Cycling

Cycling is one of the most sustainable modes of personal transport. Not only is it a cheap and zero emission mode of travel, but cycling offers substantial health benefits too. Regular cyclists enjoy a fitness level equal to that of a person ten years younger.

Requiring much less space than their motorised counterparts - both on the road and in terms of parking, they are extremely effective at reducing traffic and easing congestion, and in the rush hour cyclist is often the fastest mode of transport for commuting short distances.

With two thirds of car journeys being under 3 miles there's plenty of scope for traffic reduction. A three mile journey will typically take an average cyclist around 15 - 20 minutes. Not only does cycling burn somewhere in the region of 300 calories an hour but it can also have positive effects on how we feel.

Herefordshire Council aims to promote cycling and our Cycling Strategy is summarised in the Local Transport Plan in the Policy section. Our existing facilities are shown on our cycling maps (see links below). As part of that we have a list of schemes for future network development - these are summarised on the Schemes page and are divided between City and Rural schemes.

Herefordshire's quieter country lanes offer some of the finest leisure cycling opportunities in the country and to complement this two National Cycle Network routes are being developed with Sustrans through the county. The National Byway section from Chester to Cirencester also passes through the north east of the county. For more details see the Leisure page.

Whatever your reasons for cycling - health, environmental, transport, economy, fitness or sport - remember that every cyclist is one less car on the county's roads.

Last Updated: 02 May 08,
Review Date: 20 September 2005