Campaigning

Plan to scrap bike racks at major railway station over car bomb fears “paused” after backlash from cyclists and MPs

The U-turn comes just days before the cycle storage at East Croydon station was set to be removed due to security concerns about “unauthorised vehicles accessing the car park” – with cyclists describing the climbdown as a “great victory”

No plans to ban bikes from Mountain Road, insists Isle of Man government – after petition urging authorities to stop cyclists using “perilous route” attracts whopping 339 signatures

The petition, which was shared this week by the Isle of Man’s “feel-good radio station”, claims cyclists “cause a backlog of traffic” and “increase risk of collisions” on the famous road

Rail operator Southern to remove bike racks at major station over fears car bomb could target railway

Cyclists despair at decision to axe "only properly secure cycle storage at East Croydon", but Southern blames decision on security concerns about "unauthorised vehicles" using car park where bike rack is to be removed

“Limited signs of progress”: UK continues to lag behind European cities on cycling infrastructure, report reveals

Latest PeopleForBikes ratings suggest UK shows "sign of little progress", with "negligible" change to gulf between London and the rest of the country

Isle of Man’s “feel-good radio station” shares bizarre petition demanding cyclists are banned from Mountain Road because “they cause a backlog of traffic” and “increase risk of collisions”

Petition had fewer than 100 signatures when radio station shared it online, the campaign suggesting cyclists should stick to the coast road "without interfering with primary traffic"

Cycling charity Sustrans misled public with “save the dormouse” campaign, fundraising regulator rules

Regulator finds Sustrans' campaign "positioned itself as solely focused on wildlife protection activities" and "was not clear" about charity's active travel aims

“Drivers don’t have to push their cars”: Park barriers designed to stop “speeding” cyclists are forcing families onto busy road with no bike lane, cycling campaigners say

After installing the “discriminatory” barriers based purely on anecdotal evidence, with no reports of collisions between cyclists and pedestrians, the council agreed a compromise with local campaigners in January – only to ignore the issue ever since

“We cannot build more roads”: Cycling campaigners call for “bold” congestion charge to tackle car-dependency in Oxford

“The city will grind to a halt under the weight of car traffic,” the group said, urging the council to make Oxford safer for vulnerable road users

Lib Dems embrace MAGA… by calling for cycle lanes to “Make (the) A556 Great Again”

Trump-inspired politics land in Cheshire... but in support of bike lanes

Are “rude” cyclists and toxic online debates really putting people off cycle lanes?

Survey of policymakers suggests cycling campaigners on social media may "massively undermine" cycle infrastructure projects as councils feel "nothing we ever do will make cyclists happy"

Campaigners will “fight to maximise conditions for cycling” once controversial tram route plans finalised, but warn against “huge speculation”

Debate over Edinburgh tram project continues as schoolchildren's 'save the bike path' signs vandalised, after council ordered removal of artwork due to "sensitivities" surrounding tram route plans

Schoolchildren’s ‘save the bike path’ signs vandalised, after council ordered removal of artwork due to “sensitivities” surrounding controversial tram route plans

The council has been accused of being “shortsighted and not thinking about the next generation” in the latest row to engulf the local authority’s plans for a new transport link and its potential impact on a popular off-road active travel route

Cyclists call for 20mph limits on all Oxford roads by 2029 – but bus company says lower speeds would lead to congestion, longer journey times, and “less attractive” travel

One councillor also responded to the campaign group’s proposal by calling for a ‘dangerous’ cycling law – despite cyclists causing no serious injuries in Oxford in 2023

The Telegraph continues campaign against ‘dangerous’ cycling in London parks — but collision data actually highlights “dangerous driving” and “serious collisions” caused by drivers

The Royal Parks has also faced criticism for focusing road safety efforts on cyclists, as charity's own collision data highlights extent of collisions and injuries caused by dangerous driving

20mph in all urban areas, a ban on pavement parking and cycling in the national curriculum: cycling and walking groups call for “most radical reforms to road safety since mandatory seat belts” ahead of Government’s Road Safety Strategy

A new report commissioned by The Bikeability Trust and Living Streets also says lack of awareness over Highway Code changes are leading to "conflict" on Britain's roads, but are confident the Government will act on some of their recommendations

