Looking back, looking forward
Our Chair, James Diamond writes……
The year that was….
It’s that time of year to celebrate what we have achieved and look forward to more in 2025.
I will start by thanking all of the Campaign supporters who have written to a Councillor, filled in a consultation form, marshalled a Kidical Mass ride, taken a Councillor for a Ward bike ride, contributed to our Facebook, Twitter (and now Bluesky!) conversation, identified a Quick Win, turned up at a Summer Social, written to an MP, looked after our finances, responded to a planning application, written to a newspaper, scanned council meetings, reported a blocked cycle path and everything else our supporters have done in 2024.
THANK YOU, the Campaign would be nothing without your efforts and energy.
And we have achievements to celebrate. Our advocacy and feedback are clear in the now adopted Exeter Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. We asked for more and faster, but for the first time we have a plan to achieve a coherent network of safe routes and neighbourhoods in Exeter. Our task for 2025 and beyond is to help Devon County Council turn that plan into real delivery on our streets, so people of all ages and abilities can move around our City in ways that offer low cost, good health and high freedom.
All this, yet we have seen anger and disappointment surrounding the Active Streets Trial in Heavitree and Whipton. We are delighted to see the County Council and local community re-engaging through Focus Groups in November. We cross our fingers for positive progress here in 2025.
The County Council commenced the build on the brilliant active travel scheme for the E12 route between Marsh Barton -Beacon Heath on Rifford Road. We are greatly looking forward to this formally opening in Spring 2025, setting new standard for high quality safe infrastructure for all in Exeter.
After years of advocacy, support and pilots Devon County Council fully invested in ice control kit for our busiest cycle routes in 2024. This is an area where Exeter leads the Country, due in no small part to our voices asking for change and Councillors and Officers with ambition being prepared to listen. As someone with a history of broken collarbones on icy cycle routes in Exeter, this has been a gateway to opening up year-round bike commutes.
And we have seen lots of smaller wins being delivered, from barrier removal on the Exe Estuary Trail to new markings at the Plants Galore ‘blackspot’ on Topsham Road to new cycle parking- including our first on-street cargo bike stands in Heavitree and near the Quay.
The year to come…
Looking forward to 2025, we will see important County Council elections, which will shape who makes the big decisions on cycle improvement in Exeter.
We plan to see more Councillors, more often in 2025, to help them understand how more people on bikes can solve their pressing issues and deliver the ambition they have agreed for Exeter. Councillors will always be our biggest allies in delivering more safe cycling for more people.
We will need more people to do more things for the Campaign in 2025. If you could be our next Secretary or contribute to social media work, do planning responses, take a Councillor for a bike ride or help in any other way then do please email info@exetercyclingcampaign.org.uk for a chat.
And we hope to have some fun and celebratory events to bring us together to celebrate what has been achieved and make the case for more. Look out for news in the New Year.
Have a great Christmas and hopefully see some of you at the Festive KidicalMass on 14 December. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
