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Bristol is the most active city in the UK, and the 8th most active in the world

Bristol Mayor George Ferguson singled out for praise - city is only in the UK to make the list

Bristol is the most active city in the UK, and the 8th most active in the world, according to a new report from Sustrans.

The Active Cities report, also sponsored by Nike and Active Living Research, singles out Bristol’s Mayor George Ferguson for praise, saying: "In 2012, the citizens of Bristol did something they had never done before. They voted in the first democratically elected mayor in the city's history. In taking on the role, Mayor George Ferguson secured Bristol's designation as European Green Capital for 2015. At the same time, he knew more could be done.

"He also knew that Bristol faced significant problems with congestion, contributing to lost productivity and high pollution costs. Continued growth exacerbates the problem. He also saw that people in the city's wealthiest neighborhoods were expected to live 10 years longer than people in the city's poorest neighborhoods.

"His solution is to create a vision for Bristol that is healthier for all citizens. When it comes to building physical activity into daily life, Bristol has some opportunities that other cities do not."

The only UK city to be mentioned in the report, Bristol “was already well on its way to becoming an active transport leader with a heavy focus on walking and cycling at the time Mayor Ferguson was elected,” the report notes.

George Ferguson told the Bristol Evening Post: "We already have more people commuting to work by bicycle or on foot than any other city in England and expect to see this increase even further.

"This new research highlights how vitally important it is to promote walking and cycling for shorter journeys in and around the city. Not just for environmental and health reasons, but because it will make Bristol a more successful and happy place to live and work.

"European cities that make it easier for people to travel by bike or on foot have proved to be more economically competitive and offer a better quality of life for their residents.

"Many in Bristol have long recognised this benefit and have been working to make sure our city is as accessible to walkers and cyclists as possible.

"By encouraging more people to walk and cycle around the city we can make this city a healthier, happier and more attractive place to live."

The world's most active cities

1. Hernando - United States
2. Buenos Aires - Argentina
3. New York City - United States
4. Copenhagen - Denmark
5. Rio De Janeiro - Brazil
6. Medellin - Colombia
7. Red Deer - Canada
8. Bristol - UK
9. Adelaide - Australia

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14 comments

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earth | 8 years ago
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What changes have been made? I don't see many. A lot of people cycle but no more than in Cambridge and that has been a big cycling city for decades.

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a.jumper replied to earth | 8 years ago
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earth wrote:

What changes have been made? I don't see many. A lot of people cycle but no more than in Cambridge and that has been a big cycling city for decades.

I think it's mainly been small things, such as fixing botched crossings like the south end of Welsh Back, with a few high-profile stunts like closing parts of the city to motor vehicles on Sundays. Festival Way might be the biggest thing to open during the mayor's time, but that's a bit compromised by previous administrations and nasty neighbouring North Somerset.

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wjhall replied to a.jumper | 8 years ago
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More or less the general situation, almost everything that has happened under the Supreme Mayor, for example 20 mph zones, was started under previous administrations. They can also take responsibility for the Cycling City status, although apart from a lot of very useful bike stands most Bristol cyclists cannot work out where the 12, or 22 million, for that actually went.

As for Sustrans being joint author of a report claiming that Bristol is doing well, the April and March 2015 City Council payment lists (1) show payments by the Council to Sustains, presumably neither the first or the last, so I am sure Sustrans are delighted to say nice things about Bristol.

(1) http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/council-and-democracy/expenditure-over-%C...

Some of the payments are described as external consultancy, so Sustrans must be to blame for the largely irrelevant cycle facilities in Bristol.

As for the 'first democratically elected mayor' claim, this is just the standard propaganda from directly elected mayor proponents, who seem to think we do not understand how representative democracy used to work. In fact he got the votes of 13 % of the electorate, just beating the other second stage candidate on 12 %, on one of the lowest turnouts in a council election so far. The same goes for the referendum in which Bristol supposedly 'chose' to use the directly elected mayor system. More a fit of absence of mind than a choice.

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a.jumper replied to wjhall | 8 years ago
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wjhall wrote:

(1) http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/council-and-democracy/expenditure-over-%C...

Some of the payments are described as external consultancy, so Sustrans must be to blame for the largely irrelevant cycle facilities in Bristol.

Isn't that rather a leap of logic? Surely it depends whether the consultancy was anything to do with cycle facilities? It could have been anything of tons of things - helping to produce some sustainable transport tourism leaflets, perhaps?

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bikebot | 8 years ago
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For anyone that missed the reference, it's to this blog which provided a valuable public service in stamping out this fashion trend around 2012.

http://lookatmyfuckingredtrousers.blogspot.co.uk/

The same year saw an explosion in men not wearing socks, and occasional sighting of the "short suit". That latter could make cycling through the Hoxton area of London quite dangerous, from the risk of falling off your bike laughing.

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Bob's Bikes | 8 years ago
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Red trousers...So what he's a mayor not a fashon icon.

He has also had the foresight to grasp the nettle and improve things for people and not car drivers in Bristol.

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crikey | 8 years ago
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Tut tut, everyone of a certain age knows that Hernandos hideaway...

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Beaufort | 8 years ago
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Well done Bristol but Hernando....where on earth is that ?

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crikey | 8 years ago
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Look at his f**king red trousers!

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wrightyboy01 replied to crikey | 8 years ago
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I am still laughing at that comment. keep looking at the picture!

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nowasps replied to crikey | 8 years ago
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crikey wrote:

Look at his f**king red trousers!

What? Too tight?

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Alf0nse | 8 years ago
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Unfortunately I can't see George getting a second bite of the apple when the next election comes around.
He's done a great job for the city and improved it as a place to live and work.
I expect he'll be replaced by some populist cross-eyed neaderfascist who will have Bristol looking like some 80s backwater pretty quickly

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s_smith replied to Alf0nse | 8 years ago
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I fear you could be right but I don't think it'll be the populist cross-eyed neaderfascist you fear (you've been reading too much of the Daily Fail owned local rag). The Greens are becoming stronger and Bristol has always been a Labour voting city so either of those parties could have it.

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mrmo | 8 years ago
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Sustrans are based in Bristol, George Fergusson founding member?? Sustrans.

Am i right to be suspicious? When ever i go to Bristol it strikes me as not much better or worse than anywhere else???

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