In the final episode of our series, we’re looking at cycling in London. Molly talks with guests Ben Cowie (London Bicycle Café) and Luis Patricio (London Cycle Link) about cycling infrastructure and the goal of a connected grid of bike lanes for all ages and abilities.

We also discuss the surge in cycling during the pandemic; the City of London’s declaration of a climate emergency and the bicycle’s role in mitigating climate change; and cycling goals and visions beyond infrastructure.

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Ben Cowie standing outside the London Bicycle Cafe. Ben Cowie (right) owner of London Bicycle Cafe.
Luis Patricio standing for a photo Luis Patricio, board chair for London Cycle Link
Ben Cowie speaking at an event at the London BIcycle Cafe. Ben Cowie speaking at the London Bicycle Cafe.
Four people in the Squeaky Wheel fixing bikes. Fixing bikes at the Squeaky Wheel.
Yellow Bicycle book in a pile on a shelf. Luis translated the children's book Yellow Bicycle from Portugese to English.
Cyclists sharing the road with cars Cyclists in the bike lane sharing the road with cars.
Designated bike lane along King St. Designated bike lane along King St.

Links Mentioned in the Episode

  • Global News - “London cycling advisory committee report sparks discussion of effectiveness of advisory committees.” An article regarding London’s cycling advisory committee.
  • London Bicycle Cafe - London Ontario Frostbike Facebook Group.
  • Pillar Nonprofit Network - They support nonprofits, social enterprises and social innovators by sharing resources, exchanging knowledge and creating meaningful connections across the three pillars of nonprofit, business and government.
  • United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs - United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
  • Yellow Bicycle - A children’s book about cycling and bike friendly cities. The book was written by Igor Colares and translated from Portugese to English by Luis Patricio.
  • London Cycle Link - A non-profit with a mission to help Londoners ride more. They do this by building confidence, advocating for safe streets, and developing a thriving cycling culture.
  • London Cycle Link - Squeaky Wheel Bike Co-op is a community self-serve bike repair shop that is operated through London Cycle Link. It is a volunteer and is welcoming and accessible to everyone.
  • London Cycle Link - Women, Trans, Femme Bike Fix is a series of bike workshops for woman, trans, femme, non-binary, or two-spirit folk.
  • Outside - “The Pandemic Bike Boom is Here to Stay.” An article about how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted activity rates and cycling.
  • City of London Cycling Advisory Committee - The Cycling Master Plan Review that was proposed to the City of London.
  • Harvard University - Information on Ben Cowie’s academic career.
  • Dandyhorse Magazine - The only female-focused, arts and advocacy bike magazine.
  • London Bicycle Cafe - A full service transportation hub and cafe, featuring city bikes, cargo bikes, and electric bikes from North America, Europe, and Asia.
  • City of London - Information regarding the Cycling Advisory Committee
  • London Bicycle Cafe - Events page.
  • New Hope Community Bikes - Community bike shop in Hamilton, Ontario.
  • Bike Anjo - A community of passionate cyclists who voluntarily help out new cyclists.
  • The City of London - Information on the City’s cycling infrastructure.
  • Big Bike Giveaway - A non-profit that collects and repairs bicycles and to give them away for free on one day each year. The goal of the program is to get as many people on bikes as possible and to encourage healthier lifestyles in the community.
  • Bicycle Mayor of London, Ontario - The Bicycle Mayor will accelerate London’s approach to cycling and help London reach the goal of having 50% of all city trips taken by bike by 2030.
  • Western Active Transportation Society - A multidisciplinary group of faculty, staff, and students at Western University who are passionate about researching and promoting safe cycling and walking as a means of transportation.
  • City of London - Photos of the Richmond Street underpass murals.
  • London Cycle Link - Glow Ride Event information.
  • The City Fix - “More Bicycles, Slower Speeds, a More Livable City: Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo Plans an Ambitious Second Term.” An article on Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s plans to turn Paris into a bicycle city.
  • The City of London - Information on the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP).
  • City of London - London’s Climate Emergency Declaration.
  • NASA - “The Effects of Climate Change.”
  • Science Daily - “Fossil fuels increasingly offer a poor return on energy investment”
  • The City of London - Vision Zero Principles.
  • Wikipedia - A list of bike sharing programs around the world (including Canada).
  • CTV - “COVID-19 parks London’s bike sharing and e-scooter plans until April.” An article written about London’s bike-sharing and e-scooter plans.
  • P.L. Jacobson - “Safety in numbers: more walkers and bicyclists, safer walking and bicycling.” A research article showing that more cyclists actually decrease the number of collisions.
  • Statistics Canada - Canadian 2016 census with information on the number of cyclists in each city.
  • City of London - Dundas flex street in London, Ontario.
  • CBC - “London averages 138 reported crashes between cyclists and vehicles per year: PhD candidate.” An article about Rebecca Henderson’s research on bicycle and motor vehicle collisions in London, Ontario.
  • Twitter - The City of London’s tweet regarding lowering speed limits on roads with high levels of pedestrian and cycling activity.

Additional Resources

  • The City of London - Map of cycling paths in London, Ontario.
  • Not Just Bikes - “Why Canadians Can't Bike in the Winter (but Finnish people can)” A video comparing winter cycling in Canadian cities.
  • Daniel Hall - “We Can All Enjoy the Journey.” An article written by Dan Hall, a London resident and previous Executive Director of London Cycle Link, on why he chose to live car-free.
  • London Cycle Link - Helpful tips and resources to launch your biking commute.

The theme music is courtesy of ArchesAudio.com

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