What Does Bug Do?
Social Cycle Rides
We organise a range of social cycle rides, all starting on campus and usually
finishing back on campus.
These rides are gentle, relaxed social events and we always go at the pace of
the slowest, so no-one gets left behind.
The social rides are a good way of discovering where you can reach by bike
from campus and exploring some of the lovely
countryside within easy reach of the university. For the 2008-09 academic year,
we plan to have rides on Wednesdays,
setting off from the Sports Centre at 2pm, and also some which start at
5.30pm. In this way we hope that students,
part-time and full-time staff alike will be able to find a ride at a time
to suit. For upcoming rides, see
What's on.
Improving Facilities for Cyclists
BUG works to try to improve the following:
- Access routes to campus
- Routes on campus
- Facilities on campus such as cycle parking
- Training and skills for cyclists
- Information for cyclists, such as route maps
Examples
During the 2007-08 academic year, BUG carried out a survey of the demand for,
and the desirable features of, a new cycle route from upper Wivenhoe to the
south side of campus. This resulted in a report with a set of recommendations
that was submitted to Essex County Council. The report identified two
alternative routes, one across the fields from Broome Grove and one alongside
Colchester Road, as well as setting out a number of important design
considerations that would apply whichever route was chosen.
The County Council has now expressed a preference for the roadside route and
is currently commissioning a planning and feasibility study.
BUG members played key roles in putting together a bid for Colchester to
become a government-recognised Cycling Town.
The bid was successful, with Cycling Town status awarded in June 2008. This new
status will bring over £4 million of funding for cycling to Colchester and BUG
members are involved in the Steering Group and Working Group that are planning
how to spend the money!
From time to time BUG makes representations to the university’s
"Transport Policy
Sub-Committee , suggesting improvements to facilities such as cycle parking
or route signs or ways in which cyclists should be considered in the context of
other planned developments. One of several improvements that we are pushing for
is a cycle route round the library, connecting the cycle park near square 5 with
the cycle park at the southern end of North Towers Causeway and thus providing a
cross-campus route. In November 2008, a university cycling strategy drafted by BUG
was adopted by TPSC as University policy.
he County Council has now expressed a preference for the roadside route and
is currently commissioning a planning and feasibility study.
BUG members played key roles in putting together a bid for Colchester to
become a government-recognised Cycling Town.
The bid was successful, with Cycling Town status awarded in June 2008. This new
status will bring over £4 million of funding for cycling to Colchester and BUG
members are involved in the Steering Group and Working Group that are planning
how to spend the money!
From time to time BUG makes representations to the university’s
"Transport Policy
Sub-Committee , suggesting improvements to facilities such as cycle parking
or route signs or ways in which cyclists should be considered in the context of
other planned developments. One of several improvements that we are pushing for
is a cycle route round the library, connecting the cycle park near square 5 with
the cycle park at the southern end of North Towers Causeway and thus providing a
cross-campus route. In November 2008, a university cycling strategy drafted by BUG
was adopted by TPSC as University policy.