Fréd Awards 2016

BEST LOCAL BIKE SHOP
Velo Café Magasin


velo cafe magasin

“Building momentum over the past 6 years, VCM are now one of the most well known and respected bike shops in the country and take Best LBS for the second year running. Dave Kanes, Chain Reaction and McConveys fill the rest of the podium.”
NOTABLE: Kinnings Belfast, CicliSport Moneymore, Norm’s Bikes Belfast, Belfast Bicycle Workshop.

BEST EVENT
Grand Fondo Giro D’Italia

Gran Fondo Giro D'Italia

“With closed roads and splash of Italian flair the Grand Fondo has been a hugely popular event over the past 2 years.” Beach, Bikes, BBQ & Cyclovia take 2nd and 3rd emphasising the variety of cycle events now on offer.
NOTABLE: Ulster/Kinning Cyclocross Leagues, Cinecycle, LTL, Killinchy 150.

BEST BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE
Comber Greenway

Comber Greenway

“This pulsating green artery from Belfast to Comber shows the public’s appetite for active travel and traffic free spaces.” The Lagan Towpath and Newry Towpath round off The Year of the Greenway!
NOTABLE: Craigavon, Davagh & Rostrevor MTB Trails, Royal Victoria Hospital cycle parking, AllState diversion on river Lagan.

BAD BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE
Advisory Cycle Lanes

Advisory Cycle Lanes

“A landslide victory for ‘Advisory” Cycle Lanes. The public’s enthusiasm for cycling is being stymied by the failure to enforce a “no-car” rule in cycle lanes. On average 1 car is parked every 200m. A new battle front opens up!”
NOTABLE: The Albert Bridge, Belfast City Centre

BEST BIKE CAFÉ
Auction Room Maghera

Advisory Cycle Lanes

“A regular staging post for cyclists in West, The Auction Room in Maghera also stocks spare tubes and track pump (courtesy of @victorychimps) if your luck totally runs out. 5A Stranmills & Velo Café Magasin make up the podium.”
NOTABLE: Lock Keepers Inn, JACK at Holywood Arches, Harrison’s Greyabbey, Gilbery Fayre.

BEST EMPLOYER FOR CYCLING
Belfast Care Trust

Belfast Health Trust

The newly installed Belfast Bike docking stations at RVH and City hospitals means the public and staff are able to travel between health centres across the city.AllState and Liberty IT complete the top 3
NOTABLE: CitiBank, Portview Construction, IBM, PSNI

MOST ENGAGED POLITICIAN
Chris Hazzard, MLA

“Minister Hazzard continues to build on the foundations laid by his predecessors by announcing a visionary 1000km Greenway Network and 120km of cycle lanes in Belfast. The future looks bright.” NOTABLE: Sammy Douglas, Maírtin O’Muilleoir, Peter Weir

BEST BIKE SCHOOL
Currie PS, Belfast

Only the second school in Northern Ireland to achieve Gold in the Sustrans School Mark, Currie Primary now boasts 90% of pupils cycling, scooting and walking to school”.
Andrews Memorial Primary (Comber) who were awarded Silver in the Sustrans School Mark and Dundonald Primary show that given the choice, children will ditch the car.

FRÉD OF THE YEAR
Sammy Douglas

“Coming back to cycling later in life Sammy has championed the Connswater and Comber Greenways and despite getting knocked off his bike earlier in the year, remained a positive and strong advocate for cycling in the City.” NOTABLE:NIGreenways, Michael McBride (HSC), Drew Murray (Killinchy CC), Martin Grimley (UCX), Toby Watson (VC Glendale), Steven Paterson (Sustrans) Danny Blondiel (Belgian Project)

VOTERS' HOPES FOR 2017

  • A Belfast to Bangor “cycleable” Greenway needs to happen soon and we need “Staying alive at 1.5” advertisements in the Press/TV/Billboards etc. (some fecking chance though).
  • Expansion of safe cycling routes across Belfast and improved enforcement to prevent parking in cycle lanes.
  • More cyclists, more awareness, less accidents
  • More cycle lanes and enforcement of clear-zones, too many are out of use.
  • I hope for more bike events for kids and families.
  • I hope Stephen Nolan shuts the f*ck up about “bikes v cars” on a slow news day to boost flagging listener figures.
  • I hope we appoint a Dane/Dutch/German as the head of Road Planning.
  • Continued education of other road users to be considerate of cyclists and give them room on the road.
  • Access to more city-style bicycles such as the dutch or danish to encourage more relaxed upright commuting to ease congestion.
  • More bike, more lanes, more people.
  • More imagination and support in Belfast. Monthly ciclovia events.
  • Better cycle infrastructure.
  • Rollout of Belfast Cycle Network.
  • Creation of excellent design standards that are the base for the next cycle infra.
  • A comprehensive improvement to establish a network of safe greenways and cyclepaths for Belfast and Northern Ireland and a year for everyone to just calm the hell down about roads.
  • no cars parked in cycle lanes!!
  • Convert all disused railways to a) railways or b) greenways.
  • Investment!
  • I hope to see more biking infrastructure in North Belfast, along the Antrim Road.
  • More segregated cycle lanes, everywhere!
  • Zero tolerance enforcement by PSNI of any traffic violations ranging from front fog lights when not needed through to close passes.
  • To see the Mourne Greenway become a reality.
  • Greenways feasibility studies obtain funding to take to construction.
  • More dangerous and inconsiderate drivers being prosecuted.
  • More cycleways, safer cycling.
  • A safer year on the road where no cyclists looses their life.
  • I would like safer roads for cyclists!
  • Driver education.
  • Improved driver education and/or enforcement of poor driving and space provision.
  • Extend public bike hire scheme out to Stranmillis.
  • Hopefully the Connswater Greenway will deliver on the early promise.
  • To keep cycling.
  • A smartphone app to report (bust) people parking in bus/cycle lanes!
  • Belfast city closed street events – monthly.
  • Less lycra.
  • When I’m on my bike I want to feel welcomed and valued in my city. Oh and I d like a brown springy Brooks saddle.
  • I’d love to see a safe way to cycle across the Albert Bridge.
  • I’d really like to see cycle lanes not be full of parked cars.
  • I’d love to see people free to jump on their bikes without feeling like they need to be bedecked in hi-vis & helmets.
  • I’d really love to see mindsets changing so that people realise the roads belong to cyclists as much as everyone else.
  • Fast and +ve feasibility studies into the wider proposed greenway network.
  • More dedicated bike lanes.
  • A velodrome.
  • A bigger better Fred Fest/Bike week.
  • More cycle Greenways on Ireland.
  • Better advertising on bike safety for road users like the one RTE promote.
  • Signage on roads tell motorists to keep a safe passing distance.
  • Introduction of cycling lanes & smooth hard shoulders for cycling on the major roads.
  • Make more irresponsible cyclists responsible for their own actions by enforcing the laws they are bound by.