Build it and they will come? Why Britain's 1960s cycling revolution flopped

Squint at Stevenage's extensive 1960s protected cycleway network and you could be in the Netherlands - except for the lack of people on bikes. So why did the New Town's residents choose the motor car over the bicycle?Stevenage, the first of England's post-war New Towns, was widely proclaimed in the 1960s as a shining example of how the provision of high-quality, joined-up cycle infrastructure would encourage many people to cycle - not just keen cyclists. The town, 30 miles north of London, had wide, smooth cycleways next to its main roads which were separated from cars and pedestrians. There were well-lit, airy underpasses beneath roundabouts, and schools, workplaces and shops were all linked by protected cycleways. Continue reading...