Anger over police tweet on barrier to stop "swarms" of cyclists; Councillor says pop-up infra section makes cycling less safe; Santander Cycles unveil expansion; Cardiff is 'UK bike theft capital'; NYPD cops beating cyclist + more on the live blog

The Isle of Man could become the first country in Europe to make cycling helmets compulsory, after MHKs gave their backing. https://t.co/baS5P7qIsw pic.twitter.com/NXjjCvghdd

— Isle of Man Newspapers (@iomnewspapers) June 10, 2020

The proposed amendment to the Island's Road Traffic Legislation Bill has faced opposition from Isle of Man government backbenchers; but the bill has been passed through its clause stage and third reading and now will be heading to the Legislative Council - full story to follow. 

So many words to write when all I want to do is cruise round Manchester with the most suave pup.

🐕🚴♥️ pic.twitter.com/TwxhFJIcbQ

— Harriet L-S (@harrielspencer) June 10, 2020

It would appear, unless @SuttonCouncil or @Cllr_m_abellan can advise otherwise, that the areas of carriageway on Throwley Way (pictured) and on St Nicholas Way (coned off during the last 24 hours or so for improved social distancing), are not intended to be cycled in. ^CM https://t.co/HnUR8DGQtx

— Get Sutton Cycling (@cyclinginsutton) June 2, 2020

Neil Garrett, a Conservative councillor for the Belmont ward in the London Borough of Sutton, claims that cone markings to temporarily widen a pavement to improve social distancing is putting cyclists in danger. 

Mr Garrett claims that section of road on St Nicholas Way - which runs past Sutton Council's headquarters - has caused safety concerns because it is now reduced to just one lane for cars and cycles rather than two as it was previously. As mentioned in the photos above shared on Twitter last week, further up the street some drivers had also decided to park inside the coned off section anyway. 

Councillor Garrett told MyLondon: “It has reduced a two-lane road where motorists can easily get by cyclists, to a one-lane road where they can’t.

"I always feel very nervous as a cyclist when I am put into conflict with motor traffic. I know it is a 30mph road but we all know it is a common area for speeding.

“It makes it frankly quite an unpleasant place to cycle and the fact that it is the road that goes directly past the council offices is quite ironic.”

The council's deputy leader Councillor Manuel Abellan accepted the scheme had caused some problems for cyclists, and suggested that changes are on the way: 

“Of the first nine measures that have been announced some of them are for walking – which we want to make sure are in place before businesses open. There are a couple aimed at cycling but our priority is around social distancing for pedestrians in town centres.

“Even though those measures were aimed at pedestrians, we are working out how we can make some tweaks to make them safer for cyclists. I completely accept that those measures were not good for cycling so hopefully you will see some changes in the next few days that will be an upgrade.”

We're rather taken by a refreshingly sensible letter from Kevin Hunter published in the Dorset Echo; in which he has written in to dispel some anti-cycling myths trotted out by a reader who didn't even "have the courage to publish their name and address" according to Mr Hunter: 

"Name and Address Supplied noted that every day of the week motorists are confronted by cyclists. I would like to know what is inferred by confrontation", he writes. 

"Name and Address Supplied needs to chill out! Name and Address Supplied also says that the motorist is paying for the cyclists' place on the highway. I would like to remind him or her that I along with many other cyclists also own a car. This means that when cyclists are on the road he or she will have more room to confront them safe in the knowledge that they may actually be making a fair contribution to the chancellor.

"The most glaring error in my view in their letter is the apparent ignorance as to why the government and local authorities are providing more facilities for safe cycling. Many cyclists are nervous of confrontation with motorists like Name and Address Supplied. This is why in these so worrying times more people are being encouraged to cycle in order that it keeps people off public transport allowing those on the buses and trains to self distance more easily.

"I hope Name and Address Supplied will reflect on their comments and perhaps show a little more patience towards those who may be trying to do the right thing."

The comparison site have compiled a list of the top 10 bike theft hotspots in the UK, with Cardiff coming out on 'top' with 183 thefts per 100,000 residents; a total of 573 thefts were reported between December 2019 and April 2020 in the city. Southampton came in second with 146 thefts per 100,000, followed by Nottingham, Reading and Bristol. Interestingly London didn't make the list, with 'only' 73 thefts per 100k people. 

Cambridge residents may be surprised to see their city omitted from the top 10; as we've previously reported that theft was so prevalent in previous years, organised criminals were travelling up from London to take advantage of 'easy pickings'. It's also worth noting that a large number of bike thefts are thought to go unreported or cases are closed by police with no suspects; a 2018 Birmingham Mail analysis of bike thefts found that police closed 96.7% of reports without turning up a suspect in 2017. 

Of course MoneySuperMarket suggest that as cycling booms and with thieves looking to capitalise, it would be wise to use their website to find a good deal to insure your pride and joy, commenting: “Cycling is experiencing another major boost in popularity which looks set to continue once lockdown restrictions are eased – particularly because more Brits are likely to use bicycles for commuting. 

“With bicycle use increasing so too does the risk of theft. With the average bike costing £480, a stolen uninsured bike is a big blow to the wallet that will leave many without their preferred means of getting to work once lockdown is over.

“Don’t assume that your bike is covered under your home insurance policy. Some insurers will only cover it if it is stored in your home – or secured in an outbuilding like a shed. If your bike is stolen from outside your property, it’s also possible your policy might not pay out. So definitely check with your policy provider to understand what it covers and what it doesn’t."

The analysis of ONS data from Cambridge-based property consultants Bidwells suggested that commuters are likely to return to work much quicker in Oxford and Cambridge due to better cycling infrastructure and a higher percentage of cyclists; a lower reliance on public transport allows commuters to return to work safer, essentially. 

Bidwells' research director Sue Foxley commented: “Clearly, there will still be challenges to avoid additional car journeys which present particular challenges in such historic and popular cities. However, the existing cycling infrastructure in Oxford and Cambridge provides the locations with a head start in getting back to work.”

The data has been broken down further, finding that those who work in the Science and Technology sector in the two cities will be at the greatest advantage - a huge 83% of S&T workers in Oxford were found to commute by bike, and 59% in Cambridge. Bidwells say this is partly "cultural", but also to do with greater cycling provisions in the academic science parks around the Oxbridge university campuses.

The percentage of Oxbridge cycle commuters is also far higher in than the measly UK average, with Bidwells saying: "Just 2% of commute journeys, on average, are undertaken by bike based on the Q4 2019 data analysed, but some locations already perform considerably better. These include several cycle to work schemes in Oxford and Cambridge, where a cycling ethos has combined with supportive infrastructure investment and bike-friendly policies to underpin the success of some locations ahead of others."

It may be me but your plan doesn’t seem to address the thing that has come up most in the last week; the use of your bikes as weapons by violent police officers pic.twitter.com/aGQKzEyxn5

— Jon (@joninsocal) June 9, 2020

While Trek are still receiving criticism for not directly addressing their relationship with US police departments - as videos of officers appearing to use their bikes as weapons have circulated on social media - the bike brand insist they want to "do much more to work towards racial equity" and have detailed a plan to "address systemic racism". This includes creating 1,000 cycling industry jobs for people of colour, giving staff paid time off to do community work and opening bike shops in deprived areas - full story to follow shortly.