Generally, the word cycle conjures up visions of standard two wheeled bicycles However, cycles come in many shapes and sizes: tricycles, handcycles, tandems, and more. Some of these are useful aids for people with various types of mobility problems.
Types of cycle and who they can help
Cycling UK has looked at how the various configurations of cycle can benefit those with specific types of disabilities. Tricycles don’t require an ability to balance. They can therefore be useful for those with disabilities, for example dyspraxia, or for those recovering from illnesses such as strokes. Additionally, tricycles can be fitted with footplates to make using the pedals easier. They are also available as recumbent cycles, which provide a horizontal position for the rider. They can be useful for anyone with physical problems in the neck, back, posterior, or arms and hands.
Tandems are a more familiar sight. They enable two people to ride on the same cycle together and are particularly good for people with sight impairments where the other person can take over either the pedalling or, in some cases, the steering.
In handcycles, the pedals are replaced with handles which riders can push around to drive the chain and wheels, as well as being used for steering. Most handcycles are three wheeled, although some can be four wheeled with power assistance. Again, they can be upright or recumbent. Clip on cycles are also available which can be clipped on to someone’s wheelchair. Handcycles are useful where lower body mobility is impaired e.g. because of amputation, paraplegia, or joint problems. They can also be useful for building upper body strength for those recovering from a stroke, for example.
Wheelchair cycles have a front trailer onto which a wheelchair can be loaded to give the wheelchair user the experience of propulsion.
Cost as a barrier
Atypical cycles generally come with a price premium, so it is important to first consider adaptations to an existing standard cycle. Cycling UK considers prices for such specialist cycles to vary from £500 up to £7,000.
Given that price is a factor it is perhaps unsurprising that, according to Wheels for Wellbeing, the majority (60%) of disabled people who do cycle commonly use a two wheeled bicycle. Wheels for Wellbeing is a charity with a vision of a world in which “cycling, active travel, and multi modal journeys are just as accessible… for disabled people as they are for everyone else”.
Standard two-wheeled bicycles are, of course, the easiest to buy, they need less space to park and store, and most cycle infrastructure is designed for them. Whilst two-wheeled bicycles cost from £500, tricycles – the next most common type of cycle used by disabled people – generally cost between £1,000 and £5,000. A clip-on handcycle can cost between £3,000 and £8,000. This is before even considering the extra cost of such cycles with e-assist.
If, however, a disabled person needs to use a wheelchair at their destination, they will need to have a handcycle to which a wheelchair can be clipped. A one-piece, unpowered handcycle costs about £3,000 and is a heavy piece of equipment. The hand cycle-compatible wheelchair costs an additional £3,000. That is potentially a total cost of £6,000 to achieve what a non-disabled person can achieve with a standard bicycle costing about £500.
Cost is possibly more important for disabled people as it is clear that they are already economically disadvantaged. Wheels for Wellbeing’s Guide to inclusive cycling has established that only about half working age disabled people are in employment. They also tend to be paid less than non-disabled people. The Trades Union Congress found a pay gap of more than 30% for disabled women. Their additional cost of living is more than £1,000 per month according to the charity Scope.
Cycling infrastructure
Disabled people face two kinds of cycling barriers related to the available infrastructure – problems with the space available for cycling, cycle lanes, and cycle tracks, and with secure parking for the cycle.
When it comes to the space available for cycling, the requirements for disabled people are remarkably similar to the ideal that cyclists have been campaigning for over many years: continuous cycle routes without hazards, e.g., bollards and metal motorcycle barriers; smoothly surfaced routes free of potholes; and not being forced to use shared spaces.
Shared spaces, which are popular with local authorities, can be dangerous for pedestrians, disabled cyclists, and slower cyclists. Presumably, the preference for shared space is due to their relative cheapness in these times of austerity and local authority cuts.
Cycle lanes are where the cyclist is separated from traffic by a painted line, while a cycle track has a physical barrier such as a sloped kerb. Cycle tracks are safer and therefore more reassuring for disabled people, as well as for non-disabled cyclists.
According to Wheels for Wellbeing, the width requirement for cycle tracks for disabled people is 2m for one-way tracks and 3m for two-way tracks. This is the same as is the width requirement for cycle tracks in the Government’s guidelines on cycle infrastructure design (LTN1/20).
With regard to cycle parking, atypical cycles such as tricycles, quadricycles, and cargo bikes all require wider parking spaces than standard two-wheeled bicycles. Minimum distance between Sheffield stands (the most commonly used stand for cycle parking) is 1.2m for standard bicycles and 2m for tricycles. The author has seen stickers on the end of rows of Sheffield stands reserving the end stand for cargo bikes and tandems.
Perception
Disabled people may need to ride on the pavement to reach their destination. Whilst mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs are accepted on the pavement, cycles are not legally allowed and will generally be viewed with disapproval by most pedestrians, which can lead to verbal criticism.
The Highway Code’s rule H2 states that only pedestrians (including wheelchair and mobility scooter users) may use the pavement. The only exceptions are children under ten and designated shared use pavements. Where a cyclist is walking their cycle, they are considered a pedestrian and therefore allowed to use the pavement.
So how are disabled people to signal that they are using the cycle as a mobility aid? Do we need a new form of ‘blue badge’ for cycles which are being used as a mobility aid?
Conclusion
Cycles can be useful mobility aids in a wide variety of ways, but we need much better quality cycle infrastructure. We need well surfaced (and maintained), continuous cycle tracks without impediments. We also need cycle parking which can accommodate atypical cycles, i.e. with more space allocation. We may also need a ‘blue badge’ equivalent cycle pennant or similar.
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