just seems that they only consist of signs which I suspect most drivers ignore. Instead in Surrey we are systematically reviewing all 60 mph speed limits and reducing them to a level most drivers are already driving at.

It’s a tricky site - there are only a few dwellings down the side road and they are already likely to know of the presence of the cycle track and the possibility of either peds or cyclists passing by.

www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-tr...

The good news is that large parts of the route are due to be improved with £41.8million from Homes England.

maps.app.goo.gl/5ynhtRAKiW1n...