Cyclists outline their New Year's resolutions for Oxford

AS we say goodbye to 2022 and welcome in 2023, we asked Cyclox members what their cycling resolutions are for 2023.

We had some wonderful and aspirational responses.

Lots of the responses are personal resolutions or ambitions for family members but several responses were about what the county council highways authority and Cyclox could do to get more people cycling more safely.

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Here are the personal New Year resolutions:

I want to find a balance bike that will fit the toddler and get him ‘cycling’ - him growing will also help with this.

I want to take my grandchildren aged seven and nine on their longest ever cycle ride, when we go on holiday to Norfolk in August. Can’t wait to see their pleasure at what they can achieve.

I’m going to get my new bike put together to perfection.

I’m going to undertake regular maintenance of my four bikes.

I want to make sure the brakes work well, and I intend to always have some bicycle oil to hand to keep the chain from going rusty.

Lockdown, Covid, and now working from home, have made me less fit and I have put on weight since I am no longer commuting by bicycle.

As well as going into town occasionally (by bicycle), I need to do some weekly or bi-weekly leisure rides!

My wish is to try to do some more regular extra-utility cycling i.e. cycling for fun.

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I will try mountain biking and try Bike-packing. And I will always be away from motorised traffic.

If I have a face-to-face meeting, then it will need to be dog walking or cycling meeting.

A bit ambitious but I’d love to try and support setting up a local community bike pump/repair hub type thing.

More cycling holidays (being self-employed, the urge to spend my time on a holiday is far less than the urge to spend an employer’s time and money on my holiday!).

Here is the wish list for roads that get or keep people cycling:

How about a sweeper following the tractor hedge cutters on cycle paths to clear up all the chopped-up thorns before we all get punctures?

I’d like to see all the potholes filled, the broken road surfaces repaired and the roads that flood badly in downpours re-engineered, so cyclists don’t have to buy new wheels after hitting a pothole submerged beneath a puddle.

I want cycling infrastructure that makes it safe for my son to balance bike to nursery without fear of death thanks to cars tearing through residential streets.

I’d like all new cycle paths to be smooth and barrier free, and I’d like no kerbs across cycle paths/cycle lanes.

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I wish that the 1889 Osney Bridge over the river shall be widened with wings on both sides.

Pedestrians, cycle-users and motor-vehicles need to be fully segregated.

The magnificent Botley Road bridge now being built at the new railway station will be wasted if the Osney Bridge does not grow wings.

Given the transport hierarchy puts pedestrians and cyclists as top priority and private cars at the very bottom, I’d like to see much more reallocation of road space to people who walk and cycle, and acceptance by the authorities that keeping motor traffic moving at all costs is not the future.

And what are Cyclox’s resolutions?

Cyclox’s aim is to get more people cycling, more safely and more often. 2023 is our 20th anniversary so we will celebrate by doing more family events like the Kidical Mass, family rides and women’s rides.

Plus, we want more volunteers to help us campaign to achieve those wishes for better safer roads, so join Cyclox and help us!

Happy New Year and happy cycling to all our readers!

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This story was written by Andy Ffrench, he joined the team more than 20 years ago and now covers community news across Oxfordshire.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Andy.ffrench@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailAndyF