Simon__200 wrote:I can't believe you posted that. Cardiff is by and large a really flat city. I find it rather ridiculous that what many cities would consider merely a modest, short incline, is touted as a reason against becoming a cycle-friendly city (especially when this particular hill is outside of Cardiff anyway). It's practically flat as a pancake throughout the entire city!
No it isn't "flat as a pancake throughout the entire city." Look at this topographic map:
http://en-gb.topographic-map.com/places/Cardiff-406127/Ely, Caerau, Fairwater, Cyncoed, Penylan, Pentrebane, Radyr, Thornhill, Lisvane, St Mellons, Rumney, Pentwyn, Llanedeyrn, Llanrumney and Pontprennau are all hilly. Look at the topography maps in my initial post. Inner Cardiff is quite flat, yes, but outer Cardiff is hilly compared to the other cities mentioned. Cycling around and between Whitchurch, Llandaf, Gabalfa, Mynachdy, Maindy, Llandaf North, Heath, Birchgrove and Rhiwbina can be challenging as you traverse the Taff valley and climb the ridge that extends from Llandaf North to Heath.
In fact, there are a large number of UK towns and cities that are flatter than Cardiff: Aberdeen, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Hull, York, Peterborough, Norwich, Southend, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Birkenhead conurbation, Chester, Cheltenham/Gloucester, Swindon, Hereford. Not forgetting London which is largely gently sloping sides of the Thames valley and its tributaries.
I've cycled all my life and still cycle most days but the fact is that most of outer Cardiff is hilly and, in my opinion, not suitable for cycling as the gradients are too steep. The fact that the flat cities of Cambridge, Amsterdam and Copenhagen are cycling Shangri-Las proves my point. People should be cycling and walking in flat inner Cardiff - I never use my car for journeys in the inner city - but the council shouldn't pretend that increasing cycling rates in the outer suburbs is feasible. By all means create flat routes along the river valleys and along the ridges but to expect someone to be able to cycle from the top of Pentrebane to St Mellons isn't the same as expecting someone to cycle from Tongwynlais to Splott.