Campaign to make Shoreham more bike-friendly

Clive Andrews said Shoreham-by-Cycle evolved ‘quite quickly’ from online conversations to a gathering in a pub, to a campaign group with several core members, a large following on social media and a mission to put cycling on the agenda.

The 42-year-old said: “The great thing about Shoreham is that we are at the intersection of the National Cycle Route Two and the end of the Downs Link.

“It should be a great place to ride a bike and we want to make sure that it is.”

He said he was keen to target people who would not necessarily call themselves cyclists.

“We want normal people who need to take a two mile journey across Shoreham to think about cycling as an option,” he said.

“It feels like the default is to get around by car.

“There are loads of people in Shoreham who would like it to be easier to get around without one.”

The communications freelancer, who often cycles from his home in Wilmot Road, Shoreham, into Brighton, said some areas were ‘not bad’ for cycling but others were ‘really patchy’.

He said of the cycle route from the footbridge in Shoreham: “It’s not very well signed. Unless you know where you are going, it’s not very encouraging.

People end up going along the A259 which is not very pleasant. It puts people off cycling.”

He said he wanted to see ‘good quality’ solutions such as separate, segregated cycle ways.

Mr Andrews has set up meetings with decision makers at the district and county levels and said the response had been ‘really encouraging’ so far.

The issue of cycling was particularly pressing given the hundreds of homes planned in Shoreham and growing concerns around air pollution, he said.

“If you are worried about the congestion coming through central Shoreham, this is part of what can make it better,” he said.

Find out more at www.shorehambycycle.org.uk