And not just Oslo, but other European cities: the proportion of the population using bikes as their main mode of transport is 58% in Copenhagen and 53% in Amsterdam, for example; the figure for London is a pitiful 6%. The reason for the difference? In civilised cities, proper provision is made.Of course not everyone can cycle, but the scope is there in the form of short journeys:20% of journeys in Britain are under 1 mile (a distance easily cycled in around 5 minutes);38% are under 2 miles (easily cycled in around 10 minutes);66% are under 5 miles (easily cycled in around 25 minutes).And in a related topic, residential roads are increasingly being closed to traffic to create play zones; so far, for a few hours only, but again the scope is there ('How children and parents are reclaiming UK streets,' Financial Times 11/12 January).All of this is vital in helping people live more healthy life styles and to reduce obesity: in 2018, narly two-thirds of adults (63%) in England were classed as being overweight (a body mass index of over 25) or obese (a BMI of over 30); the cost of obesity to the NHS was estimated at £6.1 billion on overweight and obesity-related ill-health in 2014 to 2015, and the overall cost of obesity to wider society has been estimated at £27 billion a year: almost enough, if it could be saved, to set against the cost of Brexit.
Richard Carter ● 2495d