When people arrive in Oxford and look at the apparent chaos out on the roads – cars, bikes, buses, pedestrians, Deliveroo guys and scooters all whizzing around the place – it seems like a daunting prospect for an inexperienced cyclist to throw themselves into that mix.
The good news is that, unlike some cities where there aren’t as many cyclists, Oxford road users are generally expecting cyclists and are keeping an eye out for their (sometimes clumsy) manoeuvres. The local authorities are gradually installing more and more protected cycle routes around the city and are trying to discourage private car use.
Check out this cycle route map to find the safest routes to your regular destinations: http://www.transportparadise.co.uk/cyclemap/ There are some quite good courses teaching “defensive cycling” techniques to help riders stay safe and help boost confidence for riding in city traffic. Some Oxford colleges and employers offer help with the cost of these courses.
