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27th July 2022 – We can all dream right? On seeing the rapturous welcome that Jonas Vingegaard has just received on his return home to Denmark after his victory in the thoroughly captivating and tremendously exciting Le Tour de France, with thousands and thousands taking to the streets of Copenhagen to celebrate, we were reminded of the inspiring and thought-provoking vision one of our founders previously gave of what could happen here in the near future.

What if the MANY long overdue, desperately needed, repeatedly promised (by successive Administrations) infrastructure connections and improvements FINALLY made it safer, easier, more connected, more comfortable, more direct and more attractive to get around our wonderful City and Shire by bike?

What if these played a part in helping lead to a local loon or quine embarking on a journey that could lead to them to receiving a similar welcome to Jonas outside the Town House in Aberdeen or outside Inverurie Town Hall or in Saltoun Square, Fraserburgh?

The vision ‘Dreams’ was prepared and delivered by Colin Allanach at our inaugural event ‘Cycling in the North East – Moving Forward Together’ on Wednesday 26th September 2018 at the Sir Ian Wood Building, Robert Gordon University, Garthdee Road, Aberdeen. He said,

“Bear with me please and let me show you into my future. Close your eyes for a minute and I’ll take you there.

It’s a balmy sunny Sunday evening in late July 2040…

• We are all in Paris, on the Champs-Élysées watching local North East Cyclist Dr Angus Milne on the podium to pick up his third Tour de France win (He’s a got a PHD as well as cycling because he listened to his mum and dad and stuck in a school as well as his cycling).

• In his acceptance speech Angus thanks his coaches at Deeside Thistle that got him started, he thanks his Pro team members from “Pedal Power Cycle Centre Inverurie”.  He thanks the vision of Aberdeen City for building the Neil Fachie Velodrome at The Aberdeen Sports Village where he spent hours honing his sprint skills.  He thanks Aberdeenshire Council for building the cycle race centre at Thainstone where he spent evenings and weekends with teammates learning road racing skills.

• While we listen to the speeches, we can’t believe that only three short weeks ago we watched ‘Le Tour’ start its Prologue Time Trial on the AWPR route.  An event described by the international cycling press as “the best cycling event ever” 

A lot has happened in recent years.

• The announcement that Durris Hill is to be extended upwards to make the biggest mountain to sea off-road downhill track in Europe.
• The five arterial routes from the shire main towns of Ellon, Inverurie, Westhill, Banchory and Stonehaven linking to and from Aberdeen city have been a huge success. The City centre closure of roads at weekends has opened up the city to throngs of cyclists each weekend guzzling cake and coffee in huge amounts.  For the first time in many a year, the city centre is alive.
• Robert Gordon University and Aberdeen University have been awarded a 100milion pound grant to continue their research into the beneficial effects on depression and mental health issues by “going for a ride on your bike”.
• The region has just won the Eco-Tourism Awards again for the Cycle Castle Tours, the Cycle Distillery Tours and Cycle Beach Tours. 
• The 40-mph speed limit restrictions of the Shire’s unclassified roads introduced way back in 2022 has dramatically reduced the number of car/ lorry related incidents on our back roads.
• Who could have believed that the school attainment figures just broadcast have rocketed since the one-mile car school exclusion zones have been put in place and the “safe route to school” paths have been extended throughout the City and Shire?
• And just today was the announcement in the Press & Journal that the Respiratory Unit at ARI is closing down: not because of lack of Doctor’s but because of lack of patients.  And this is likely to be followed closely by closure of the Obesity Clinics.
• And finally, Colin Allanach came out of retirement and finally nailed that sub 1 hour, 25-mile Time trial.

Ok, you can open your eyes now.

It may be fantasy (especially the last bit) but we have to do something to move forward and it’s clear the current setup isn’t working.  How do we get from where we are now to a point where at least we have clear communication of planned developments throughout the region?”

Editor’s Note 1: The photo of Angus (back then) is reproduced here with kind permission of his Mummy and Daddy. Angus is a lot bigger and noisier now and, unsurprisingly, loves riding his bike!

Editor’s Note 2: for those of you who know him well, I can confirm that this is the first time Colin, inspiring and thought-provoking have been uttered in the same sentence!

Had the absolute pleasure yesterday evening of listening to the Guinness Book of World Records holder Josh Quigley deliver a captivating and remarkable address, during which, in addition to speaking about the detail behind his attempts on the record itself, he so honestly and openly shared some of the life events that have helped shape him.

Josh – hats off to you.

Not just for the Herculean physical achievement of cycling the world record distance of 2179 miles in those seven days.

Not just for the tremendous willpower and astounding mental fortitude and prowess in succeeding in that goal having had so little sleep throughout and so few hours actually ‘off the bike’.

Not just for pushing yourself to achieve so much in your younger years and consistently still wanting to better yourself, learn and develop.

Not just for recovering, in astonishingly quick time, from catastrophic crashes and some terrible injuries in the USA and subsequently in Dubai.

