Campaigning

Cyclists accuse Living Streets of stoking “culture war” over electric bikes, but walking charity claims it is only opposed to “illegally modified e-bikes and riding e-bikes dangerously on pavements”

Living Streets had sent an email to its members asking if anyone had been “negatively affected by an e-bike/e-scooter” for featuring on a segment on Sky News, but cyclists raised concerns over not distinguishing between legal and illegal bikes

15

Locals call for “immediate pause” to “completely bonkers” 5-mile cycle lane that will threaten the area’s “unique aesthetic and character”, while raising questions over “need for the bike route”

Concerns have been raised over the degradation of ecology and the lack of consultation by the council, but the council claims to have conducted plenty of consultation and considered the potential impact on the environment

45

BBC “sorry” cyclist “did not appreciate” headline branding crash which saw drink driver kill ice hockey star and brother while cycling a “car accident”

The broadcaster has changed its description of the fatal collision to “bike and car crash”, after readers pointed out the original vocabulary used in the story was “biased and incorrect”

17

Campaigners accuse council of “ignoring evidence” after allowing traffic on bus and cycle lane which halved collision numbers and reduced journey times

After the decision taken by the Conservative-led council, the bus and cycle lane will be in operation from 7am to 7pm, but other road users will be able to use it outside of those times

10

Allowing “speeding” cyclists to ride on “struggling” high street would lead to “carnage” and “frighten” elderly, say traders opposed to lifting cycling ban in pedestrianised shopping area

A consultation is currently being carried out concerning a proposed 18-month two-way cycling trial, after plans to implement it this year were kiboshed after opposition from outspoken councillors

26

Average cycling distances in England fall to lowest levels in a decade: Government urged to deliver on active travel promises as think tank expert slams transport system as “broken and stacked against poorest in society”

According to the Department for Transport’s National Travel Survey, people in England averaged 47 miles by bike in 2023, a 17 per cent drop on the previous year and just over half the distance recorded in 2020, while car trips continue to climb

22

Cycling campaigners paint fake “free parking” signs on pavement to protest against “anti-social” illegal parking in Dublin… but drivers continue to park over painted signs

The activists took the action to bring to light the council turning a blind eye to letting drivers park illegally with impunity, but the drivers wasted no time in making use of the fake parking bays regardless

12

Cycling UK calls on Labour government to put “divisive rhetoric” around active travel to bed “once and for all” with “coherent and committed” investment for cycling

The cycling charity has asked the government to commit 10% of the total transport budget to active travel, arguing this would bring huge dividends for public health and the environment

32

E-bike batteries: Government to tackle “unscrupulous overseas suppliers” who sell unsafe products via online marketplaces

"This bill has the opportunity to ensure those who have already lost their lives to these devastating fires did not do so in vain"

o

“I was new, I didn’t know the rules”: Delivery cyclists urge colleagues to follow rules as 37 riders issued £100 fines for cycling in city centre

While the public has welcomed the fines, Just Eat and Deliveroo riders have claimed that they weren’t informed of the cycling ban, with some riders just barely days into their jobs

48

Local reporter asks if motorists care that cyclists are dying on roads at “alarming rate” – and readers respond by claiming cyclists “think they own the road then suffer the consequences” amid calls for cycling licences, insurance, and mandatory helmets

“If more than 100 people every year were murdered by gangs of madmen wielding chainsaws, the government would make it near-impossible to buy a chainsaw. But when it comes to the deaths of cyclists on our roads, we bury our heads in the sand”

21

“We are sorry if we have not always got it right”: Council waives penalties for cyclists fined by “cowboy” wardens for riding on pavements and town centre streets

The local authority admitted that “responsible” cyclists were issued £100 fines despite not committing a “significant breach” of the city’s PSPO, and that education – not fines – should be prioritised

25

Dutch government and neurologists call on cyclists to wear helmets – but cyclists’ union says “too much emphasis” on helmets discourages cycling and “has an air of victim blaming”

The Dutch transport ministry is set to publish guidelines on voluntary helmet use, as local authorities have started to run discount campaigns to encourage cyclists to buy helmets

192

Residents call for delivery riders to wear numbered jackets to track down cyclists riding dangerously

The group has claimed these cyclists have e-bikes without speed limiters and called on the police and the Scottish parliament to take action

47

“It will be like living next to a motorway!”: Residents oppose school’s BMX cycle track project out of fears that they’d lose their “peace” and “privacy”

