Campaigns page archive

This page is for reference and provides information about our past campaigning.

Bike Week Events (June 2013)
Two events organised by Wheelrights in the June 2011 Bike Week are of particular note. (The description of the mass ride below applies almost equally to its repeat on 15 June 2013.)

Mass cycle ride
"U2 can cycle" on cyclist's back. Passing motorists
could read this.
Some 25 cyclists assembled at Blackpill on 18 June for a mass ride through Swansea City Centre to sell the idea of the bicycle as an alternative to the car, and to highlight the other benefits of cycling: health, fun, etc. We were pleased that Byron Davies, the local Conservative AM and shadow Transport Minister joined the ride and said a few words of encouragement when we reached Castle Square.

The pelaton is heading east on Mumbles Road.

Pelaton on Mumbles Road.

Commuter Challenge (2011)
The Challengers. Six different types of "commuter" set off at 8.15am precisely on 22 June from the car park near the Commercial in Gowerton to travel to Castle Square. Three were on bicycles, one on a kick-bike, one each travelling by car, bus and train, and two on foot - runners. The object was to compare the times taken.

The event was great success. The sun shone. Geoff and Veronica Wood were in Castle Square to check the challengers in and record their times. An Evening Post photographer was there together with Chris Peregrine of that newspaper who interviewed the challengers and produced a comprehensive report of the event in the 24 June edition.
The picture below shows Chris trying out Rob's kick bike in Castle Square. The times taken by the challengers starting with the first home are as follows.
Chris tries the kick-bike. Claudine Conway (cyclist)
Rob Wachowski (kick bike)
Alison Sandy (cyclist)
Mark Roberts (runner)
David Naylor (cyclist)
Nick Guy (car)
Chris Allton (runner)
Colin Fielder (train)
Mike Lewis (bus)
23 min.
25 min.
27 min.
31 min.
31 min.
34 min.
37 min.
37 min.
40 min.
Some qualifications are needed in comparing these times. Apart from the car and the train the challengers were free to choose their own route. All except David chose direct routes between 5 and 6 miles which because of Swansea's topography were far from flat. David followed NCR 4 down the Clyne Valley and round the coast thereby avoiding the hills but adding 2 miles to the journey. Colin's 40 min. train journey should have perhaps 10 minutes knocked off it to make the comparison fair as its scheduled departure from Gowerton was 21 minutes after the start time. He did however take a bike with him thus saving time at the finish. Mike's bus journey on the other hand was completely fair as the scheduled departure time was only 2 minutes after the start. But unlike the train the bus was late.

What stands out is the clear message which this challenge conveys: self powered transport - in particular the bicycle - is quicker in the rush hour than powered transport. It is of course cheaper and has the other advantages of providing exercise, relieving stress and reducing CO2 emissions.

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Page updated on 24 August 2014.