Not just for having the ambition, drive and target of making a name for yourself in professional cycle racing, getting a contract with a world tour team and of being the first Scottish winner of Le Maillot Jaune.

Hats off to you Josh for picking yourself up from some really tough times, for picking yourself up and making it through some very dark days during which you were at your lowest of lows.

Hats off to you for making your way through adversity, through heartbreak, despair and depression and for so ferociously exploding out onto the positive side of life.

Hats off to you for striving to achieve goals that very, very few people would even contemplate. 

Hats off to you for showing to any and all of us that, if we apply ourselves and put our mind to something, then there’s no reason whatsoever why we can’t try whatever we want to.  Whether we succeed with our goal or not is, in the grand scheme of things, not all that important.   The much more important thing to bear in mind is, as you said, that we tried.

Hats off to you for being able to speak about all of your experiences so candidly.  I have little doubt that your attitude, your example and your experience can and will help others going through their own tough times and dark days. It very probably already is.

Hats off to you for making your friends and family, and us as complete strangers, so incredibly proud of you. I’m sure your Dad is still watching over you and would undoubtedly be bursting with pride.

Speaking as a Dad and a Grandad, I expect that, while he’d congratulate you on your GWR and your incredible efforts on the bike, he’d tell you that what makes him most proud is that you’ve got yourself safely through those dark days and how you have become the determined young man that you are.

I look forward to the next instalment of ‘The Josh Story’ and wish you all the very, very best with whatever it is that you do. Whether or not you get that Pro racing contract, whether or not you even enter Le Tour, let alone whether or not you become the first Scot to win the blooming thing! Even whether or not you finally get that bike around the world!

Hats off to you Josh ‘cos you’ll be more than willing to have a damn good go at whatever you can and try!

JB

GCP Committee

Well, Tour of Britain you most definitely didn’t disappoint.  What a simply fantastic day!  

Wonderful to see, at such close quarters, the world class peloton snaking through OUR roads and OUR communities.  So great to see so many people out by the roadside cheering on the riders as they passed.  A carnival atmosphere that all of us GCP HQ had been looking forward to for such a long time.

Thank you to the riders and support teams.  We hope you enjoyed the challenge and riding some of the best roads that the UK has to offer (note: we’re unashamedly biased but the preceding comment is a fact*).

Thank you to all those marshals, volunteers, events teams and emergency services for ensuring the spectacle passed safely without adverse incident. And a big thanks to all those who staffed the stalls and the events at Stonehaven, Aberdeen Beach. Great to see so many smiling faces!

Thank you to all those who cheered them all along the route at the roadside. We appreciate many of you had travelled some distance. Please do come back and visit us, make sure to take your bikes and enjoy #aberdeenshire for yourselves (ps #moray is fab too!).

We simply cannot wait until the Grand Depart for Tour of Britain 2022.  Let’s make sure we give the riders a spectacular send-off then.

Special mention to @Team Jumbo Visma who made young Xander Graham the true star of the day (sorry Wout!).  A tremendous gesture which he, his family and friends will never forget.

In the interim, we have a simple message to the decision makers within @aberdeencc and @aberdeenshirecouncil who collectively secured the agreement with Sweetspot to bring the ToB to the north east for two years… please can we build on this success story and, at long last, begin to create a legacy from it, where young boys and girls just like Xander, can go enjoy riding their bikes without their parents worrying about their safety while on the roads.

The sad reality is that Aberdeen, in particular, remains a hostile place in which to cycle around in.  Most regular riders become hardened or are confident riders.  They need to be to continue to use the city’s roads.  However, they still worry about their vulnerability and can often be scared by a near-miss or a careless or dangerous man oeuvre by a motorist.  Unfortunately, we struggle to persuade many we know to join us on a bike in the city because they do not feel safe. Quite how, in this environment, we can get more people to consider cycling regularly remains to be seen.

This needs to change for so many reasons;

How we travel across and around our city has never been so important – other cities and towns in Scotland/UK are (long before the pandemic) making bold, creative and significant change to their roads so that (walking and) cycling can rightly become the most important forms of travel for so many. Meanwhile, in Aberdeen, the car/motor vehicle continues to be ‘King’.

Our physical and psychological well-being can drastically be improved by a bike ride.  Going for a ride regularly is not only very good for you and can quickly improve your basic level of fitness, it can make you far less susceptible to many serious illnesses and health conditions.  All these points are well-evidenced worldwide.

We remain in the midst of some tough economic times.  Contrary to what some think, catering properly for walking and cycling can provide better support for our local businesses, many of whom are struggling, than the car/motor vehicle. Cycling in itself does not harm businesses. This is also well-evidenced repeatedly elsewhere.

Lastly, our local natural environment, let alone that further afield, simply cannot cope with our over-reliance on so many, often short, car journeys, some of which could be replaced with walking, cycling and/or public transport.  The positive impact on air and noise pollution that cycling makes, in stark contrast to the damage that motor vehicles do, cannot be overstated.

