Stevenage, the first of England's post-war New Towns, was built in the 1960s with an extensive network of protected cycleways modelled on those in the Netherlands. The infrastructure included wide, smooth paths separated from cars and pedestrians, well-lit underpasses beneath roundabouts, and connections to schools, workplaces and shops. Despite these facilities, the town never achieved the cycling uptake seen in Dutch cities.
Eric Claxton, the lead designer of Stevenage, believed that high-quality cycle infrastructure would encourage widespread cycling. He had witnessed the success of Dutch cycleways and assumed the same could be replicated in the UK. However, by 1964 only 13% of residents cycled daily, falling to 7% by 1972. Today, the figure is less than half that, while some neighbouring towns with far fewer cycleways achieve modal shares of 4-5%.
Claxton expressed frustration at residents' preference for cars, complaining that motorists used their vehicles as 'shopping baskets' or 'overcoats'. The 2010 master plan noted that just 2.9% of Stevenage residents cycled to work, 'much lower than might be expected given the level of infrastructure provision'. The borough council's cycle strategy, last updated in 2002, attributes low usage to the town's fast, high-capacity road system, which makes car journeys easy and convenient.
Phillip Darnton, former head of Cycling England, said Stevenage would have been an interesting candidate for the 'cycling demonstration town' programme in 2005, but the borough council did not apply. He noted that a key question would have been why the existing infrastructure was not being used. Today, the network remains largely intact but faded, with regular maintenance including sweeping of glass and debris. In places, the infrastructure still resembles the Netherlands, but the number of cyclists remains low.