Bristol ranked eighth best city in Europe for child-friendly cycling – but UK “lags behind” due to unprotected bike lanes and “lack of political ambition”, researchers say

The Clean Cities Campaign report praised Bristol’s plethora of 20mph roads, describing the city as a European “leader” for safe speeds, while London topped the ranking for school streets

Labour MP calls for tougher e-bike laws on “battery safety, speeding and enforcement”

Comments come as Home Office confirms plans for police to have stricter e-scooter powers, MP Tom Hayes telling the government the e-bike "situation is unsafe"

Life imprisonment for riders who kill pedestrians under ‘dangerous cycling’ law “unlikely to improve road safety”, claims expert

The road safety expert also called for a “greater focus” on “conventional collisions” between drivers and pedestrians, as opposed to the “tiny fraction” of offences caused by cyclists

“Sainsbury’s only thinks about car drivers”: Supermarket slammed for closing cycle access during works, diverting cyclists onto narrow footway or “fast and busy” dual carriageway

“This appears to be a typical lack of thought for people on bikes by the grocery sector,” said one local cycling campaigner, as the council opens an investigation into the closure

“Ludicrous adversarial clickbait”: BBC asks, “Is public sympathy for cyclists wearing thin?” – as around-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont claims Jeremy Vine’s bike videos “encourage division”

The debate, featured on BBC Radio Scotland’s Mornings programme, has been accused of promoting an ‘us and them’ agenda by cyclists on social media

“Mass trespass” sees hundreds cycle through controversial Silvertown Tunnel where cyclists have to catch “greenwashing” bus due to lack of bike route

Ride follows opening of £2.2bn London tunnel without a cycling route, forcing cyclists to take a lengthy detour or use widely criticised shuttle bus

“I enjoy debates but not abuse”: Jeremy Vine to stop sharing cycling videos on social media because “trolling just got too bad”

"They have had well over 100 million views but in the end the anger they generate has genuinely upset me"

People used bikes less frequently in 2024 than previous year, with fewer women and children cycling along with lack of funding described as “concerning” by campaigners

Latest Department for Transport data shows number of bike journeys decreased in 2024, however, cycling distance went up by 9%, while average walking and car trips also saw an increase

“People find helmets unpleasant”: Dutch government launches ‘Put It On’ campaign urging cyclists to wear helmets as serious cycling injuries continue to rise – but activists say scheme “distracts from real issues”

The campaign aims to encourage a quarter of the Netherlands’ cyclists to opt for helmets within ten years, though critics say it could lead to cycling being associated with danger, claiming clamping down on speeding, dangerous drivers is key instead

“The only way is to lift my bike over my head”: Cyclist slams “anti-bike” gates creating “low cycling neighbourhoods” instead of low traffic neighbourhoods

The cyclist said that the gates on the London Cycle Network, intended to stop motorbikes and quad bikes, have instead ended up deterring the elderly and the disabled from riding a bike

Pizzeria owner demands bike lanes ripped out and car parking reinstated, despite £6m active travel project to boost “café culture and night-time economy”

The cycle lanes are part of the council’s wider project aimed at making the high street more attractive to shoppers and visitors, however, the pizzeria owner argued that they were the “final straw” after years of roadworks and reduced parking

Active travel campaigners call for higher taxes on “supersized” SUVs to tackle “carspreading”, claiming they are more dangerous to cyclists and pedestrians and cause more pothole damage

“It’s only fair if you want to buy a massive SUV that you should expect to pay more for the space it takes up,” the campaigners said, pointing out that only 18% don’t want to see additional charges on SUVs

Welsh Labour government to prioritise walking projects over cycle lanes, as cycling campaigners fear “missed opportunity”

Concerns come after Welsh government accused of "deeply disingenuous" move "using drop in casualties on 20mph roads to justify cutting back on active travel infrastructure"

“It’s important we build safe cycle routes designed with women in mind”: Abuse and unsafe infrastructure preventing more women from cycling, Cycling UK report states

Cycling UK suggests seven years of cycling progress has reduced barriers for men, but female cyclists have been left behind

“A textbook example of terrible highway design”: Council blasted after “serious downgrade” at popular roundabout leaves cyclists and pedestrians with no safe route to hospital

NHS workers had previously joined cyclists in slamming the changes aimed at encouraging “more and faster” motor traffic, with the council also accused of ignoring its own safety audit