The school insisted that it wants to encourage healthy lifestyles and active travel for its pupils, but the £150,000 project hasn’t gone down well with the nearby residents

36

“Do they ever tell drivers to get out and push?” Locals slam ‘Cyclists Dismount and Use Footway’ signs as cycle lane closed due to roadworks, leading to “horrifying” close passes – but council insists signs “comply to required legal standards”

“It’s so easy to sort out. But instead of telling drivers not to overtake cyclists because there isn’t room, they’ve told the cyclists to get out of the way and get on the pavement”

12

Cyclists urge councillors to “take control” and stand by their active travel commitments after report recommends scrapping of divisive low traffic neighbourhood “as soon as possible”

“The inconvenience of some drivers should not override the benefits available from building active lives and reducing road danger and carbon pollution”

3

Motorists to launch legal challenge against “totally undemocratic” decision to close park rat-run to drivers to “appease the cycling brigade”

Councillors voted this week to close an entrance to the heritage-listed park, used by rat-running drivers as a cut-through near Sandbanks, one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the country

61

“The message seems to be as a motorist there is nothing you can’t do”: Politicians are “cowards kowtowing to drivers” in area “too dangerous” for children to cycle thanks to illegal parking rendering bike lanes “useless”, claim campaigners

The council, however, says it has “invested millions of pounds into new cycle lanes and safe routes to school” – a month after also being accused of watering down an active travel scheme to prioritise bus times

10

“The UK is travelling in the wrong direction”: Cycling miles travelled down and car journeys up according to latest government stats

Responding to the Road Traffic Estimates in Great Britain report released by the Department for Transport today, the IPPR says the government needs a new transport strategy that "reflects the public’s desire to travel differently"

29

“Rogue” wardens accused of “lying in wait” for cyclists riding on pavement beside busy roundabout, as two cyclists fined £100 for breaching anti-social cycling order at same spot

The wardens belong to the same agency that mistakenly fined a female cyclist for riding on a shared-use path in the city earlier this year

64

“This will cost lives”: Safety fears as key active travel role axed on same day cycling and walking commissioner resigns

A safe streets campaign group warned the "misstep" will "jeopardise delivery of a vital transport plan" and could see more vulnerable road users injured or killed

1

Strava asked to remove popular segment after pedestrian death in cyclist collision

The Royal Parks said it would also be working with police and cycling groups as it considers further safety measures

42

James May rubbishes “nonsense” ideas to regulate cyclists in response to fatal collision

Former Top Gear presenter said regulation was "completely against the spirit" of riding a bike and "trying to cure the world's problems by adding more admin is pointless and expensive and makes life miserable"

77

Cycling group calls for stronger enforcement against illegal parking to ensure no “knock-on impact” on cyclists’ safety from council’s proposal of parking charges

Amidst the backlash against the council for the proposal, the cycling group has put forward another radical idea: stop “facilitating car-based shopping with free parking and drive-in catering”

6

Over a quarter of motorists in Scotland don’t know driving dangerously around cyclists could lead to driving ban or prison sentence – and over 50% say more cameras would “change their behaviour”, new survey finds

58 per cent of drivers said that knowing they were being filmed would change their behaviour around people cycling, while 62 per cent said the risk of killing someone would make them drive more safely

36

Hopes cycling’s “great boost to struggling high street” will not be lost as plan to let cyclists ride pedestrianised key shopping street not approved, goes to consultation instead

A trial opening up the street to cyclists was expected to be approved last week, however amid pressure from local councillors the council opted to allow the public to give their views first

o

“It is openly anti-cycling infrastructure”: Cyclists debunk residents group’s flyer objecting to much-maligned cycle lane because it would replace a strip of grass verge

Cyclists accused the residents group of already having their minds made up after the “openly anti-cycling infrastructure” leaflet was distributed

28

Cyclists to be allowed to ride on popular shopping street pedestrianised for 30 years as police say it will “split opinion”… and Conservative councillor concerned about “abuse by vehicles”

A cycling campaign group believes "many of the concerns raised will prove unfounded", with the current cycling ban ignored by those likely to cause pedestrians danger anyway and the layout allowing "space for all users to circulate in safety"

12

“Close passes are a manifestation of driver entitlement”: Cyclist receives barely any close passes while riding with ‘Don’t drive so close to me’ poster on bike – but claims “everything went back to normal” once sign was removed

“It’s a minority on the roads who are consciously or unconsciously vile to cyclists,” says Tim Devereux

20