From April to July 2013, a team of British riders cycled from Portland, Oregon to Portland Place, London - studying how cities are coping with the increasing interest in the bicycle as a credible form of urban transport.
The Group's research has provided comparative data, exciting ideas and interesting solutions that have been summarised and published and circulated to MPs and the Mayor of London.
NEWS: Full Report Published 10 December 2013: Peter Murray has delivered the Portland to Portland report to the Mayor of London
Our team captain Peter Murray launches The Golding Rule in honour of Francis Golding who was recently killed in a cycling accident in central London. 'Yield to the most vulnerable on the road'. Photo by Grant Smith
From April to July 2013, a team of British riders cycled from Portland, Oregon to Portland Place, London - studying how cities are coping with the increasing interest in the bicycle as a credible form of urban transport.
All the riders are involved with architecture, property and planning and called on the support of fellow professionals en route to help collect and verify data from the different cities they rode through. Riders in the USA, Ireland, Wales and England joined the core group for short periods.
The riders collected background data for the major cities they passed through, including how they are providing facilities and infrastructure for cycling. We then rode through the cities to experience cycling facilities directly, and talking to the local architects, cyclists and policy makers who came out to meet us and gave interviews.
We elected to start in Portland because it is a cycling city - and voted America’s most liveable city. We looked at the cyclization of Portland, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York, Bristol, Oxford and London. Training rides to Freiburg, Copenhagen and Rotterdam provided base line experience to help shape the research and make it manageable for long distance cyclists.
Our research has provided comparative data, exciting ideas and interesting solutions which we hope will assist politicians and planners in instituting improved cycling conditions in cities around the world. Our findings and recommendations have been summarised and published and circulated to MPs, and they are now being studied by London’s Mayor.
We have also raised considerable sums – over £130,000 - money for two charities: Article 25 and The Architects Benevolent Society.
A cyclized city is a civilized city; a cyclized city is a sustainable city.
Peter Murray
“This is a stonking charity initiative, combining a love of cycling with an ambition to know more about how the beloved bicycle is fast becoming a credible form of urban transport in cities around the world. I wish them good luck and a comfortable saddle on their tour."
Boris Johnson, Mayor of London
"The ride will give the team an excellent opportunity to experience different cities’ approaches to sustainability including cycling and cyclists and to engage with local policy-makers. I hope it will be truly interesting and enjoyable. The journey will take the cyclists through some of the best planned cities from Portland, USA to London, UK. These cities all aim at sustainable and environmental strategies to contain growth, encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport. I look forward to joining the ride in London."
Lord Rogers
“We know that a relatively dense, compact urban form is far more energy efficient than suburbs that sprawl. We also know that cities where you can walk or cycle, rather than drive, where there are generous public spaces and amenities close at hand, are more congenial places in which to cycle. Cycling is one of my great passions – particularly with a group of friends. I wish Peter and the group the best of luck and will be following their progress with a touch of envy – who knows, I hope to join the peloton along the way.”
Lord Foster
From April to July 2013, a team of British riders cycled from Portland, Oregon to Portland Place, London - studying how cities are coping with the increasing interest in the bicycle as a credible form of urban transport.
“This is a stonking charity initiative, combining a love of cycling with an ambition to know more about how the beloved bicycle is fast becoming a credible form of urban transport in cities around the world. I wish them good luck and a comfortable saddle on their tour."
"The ride will give the team an excellent opportunity to experience different cities’ approaches to sustainability including cycling and cyclists and to engage with local policy-makers. I hope it will be truly interesting and enjoyable. The journey will take the cyclists through some of the best planned cities from Portland, USA to London, UK. These cities all aim at sustainable and environmental strategies to contain growth, encourage walking, cycling and the use of public transport. I look forward to joining the ride in London."
“We know that a relatively dense, compact urban form is far more energy efficient than suburbs that sprawl. We also know that cities where you can walk or cycle, rather than drive, where there are generous public spaces and amenities close at hand, are more congenial places in which to cycle. Cycling is one of my great passions – particularly with a group of friends. I wish Peter and the group the best of luck and will be following their progress with a touch of envy – who knows, I hope to join the peloton along the way.”
