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London flashride next Wednesday on eve of Parliamentary cycling debate

22 February ride to start at 6.30pm from Duke of York's Steps on The Mall...

A flashride will take place next Wednesday evening from The Mall to the Houses of Parliament, on the eve of a three-hour debate there on cycling, partly inspired in reaction to the Cities Fit For Cycling campaign from The Times newspaper. One of its aims is to highlight to MPs that the debate should not just be about the safety of cyclists, but focus also on the wider issues involved.

The marshalled ride, which has the support of the London Cycling Campaign, is being co-ordinated a number of people active in campaigning on cycling issues in the capital, including bloggers Danny Williams of Cyclists in the City and Mark Ames of I Bike London.

On his blog, Williams says: “We'll head down the Mall, along Horseguards Parade, around Parliament Square to Lambeth Bridge, along the south to Westminster Bridge, back round Parliament Square up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, through Admiralty Arch back to the steps. Please join us.

“It's not a protest. It's not even about 'safer cycling' per se. It's a polite but forceful request to our MPs and to the Mayor to listen to and think about the bigger picture: to make our cities places in which we can live and get around more easily and healthily for all of us. And to encourage MPs to attend the debate taking place the next day.

“We need our Mayor and our MPs to realise the bigger picture and start asking why our cities can't be more liveable for all of us. Cycling is just one part of that but a significant one.”

The flashride next Wednesday, 22 February, meets at 6.15pm at the Duke of York’s Steps on The Mall for a 6.30pm departure.
 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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5 comments

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zoxed | 12 years ago
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Is it a flashride if the date and location are announced a week in advance ?

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captain_slog | 12 years ago
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I'm glad this debate is happening and fully support these cyclists who'll be turning out to highlight the fact it's taking place.

However I'm afraid I don't understand enough about parliamentary procedure to know what it means. Will MPs discuss new legislation?

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Joe Dunckley | 12 years ago
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Parliament is only in recess this week, not next. As the article makes very clear, from the title on, the ride is scheduled specifically for the eve of the parliamentary debate.

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Raoulster | 12 years ago
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Timing this event when parliament in recess hardly seems the best plan to highlight this cause to MP's....  39

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JonD replied to Raoulster | 12 years ago
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Raoulster wrote:

Timing this event when parliament in recess hardly seems the best plan to highlight this cause to MP's....  39

From above:
"on the eve of a three-hour debate there on cycling,"

From http://ibikelondon.blogspot.com/2012/02/time-is-right-join-me-for-ride-t...
"The MP for Cambridge and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Bicycle Group, Julian Huppert, has secured a 3 hour cycle safe debate in Westminster on Thursday February 23rd.

Well, someone's gotta be there on the 23rd, so I think having a turnout *after* the event kinda misses the point..and you can bet there'll be some media coverage - not least in the Times !

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