A survey on cycling in the Sid Valley has produced some suggestions for getting more people to use bicycles instead of cars for short local journeys. 

More than half of the respondents said a lack of safe routes was the main factor putting them off cycling, and others said lower speed limits for traffic would help. 

The survey is being carried out by the Sidmouth Cycling Campaign, a project by Vision Group for Sidmouth.  

The aim is to encourage more cycling to reduce car journeys and their environmental impact. 

The survey asks people if they already cycle in the area, which journeys they make by bike, and what would enable them to cycle more. 

So far 120 people have responded, of whom more than half said they cycle more than 10 miles a week. Most said they cycle for leisure – 76 per cent – with 40 per cent cycling to the shops and 14 per cent cycling to work. 

More than half of those who said safety was a factor want to see a cycle route over The Bowd to Tipton, and 35 per cent want a route to Sidbury. 

A 20mph speed limit for traffic and better law enforcement are on the wish list for 22 per cent. Other suggestions include more cycle stands, improvements to The Byes cycle route and some specific changes to one-way streets to make cycling safer and easier. 

 The survey is still ongoing, and the Cycling Campaign are inviting views and suggestions until the end of December. It can be found online and there are paper copies at Sidmouth Library and the Tourist Information Centre. Any further questions or suggestions can be emailed to sidmouthcyclingcampaign@gmail.com 

Once the full results are in, the Cycling Campaign will work with other cycling groups and the town, district and county councils to bring about the improvements that have been identified. The aim is to create a connected infrastructure for cycling, making it the safe and natural choice for a large proportion of everyday journeys. 

The Sidmouth Cycling Campaign has strong working links with Sustrans, the leading body promoting cycling and sustainable transport in the UK, the Sid Valley Cycling Group, the Exeter Cycling Campaign and Cycling UK.