Enabling cycling will help Colchester tackle its challenges of pollution, congestion and unhealthy lifestyles.
Comprehensive, convenient and connected cycling infrastructure enables people to cycle as the safe, natural choice for a large proportion of everyday journeys. This frees up road space for essential journeys that support the town’s economy.
What is the Colchester Cycling Charter?
The cycling charter is a simple statement of support for everyday cycling as the means of making Colchester a better town.
It outlines the benefits cycling can bring to our town and is something that businesses, schools, the health sector, shops and individuals can readily support.
What are we trying to achieve with the charter?
The charter enables organisations and individuals across the town to express their support for everyday cycling, showing they understand that cycling is good for business, good for our health, good for the economy and builds a better town for us to live in.
Charter signatories demonstrate to Colchester and Essex’s leaders that there is wide support for cycling and a growing consensus for investment in better cycling infrastructure.
Why doesn’t the charter talk about segregated infrastructure, reducing traffic, filtered permeability and other cycling infrastructure solutions?
The charter is about the principle of enabling cycling rather than specific road design solutions.
The wording deliberately stays away from stating specific design or policy measures that will encourage people to cycle (eg, segregated paths). These design discussions will come later when we engage with council officers and councillors.
Is the charter just for businesses or can individuals support it too?
Individuals are encouraged to support the charter.
The charter was created to enable organisations to show their support for cycling. Organisations can include businesses large and small, shops, schools, colleges, health practices, gyms, churches, youth clubs and the emergency services.
By signing the charter are organisations showing support for Colchester Cycling Campaign?
No. We recognise that many organisations will be happy to support a call for better cycling provision without needing to align themselves with the cycling campaign.
Will the organisations that support the charter be made public?
Yes. The purpose is to enable organisations to visibly support the charter’s aims. Organisations may also wish to issue a press release and tweet to express their support for the charter.
The charter will echo many organisations’ sustainability policies and we anticipate most organisations will welcome the opportunity to publicly support this initiative.
How do organisations and individuals indicate their support for the charter?
There are three ways:
1. Online: use the links on this page to register your support for the charter.
2. Verbally: Speak to the person who brought the charter to your attention and indicate your support. They will then register this on the website.
3. Go public: draft a press release indicating your organisation’s support for the charter. Some suggested wording for a press release can be found here. Tweet out your support by including #ColchesterCyclingCharter or @CampaignCycling if you want to include Colchester Cycling Campaign. Quotes and copy for press releases can be made available by emailing info@colchestercyclingcharter.org.uk or using examples from here.
How will the support for the charter be publicised?
As organisations indicate their support for the charter this will be shared through social and other media. There may be charter events to create newsworthy interest in the growing support for the charter. To express our thanks for your support we may occasionally quote your organisation as a signatory and use your logo, asking for permission each time. Let us know via info@colchestercyclingcharter.org.uk if you’d rather we didn’t do this.
Is the cycling charter underpinned by research and facts?
Yes. The supporting research and council/government strategies are summarised in the links below.
What will this achieve?
Enabling cycling will help Colchester tackle its challenges of pollution, congestion and unhealthy lifestyles.
A comprehensive, convenient and connected network of cycle infrastructure enables people to choose cycling as the safe, natural mode for many everyday journeys. This frees up road space for other journeys that support the town’s economy.
Supporting documents
Briefing document for organisations with supporting evidence
What else can I do as an employer to support cycling?
Consider signing up as a Cycle Friendly Employer through Cycling UK, the national cycling charity.