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The first Friday of the month is traditionally the BBUG social. Normally we meet up in the evening and have a drink at a pub within Bicester, but this month we tried something a bit different, which linked with our ongoing project to link up Bicester town with the neighbouring villages via safe, off-road, cycling routes.

If you missed the 2024 BBC prom that featured a bicycle wheel (see ) there's still time to listen again on BBC Radio 3 ( ). Or why not do what our Secretary Paul recently did, and take your own bicycle to the Royal Albert Hall to see a prom?

BBUG started delivering books for Coles on 12th June 2020, the Covid summer, as a way of helping a local business to compete with the big national companies whose model of internet shopping without the need to venture out into the dangerous world seemed so attractive. By delivering for free we could minimise the cost to Coles and their customers and at the same time demonstrate what a good tool the bike is for many day to day journeys.

If you go down the Launton Road today, you're sure of a big surprise.

The London Road level crossing in Bicester is on its way to be closed most of the time when the next phase of East West Rail (EWR) from Bicester to Bletchley and beyond becomes active.  The company responsible for the development of the line therefore wants to find alternatives to the level crossing.  So far EWR have considered a number of options, only one of which focuses on pedestrians, cyclists, mobility scooters and all the other plethora of non motorised traffic that crosses the railway at present. The sole option proposed for pedestrians and cyclists is a footbridge like that next to Garth Park (pictured below)

What is the local plan and why is it important? Short answer, very! The local plan lay out the principles of what development can take place in Cherwell, what standards it should be built to and where can be developed. This is key for cycling since the location and nature of transport connectivity will shape whether cycling is prioritised or not. Link to the review form is below

Small and independent shops in Bicester have not had it easy in recent years, the number of empty sites along Sheep Street and elsewhere in town is testament to our changing buying habits. Big out of town sites, like Tesco, and the near unstoppable growth of internet shopping has seen us turn our backs on local retailers in favour of supposedly cheaper and more convenient alternatives. This was a trend long before 2020, but the pandemic has, to a certain extent, accelerated the growth of online shopping and the number of delivery vans whizzing around our streets. But it need not be this way and and it need not be the final nail in the coffin of the high street.

The author of a comment on social media suggested that should any 'keen cyclists' be living in Bicester then they should check out BicesterBUG. Although I welcome any positive support, the idea that BicesterBUG is primarily for existing cyclists, let alone keen ones, jarred with our goal of getting more people cycling in Bicester. In fact, I could go as far to say that Bicester Bike User's Group is incorrectly named. To achieve the multitude of co-benefits that result from increase bike use in Bicester we cannot and should not limit ourselves to serving the existing 'keen cyclists'. Reduction of air pollution, noise pollution, traffic, regeneration of the town centre and improved health of residents can only happen if more people take to their bikes for journeys and that means those who currently don't cycle, at all.

I am a 38 years old woman living in Bicester for two and a half years. I don’t drive and never had a driving licence. I know, very unusual for this country. But I wasn’t born in the UK and in the ‘having a driving licence by the time you hit 18’ culture. I am originally from Turkey where there is a comprehensive and affordable public transport system, as not everyone can afford a car. After I left Turkey, I lived in Germany which also has a great public transport culture. As a result, I survived without needing to drive or having a driving licence, that was until I moved to the UK.

## So what has COVID-19 done for me...?