We accept and acknowledge cycling is not for everyone and is not the answer on its own.  However, we think it is perfectly clear that cycling could play a major part in the solution to many of the problems we face in respect of our transport and travel, our general physical activity and wellbeing and improve the natural environment.  

Councillors, please let’s give it a go… for all these reasons but also for our next generation.  For all the budding north east boys and girls, just like Xander. They deserve more than offered by the status quo, so much more.

GCP remain determined to proactively work with our councils, and anyone else interested in improving the case for change that so clearly exists here.  If anyone wants to help or have any queries, please drop us a line at info@grampiancyclepartnership.org.

GCP Committee

*Ok, so this bit is maybe not a fact, but we think it should be…

A new handbook, compiled by cyclists for cyclists, has been published to highlight best-practice cycling behaviours.

Grampian Cycle Partnership are pleased to launch ‘The Good Cycling Guide’. The group are a voluntary organisation that encourage, promote and support all forms of cycling across the North East. With an extraordinary uptake of cycling over the past year or so, it aims to remind cyclists of their responsibilities while riding.

While many guides for cycling exist, the GCP Good Cycling Guide gathers a wealth of information with a local approach. From guidance on road cycling, shared-use paths and zones, to mountain biking and overtaking horses; many of which are common situations across the diverse North East routes.

The guide allows current cyclists to refresh themselves of some of the fundamental advice that they should be following. There are also tips and encouragement for those looking to begin, or resume, pedalling. It’s also a worthwhile read for other non-cycling road users, giving a better understanding of cycling positioning and dispelling common misbeliefs.

Tom Collier, Chair of Grampian Cycle Partnership said, “Cycling is one of the most enjoyable and healthy activities that you can do. There is overwhelming evidence that cycling can improve both your physical and mental wellbeing while being so much better for our wider environment.  

“Too often we hear of negative cycling interactions; either driver versus cyclist arguments, or drivers/riders showing a lack of consideration for others and safety. This can be hugely off-putting to someone wanting to ride a bike. We need to change that. We hope this guide will encourage more people to consider cycling but importantly, to do so responsibly and safely.”

Councillor Sandra Macdonald, Chair of Nestrans, the North East Regional Transport Partnership, and Aberdeen City Council transport spokesperson added, “There has been a fantastic increase in the number of cyclists across the North East – with levels among the highest recorded. With more of us sharing the road, I hope that the guide will reinforce positive cycling behaviour and give cyclists confidence in their actions. By riding safely, looking out for others, and showing courtesy and consideration, cyclists can play their part in keeping our roads and paths safe and enjoyable places to ride.”

Police Scotland’s North Area Commander for Road Policing, Chief Inspector Neil Lumsden said, ““We are pleased to support the good cycling guide and encourage cyclists and other road users to take the time to read the guide along with the Highway Code. Cycling has clear health benefits and is an environmentally friendly way to explore our built up areas and countryside.  Improving your knowledge and understanding of how to safely use and share our roads and cycle paths will assist in making our roads safer for everyone.” 

Above all else, cyclists are being urged to follow the Highway Code and, if venturing off-road, to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.

The Good Cycling Guide can be found here; https://www.grampiancyclepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/GCP_Good_Cycling_Guide_FINAL_09.08.2021.pdf

A print-friendly version, containing all the links referenced, can be found here; https://www.grampiancyclepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Extra_Links_GCP_Good_Cycling_Guide_FINAL_09.08.2021.pdf

GCP are grateful to the following organisations for their support in publishing the guide; Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Cycle Law Scotland, Home Energy Scotland North East, Nestrans, NHS Grampian, Pedal Power Cycle Centre Inverurie, Police Scotland (both North East Police Division and Road Policing), Robert Gordon University and Stagecoach Bluebird.

Season’s Greetings to all our partners, friends & families.2020 has been a year unlike any other, testing our resilience over and over. For many of you, for many reasons, I expect it has been a year that you’d like to forget.

My thoughts are with everyone, particularly those who have been hardest hit by this year’s events, as we approach the festive period.

The GCP committee and I have taken some solace from the fact that whilst we all went through significant upheaval this year, we thankfully still had cycling and our bikes to help get us through. What’s more, 2020 has seen the active travel debate intensify like never before, with more and more conversations about the many, many benefits that cycling brings; both to us and to our communities.

In 2021, we will continue to play our part in encouraging, promoting and supporting cycling, and all those interested in cycling, across the North East.Whilst 2020 clearly hasn’t been the year we would have hoped for with regards to cycle sport, leisure trips, events, sportives and cycle tourism, we have been delighted to see so many people discovering (and rediscovering) cycling and plan on supporting this throughout 2021 so that even more can join them.

I hope you can manage to enjoy what remains of 2020, and whilst 2021 looks like it will take some time to get itself fully up and running, that I can see you on the road, track or trails sometime soon.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Thank you very much for your continued support!

Happy and Safe Cycling!

Tom Collier, Chair, Grampian Cycle Partnership