Hi Bugsters.

Cycle to Work Day is the 13th September this year. Cycle to Work Day is a national celebration of everyday cycling. Pledge to ride on the 13th at www.CycleToWorkDay.org and you could win big prizes! If you've not ridden to work before, see the BUG website for cycle-friendly maps and route planners which might reveal routes you didn't know about.

Cycling is mostly peaceful and enjoyable but if you do have a near-miss or - may it never happen - a collision, please report it on www.CollideOScope.org.uk - We are currently talking to the Norfolk Casualty Reduction Partnership about using this as a data source for further work. The CReP seems worried by the recent increase in cycling casualties, but even the increased numbers are pretty small and so it's difficult to draw robust conclusions. Getting more near-miss reports might illuminate problems which simple casualty numbers miss. We do remind the CReP that it's important for any interventions to address the causes and not only target cyclists, of course.

Some areas are developing "neighbourhood plans" - these are locally-driven add-ons to the borough's planning policies. Please keep an eye on your parish noticeboards, village newsletters and so on and if you see one being developed, please take part in any consultations and ask for it to include space for cycling - possibly including any specific routes which you feel should be created through or to new developments. It's really important that we keep places cycle-friendly because it benefits everyone and not only cyclists.