Travel Plan Plus will be organising an open event at Napp and all the employers and employees based at the TP+ area (Science Park, Business Park and the Cambridge Regional College) are all welcome. This is a FREE event and will be held on Thursday 28th April 2016 between 12 noon and 2pm. Businesses who are likely to be present on the day include: Abellio Greater Anglia, BMW, Dutch Bikes, GreenAir Cars, Network Rail, Outspoken and many more. Further details will follow a week prior to the event on the TP+ and Cambridge Science Park websites.

Cambridge Cycling Campaign are organising 10th annual cycle ride to the fair in the village of Reach which takes place on Monday 2nd May 2016 (bank holiday). The riders meet in-front of the Guildhall in Market Square, Cambridge at 9am and leaves promptly at 10am for the fair which begins at 12 noon. The bike trip will cover 29 miles round trip and departs for Cambridge at 2pm. This is a free event and it is likely to attract over 1000 cyclists on the day. Further details on this event can be found here:
and route map here.

A new landmark report prepared by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) sets out the dangerous impact air pollution is currently having on our nation’s health – with around 40,000 deaths linked to air pollution and costing the UK £20 billion annually. ‘Every breath we take: the lifelong impact of air pollution’ presents that the harm from air pollution is not just linked to short term episodes but is a long term problem with lifelong implications. 

The report offers a number of major reform proposals setting out what must be done if we are to tackle the problem of air pollution. These include:

• Put the onus on polluters. Polluters must be required to take responsibility for harming our health. Political leaders at a local, national and EU level must introduce tougher regulations, including reliable emissions testing for cars.
• Local authorities need to act to protect public health when air pollution levels are high. When these limits are exceeded, local authorities must have the power to close or divert roads to reduce the volume of traffic, especially near schools.
• Monitor air pollution effectively. Air pollution monitoring by central and local government must track exposure to harmful pollutants in major urban areas and near schools. These results should then be communicated proactively to the public in a clear way that everyone can understand.
• Define the economic impact of air pollution. Air pollution damages not only our physical health, but also our economic wellbeing. We need further research into the economic benefits of well designed policies to tackle it.

The report also emphasises how the public can do their part to reduce pollutant exposure and these include:

• Trying alternatives to car travel or preferably taking the active option: bus, train, walking and cycling;
• Aiming for energy efficiency in our homes;
• Keeping gas appliances and solid fuel burners in good repair; and
• Learning more about air quality and staying informed.

Full copy of the report can be found here

A reminder that the Bikeman's mobile cycle workshop (called Crazy Spanners) can be found every Tuesday and Thursday's at the Cambridge Science Park Innovation Centre from 7.30am to 5.30pm. Crazy Spanners offers same day repairs, servicing and accessories. For more information on pricing on The Bikeman and Crazy Spanners' service see here

You can also find Crazy Spanners on Cowley Road every Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 7.30am and 5.30pm.

Now that spring has arrived, days are getting longer and warmer, why not borrow the TP+ Electric Pool Bikes?

The TP+ electric pool bike scheme is free to join and the bikes are free to use. Bike can be used for any journey, be it a meeting across town, to try out a cycle commute or just a lunchtime leisure ride. If you would like to find out more about the electric pool bikes or join the scheme click here