More than 18 months ago ChangingPace suggested, at a Sustainable Transport seminar, that Edinburgh could do with its own version of the impressive Cambridge Cycle Journey Planner. This was a section of the, equally impressive, Cambridge Cycle Campaign web site.

The CCJP was the creation of two cycle campaigners and computer programmers – Simon and Martin. It was a complex (but simple to use) on-line tool for journey planning in and around Cambridge full of local knowledge and packed with photos that magically appeared as a slide show along a planned route.

Just over a year ago the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Transport section awarded ChangingPace (via Cycling Scotland) a tiny amount of money (in computer project terms!) to develop an Edinburgh Cycle Journey Planner. The Cambridge duo soon realised that the opportunity was there for a UK wide CJP and began developing CycleStreets.net.

One reason that this became a viable project was the rapid development of Open Street Map which is a free to use (copyright – creative commons-attribution-share alike) on-line map which anyone can update and improve.

CycleStreets.net has been “beta” since earlier this year, this means that the public has been able to try it out but improvements (large and small) are still being made. Last week the Photos-en-route (PER) function was switched on which will be a great bonus once there are more photos (for Edinburgh) in the database.

Almost every town and city in the UK now has a sub-domain – e.g.edinburgh.cyclestreets.net (though most don’t have their own logo). Work is in progress to allow schools and workplaces (etc.) to have a customised start page for planning journeys (walking or cycling) to the chosen destination.

One challenge not yet resolved is the issue of hills. Cambridge is flat so a journey takes roughly the same time in both directions. At present the suggested journeys are impressively sensible (with a choice of direct or scenic) but estimated times are less reliable.

Maggie from ChangingPace has been nominated (by person or persons unknown) for the Edinburgh Award – “a prestigious annual award to honour an outstanding individual who has made a positive impact on the city”.

The nomination was for “contribution to Cycling”, so it’s not clear if it’s for any particular activity – running TryCycling in Edinburgh, devising Bicycle Awareness Afternoons, initiating Green Passport Days, programming the Bike Week Film Festival etc.

Previous Award winners have been Ian Rankin and JK Rowling. Even if Maggie’s doesn’t win, this year, there’ll be a nice lunch!

One way of encouraging people to cycle is to actually meet them!

ChangingPace is taking simple stalls to a number of outdoor events. They have free leaflets, (including the revised Explore Edinburgh series published by the Council) and sell Spokes Maps.

Importantly they are staffed by people who can answer questions about cycling in Edinburgh – where to ride, how to get Cycle Training etc.

The stalls have appeared at Corstorphine Fair (pictured), The Meadows Festival and Davidson’s Mains Parish Church’s Green Day. This weekend it’s TreeFest. On Saturday there will be a bike ‘try out’ and an obstacle course – similar to the one at D Mains last Saturday – but on grass!

Maggie from ChangingPace is seen replenishing the leaflet rack and advertising an Edinburgh based on-line magazine.

The wonders of Google Maps mean that it’s fairly straightforward to create on-line maps. Of course it helps to have detailed knowledge of Edinburgh’s off-road network and quieter on-road routes!

This one was created for PricewaterhouseCoopers, (which has a Cycle Friendly Employer Award), by ChangingPace.

ChangingPace organised a day to encourage PricewaterhouseCoopers staff to cycle. The firm’s Edinburgh office was recently given a Cycle Friendly Employer Award by Cycling Scotland.

A wide range of information, leaflets and maps were available for staff. A display of bikes and accessories was assembled by Bike Trax

PwC has made a short video about the experiences of staff who already cycle to the Queen Street offices – available on You Tube.

L-R, Simon and Rob from Bike Trax, Darren and Maggie from ChangingPace.

A simple flyer (PDF) and mini-web site highlighting a range of Edinburgh cycling organisations and events has been produced by ChangingPace. It will be handed out at TryCycling in Edinburgh events over the summer and available in libraries etc.

Leaflet design by David Gardiner Vantage/Laid Back Ligfiets. Photo by Mike Lewis of cycling-edinburgh.org.uk taken on a TryCycling in Edinburgh ride.

EdinburghPaths.info, the web site that grew out of a series of articles in City of Edinburgh Council’s newspaper Outlook, has had a make over.

A typical ChangingPace project – creating and packaging information to encourage people to cycle and making use of ‘new technologies’.