Spokes - useful documents
Please report any broken links - or suggest new documents - to Mike Simpson, Network Co-ordinator at mike.simpson@networks.nhs.uk
Well@Work (Newham) and Cycling (Word, 252KB)
Areport on a two-year scheme to promote workplace health in three NHS Trusts in Newham, London. This includes information on cycling provision included in the scheme with a detailed look at a series of lunchtime bike maintenance workshops.
Take action on active travel - Why a shift from car-dominated transport policy would benefit public health (PDF, 508KB)
For the first time, the UK’s leading organisations working on all areas of public health, including those who shape the environment we live in, have come together to give government their expert views on active travel and health. Organisations include: Association of Directors of Public Health, British Heart Foundation, British Medical Association, CTC the national cyclists’ organisation, Cycling England, Faculty of Public Health, Living Streets, Royal Institute of Public Health, Royal Society of Medicine, Royal College of Nursing, Sustainable Development Commission, Sustrans, UK Public Health Association.
The Essential Guide to Travel Planning (PDF, 1.1MB)
Publishing by the DfT and the National Business Travel Network in March 2008, this includes a useful chapter on cycling.
Sustainable travel campaigns calendar 2008 (Word, 124KB)
Compiled by ACTTravelwise, this has dates and relevant websites for all days/weeks relating to sustainable travel campaigns, including bicycle promotion.
Department for Transport - Traffic Advisory Leaflets (external link)
A range of DfT leaflets published in 2004 and 2005. Some are available as PDFs, others are online verisons of the leaflet text. Includes 'Key Elements of Cycle Parking Provision', 'Monitoring Local Cycle Use', 'Contraflow Cycling' and 'Cycling in Pedestrian Areas'.
Cycling and Health: Whats the Evidence? (PDF, 3.6MB)
Cycling England report, October 2007, by Nick Cavill and Dr Adrian Davis. Examines the importance of physical activity for public health, evidence for the specific health effects of cycling, risks of cycling and wide benefits attributable to cycling.
Making personal travel planning work (PDF, 994KB)
DfT report on Personal Travel Planning (PTP), a technique that delivers information, incentives and motivation to individuals to help them voluntarily make sustainable travel choices. Outlines the scope and benefits of the PTP process and the growing evidence base on the effectiveness of this relatively new area of travel management, drawing on the UK experience to date.
Valuing the Benefits of Cycling (PDF, 533KB)
Cycling England report on the health and economic benefits of promoting cycling, including the calculation that everyone who cycles regularly saves the NHS £28.30 a year. Also available as an executive summary (PDF, 81KB)
The Case for Cycling (Word, 71KB)
Paper from Cycling England laying out the benefiots of actively promoting cycling.
PCT pool bikes in Nottingham (Word, 36KB)
Press release from Nottingham City PCT, August 2007, on establishing a pool bikes scheme.
Cycle Shelter NHS Dumfries (Word, 26KB)
Brief report by Spokes member Richard Smith on how NHS Dumfries and Galloway went about providing a new secure bike shelter at its Trust HQ. See also the Press release (Word, 722KB). August 2007.
Unfit for Purpose: How Car Use Fuels Climate Change and Obesity (PDF, 825KB)
Report by the Institute for European Environmental Policy, August 2007
House of Commons Health Committee: Report on Obesity, May 2004 (PDF, 880KB)
"If the Government were to achieve its target of trebling cycling in the period 2000-2010 (and there are very few signs that it will) that might achieve more in the fight against obesity than any individual measure we recommend within this report."
Cycle training: you can teach old dogs new tricks (Word, 28KB)
Spokes member Val Armstrong took a CTC course and tells us what was involved.
Correcting Myths about Cycling (Word, 39KB)
A short paper by Malcolm Wardlaw examining perceptions and reality of cyling dangers.
Healthy Futures no.5: Sustainable Transport and Active Travel (PDF, 3.0B)
Part of a series that explores the NHS contribution to sustainable development. It suggests that the NHS can lead by example and encourage staff and visitors to get out of cars and onto bikes and public transport. In doing so, they will be rewarded with a healthier population. Published by the Sustainable Development Commission in February 2007.
Workplace cycle parking guide (PDF, 452KB)
Excellent, detailed guide to the pros and cons of all forms of cycle parking, published by Transport for London (TfL). Includes case studies, useful contacts, diagrams and information. For hard copies (free to London employers), contact Tim Carter, Workplace Travel Planning Relationship Manager, timcarter@tfl.gov.uk
London NHS Travel Plan Network Conference 2006 (Word, 27KB)
A short report by the Spokes co-ordinator on this half-day conference, held in November 2006. Presentations from the conference are available on the Register page of the London NHS Travel Plan Network.
Physical activity and the built environment (PDF, 264KB)
Briefing document published by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) in October 2006 - highlights opportunities for using the built environment (our streets and neighbourhoods, our parks and our workplaces) to reduce the burden on our health service.
Assessing the actual risks faced by cyclists (PDF, 204KB)
A useful article published in the December 2002 issue of Traffic Engineering and Control. Reproduced with the permission of the author, Malcom Wardlaw BSc MBA.
Transport interventions promoting safe cycling and walking (external link)
A new evidence briefing published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) aims to answer two related research questions: What transport interventions are effective in increasing active travel, specifically walking and cycling? And what transport interventions are effective in increasing the safety of walking and cycling? The briefing is intended to inform policy makers and decision-makers within the NHS, local government and central government, including public health practitioners and the wider public health workforce employed in many different fields – transport, planning, economic development, environmental health and education.
Central Manchester PCT milage paper (Word, 33KB)
This paper was presented to the PCT Chief Executive at a meeting of the CMPCT Bicycle Users Group, outlining the case for increasingly the cycling mileage rate to 20p/mile. The presentation was successful
Environmental Audit Committee Report - extract (Word, KB)
Government report on Reducing Carbon Emissions from Transport, published August 2006. These two paragraphs refer to cycling and include some useful statistics. The full (very long) report is available here (PDF, 549KB).