About the Charter
The cycling charter is a simple statement of support for everyday cycling as the means of making Chelmsford a better place.
Enabling cycling will help Chelmsford tackle challenges such as air pollution, congestion and unhealthy lifestyles.
Comprehensive, convenient, inclusive and connected cycling infrastructure helps people to choose cycling as the safe, natural choice for many everyday journeys. This frees up road space for essential journeys that support the city’s economy.
The charter outlines the benefits cycling can bring to our city and is something that businesses, schools, the health sector, shops and individuals can readily support.
Aims of the charter
The charter enables organisations and individuals across the city to express their support for everyday cycling. It shows they understand that cycling is good for:
- business
- for our health
- the economy
It could also help to build a better city for us to live in.
Charter signatories demonstrate to Chelmsford and Essex’s leaders that there is wide support for cycling and a growing consensus for investment in better cycling infrastructure.
Businesses supporting the charter
The charter has been created to enable organisations to visibly show their support for cycling. Organisations can include businesses large and small, shops, schools, colleges, health practices, gyms, churches, youth clubs and the emergency services.
Organisations may also wish to issue a press release and tweet to express their support for the charter.
The charter will echo many organisations’ sustainability policies and we anticipate most organisations will welcome the opportunity to publicly support this initiative.
By signing the charter, organisations are not showing support for Chelmsford Cycling Action Group. We recognise that many organisations will be happy to support a call for better cycling provision without needing to align themselves with a specific organisation.
Employers
If you are an employer, you could sign up as a Cycle Friendly Employer through Cycling UK, the national cycling charity.
Employers can also sign up to Love to Ride and/or encourage their staff to register.
Individuals supporting the charter
We encourage individuals to support the charter too.
How to show your support for the charter
You can show your support:
- online by filling in the sign up form
- verbally, by speaking to the person who brought the charter to your attention and indicate your support. They will then register this on the Chelmsford Cycling Charter website.
- by issuing a press release, indicating your organisation’s support for the charter
Publicising your support
As organisations indicate their support for the charter, we will share this through social and other media. There may be charter events to create newsworthy interest in the growing support for the charter.
To express our thanks for your support, we may occasionally quote your organisation as a signatory and use your logo, asking for permission each time. You can contact us to let us know if you’d rather we didn’t do this.
Other cycling infrastructure solutions
The charter is about the principle of enabling cycling rather than specific road design solutions.
The wording deliberately stays away from stating specific design or policy measures that will encourage people to cycle (such as segregated paths).
Supporting documents
We will add further information to this section, following initial trials of the Cycling Charter and based on the queries we may receive.