A Billion for Bikes - That's What We're Asking For

What motivates you to get out on your bike? Is it the adrenaline of reaching new speeds, and pure enjoyment of rushing through the outdoors? Or is it for your personal health? If you’re on your bike to to avoid traffic jams, to reach places cars can’t go, or whatever reason it is, we agree; it’s a good idea.

The BC Cycling Coalition agrees with all of the reasons you love biking. We enjoy all of them too. We’re now asking people to expand the conversation of why biking is awesome, and to support cycling for a reason that perhaps you haven’t considered much before. The coalition is currently working on a campaign, asking the government of BC to expand cycling infrastructure and education to enable all people the ability to walk or cycle for daily trips. This means building separated bike lanes, and connecting bike networks for accessing work, community centres, nature, and cross-city trips. If there were paved routes connecting to your favourite trails, would you consider riding to your weekend adventures instead of throwing your bike into the back of a truck? Do you ever take your wheels to the streets to get to work, as well as rip through trails? We want to see older adults, young children, and everyone in between be able to cycle if they want to. We know that if the structures are built, the number of trips taken and distances covered grow. In the City of Vancouver alone, a 16% increase in cycling was seen in the past year.


We know cycling is popular. Almost 70% of adults in BC ride a bicycle at least once a year, 42% at least once a month and 25% at least once a week. We also know that many people want to cycle more. Around 65% of people have indicated they would ride more if there were separated bike lanes that protected them from traffic. In a world that is facing a possible global climate of 2.7 degree above pre-industrial levels, making daily choices, like how we get around, hold significance beyond our personal existence. Decisions such as how we get to work will later affect the terrain and routes we love biking through. We all want to continue to bike through nature, and enjoy the outdoors. We’re here to say that biking more now will help you keep those experiences in the future, and we want the tools to do this safely. Supporting research shows that increasing trips made by bicycle by 16% could reduce global emissions by 300 megatons of CO2 emissions, and 24 trillion dollars. Full Report We’re asking for this commitment from the Provincial government now because BC, and many other provinces in Canada are working on plans outlying how climate targets will be met. Cycling and walking needs to be in these plans because it will allow us to reach the goals that we need to hit within an appropriate budget and timeline.

The BCCC has submitted a full recommendation to the Climate Leadership team, and has presented to the budget consultation process in BC. We are being heard too. Change is possible, but we need to work hard and together for actions to result. Join us in helping enable everyone to cycle or walk for their daily needs by supporting the Billion for Bikes campaign, and by starting the conversation in your own communities. We want to see expanded cycling networks to create greater access to nature, and increase the number trips taken by bike by a greater number of people. Perhaps how you get around, or why you get on your bike at all will hold a different meaning for you moving forward.

To support the campaign, you can visit bccycling.ca/everyone and sign the petition.

For more information about biking and climate change, visit here.

To learn more about the Provincial process in BC, visit here.

---

MENTIONS: @JenniferVallee

---