Cycling in Nottingham: Students on the Pedals

illustration: Christopher Paul Bradshaw
 

Once upon a time, students cycled to college because bikes were cheap and cars were expensive. Then students and their parents got richer and cars got cheaper. Campuses became choked with cars; at some campuses parking charges went up sharply, while at others, student cars were banned altogether.

Meanwhile, responding to the green imperatives, cycle lanes and parking were developed. Something else happened too – having and being seen to ride a bike became a fashion statement. Just look around, hundreds of students at the two universities are on the roads and cycle paths on MTBs, hybrids, fixies and old steel-framed racers.

Cycle parking spaces are often full. The University of Nottingham (UoN) says it has parking space for 4,650 bikes – but it can be difficult to find somewhere to lock a bike up. Meanwhile, a rentabike scheme called Ucycle has proved so successful that there are no more bikes available to hire this term.

At Nottingham Trent University (NTU), just 15 of the 200 available bikes in the autumn term were available at time of writing. At Clifton campus, the number of recorded bike journeys has increased by 23% in two years. This year, NTU has opened a BikeHub, offering cycle repairs and maintenance, under the Student Union building at the city campus.

So why are Nottingham students riding bikes? LeftLion put such questions to five regular cyclists from the UoN. Four of them – Tom, Dervla, Edouard and Laura – are members of the university’s cycling club. Two, Edouard and Cassandra, are from Switzerland and so have experience of tram lines. Their commute, from Beeston to the Jubilee campus, has given them opportunities to compare the Nottingham cycling experience with their homeland.

“The drivers are maybe more respectful of cyclists in Switzerland and we have a lot of cycle routes in cities,” says Edouard, who travelled from Switzerland to Nottingham on the train with his two Campagnolo-equipped Italian road bikes wrapped in bike bags. “But Nottingham is becoming better for cycle routes and the new segregated cycle routes are a good idea because cycle ways should be independent of the road.”

Why do these students choose to ride bikes in Nottingham? Tom, who is president of the cycling club, says, “I can leave home with five minutes to spare, and after lectures I can go out exploring. I think I know the city better by going out and seeing where roads lead.” Laura thinks, “A lot of medics cycle. We have long days, less time, and I’m often running late so it’s quicker than walking, and cheaper than buses.”

When it comes to gripes and complaints, the five mention poor city road layouts, fast traffic, narrow, unsegregated cycle paths, a shortage of parking and the difficulty of crossing tram lines. Dervla admits the tram lines have caused her to come off her bike. But as Tom says, “It’s not a tram versus cyclists thing. It’s new, so people aren’t used to it.”

On the plus side, the students praise campus cycle paths and say they usually feel safe cycling in Nottingham. Is there a distinctive campus cycling culture in Nottingham? And if so, do you have to ride a battered eighties racer to join in? The number of students on such vintage machines would suggest so.

Laura, who got serious about cycling when she began training for a triathlon, says, “The fashion thing isn’t so much road cycling really. You see these girls on hipster bikes with flowing skirts and stuff. It’s the stereotype. But not many girls cycle like I do.” Tom says, “Steel framed vintage bikes are fashionable. The fixie scene hasn’t really got here.” He adds: “Bike cafes can help cycling culture develop. In London, you have cafes where cycling commuters meet, and one in Nottingham would be brilliant.”

Agreed. Cafe owners take note, and not just for the sake of students…
 

 

Tom Winterton
Age: 20
Lives: Lenton
Studying: Medicine
Campus bike: State Bicycle fixed gear
Other bike: Cannondale Caad Four road bike
Best thing about cycling in Nottingham: Seeing the countryside.
Worst thing: The hills. Seriously, some of the road layouts that force you to change lanes.


 

 

Edouard Overney
Age: 23
Lives: Beeston
Studying: Manufacturing engineering
Campus bike: Francesco Moser road bike
Other bike: Wilier Gran Turismo road bike
Best thing about cycling in Nottingham: The sensation of freedom where you can go everywhere you want.
Worst thing: Cycle paths need to be improved; they are shared with pedestrians and you have to wait at every intersection on the road.
 

 

Cassandra Frey
Age: 24
Lives: Beeston
Studying: Education leadership and management
Campus bike: Carrera road bike
Best thing about cycling in Nottingham: Very quick to get around .
Worst thing: The lack of safe indoor storage for bike parking.


 

 

Dervla Ireland
Age: 19
Lives: Lenton
Studying: Medicine
Campus bike: Peugeot Vittoria road bike
Best thing about cycling in Nottingham: Ability to go out into the countryside.
Worst thing: Traffic lights with split lanes, especially at rush hour when you have to cross into another lane. It’s sometimes easier to get off your bike and walk over.


 

 

Laura Owler
Age: 21
Lives: Lenton
Studying: Medicine
Campus bike: Planet X road bike
Other bike: Claud Butler hybrid
Best thing about cycling in Nottingham: Cycle paths. And campus is really good for cyclists.
Worst thing: Drivers. A lot of them are student drivers or lorry drivers who are oblivious to the fact that they’re this close to you and are going too fast.



Cycling in Nottingham on LeftLion