EVER wondered how successful cycling schemes get started, how local authorities plan and fund cycling infrastructure, why people change their behaviour to take up cycling, or how to ensure that streets are designed for all people?

Shifting gear: a radical change for cycling will answer these and many more questions right here in Oxford.

Shifting gear is the 2017 Cyclenation and Cycling UK annual conference. This year Cyclox is hosting the conference, on Friday, November 10, at Rose Hill Community Centre and Saturday, November 11, at Cheney School.

The conference will connect cycle campaigners with each other and with key organisations and experts, support them in influencing policy, and organising effective campaigns, all with the aim of getting more people of all ages and abilities, onto their bikes, more safely and more often.

There are many amazing and inspiring cycle campaign groups around the country, with passionate and committed people trying to improve conditions in their area for cyclists and would-be cyclists.

They do this by engaging with their local transport and planning authorities, trying to influence local and national policy, responding to consultations, running events and cycle rides, and sometimes taking direct action.

So our focus at the conference is not only hearing from the experts, but also learning from the great work of these campaigners. The conference aims therefore to give lots of opportunity for cycle campaigners to network, share and learn from each other.

There is, though, another audience that we need at this conference. There is much that grass roots campaigners are doing to get the voice of cyclists and would be cyclists heard.

But we have to have the ear of those who have the power to make change happen – our local county and city council elected members and leaders, and council officers.

We have invited our local MPs, our county council elected members, transport officials and city planners, in order to share learning and experience on how politicians and officers can work jointly with cycle campaigners, so we all become more effective at making the shift of transport modes towards cycling.

We have a great line-up of people to speak, and to run workshops. Andrew Gilligan, the former London Cycling Tsar who is preparing a report on behalf of the National Infrastructure Commission into cycling in the knowledge corridor of Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge, will be talking about his report.

Lynn Sloman, a specialist in environmental and sustainable transport, who is on the board of Transport for London, will be talking about how we make change happen.

Phil Jones, from Phil Jones Associates, a company currently undertaking a review of Oxford City Centre at present, will be talking about Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plans, which is a new obligation on local authorities.

We also have workshops and master classes on using social media, taking direct action, inclusive cycling, workplace initiatives, family cycling, building relationships with councillors, sharing responsibility between all road users, to name but a few….

Anyone with an interest in making conditions better for people who cycle is welcome to this conference.

With the generous sponsorship of Freeths, the fee for the conference is low. We expect it will be a lively event with lots of opportunity to chat and network, so not to be missed. Please register at cyclox.org/conference/