Hundreds of cyclists yesterday participated in a funeral procession through Central London yesterday calling for billions of pounds to be spent on cycling and walking to help protect vulnerable road users and help tackle the climate emergency.
The protest, organised by the campaign groups Stop Killing Cyclists and Extinction Rebellion, made its way from Lincoln’s Inn Fields via Aldwych and the Strand to Trafalgar Square, where a 15-minute die-in was held.
Originally, it had been planned to hold the die-in outside the Treasury on Whitehall, but was moved at the request of the Metropolitan Police due to separate demonstrations in the area by both anti-government and pro-Brexit campaigners.
Cyclists of all ages and on all kinds of bicycles took part in the procession, billed as the National Funeral for the Unknown Cyclist, which also included three horse-drawn hearses and a cargo bike likewise carrying a coffin.
The coffins carried placards saying “Asthma,” “Crashes,” “Obesity” and “Climate” to highlight the impact of motor vehicles on people’s health and the environment and the procession was accompanied by suitably mournful recorded bagpipe music.
Police outriders stopped traffic to allow the protest to pass safely through the streets, watched by locals and tourists alike, many taking leaflets explaining what it was about.
The protest comes just days after Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javed announced his Spending Review which made no provision for active travel, with the die-in at Trafalgar Square followed by speeches at the Duke of York Steps on The Mall.
Stop Killing Cyclists co-founder Donnachadh McCarthy said: “With the Arctic and Amazon on fire and tens of thousands of Britons dying from car pollution, it beggars belief that chancellor Sajid Javid is proposing more toxic fossil fuel duty cuts.
“The 2019 budget must be a climate and ecological emergency budget that includes £6 billion per year for the creation of a national cycling network and the reversal of the toxic fuel duty cuts.”
The campaign group is also calling for a reversal of the planned cut in fuel duty as well the introduction as car-free village, town and city centres throughout the country.
£2400 up from £2000 is a 20% price increase on the previous version. That's not a small thing, that's insane.
You're confusing whether there should be a controversy (or whether you think there should be one) with whether there is one.
Because "you can't carry a sofa on a bike!" (apologies - that's two bikes, so here's a bonus bed and washing machine).
The BikeSnob has him covered (along with being pals with Lance...) so you don't have to.
This professional driver who carries members of the public should have their PSV license removed for good.
I'm just waiting for the new Ultimate..... what is everyone's guess as to when it will be released?
Only one of these two parties is a criminal threatening to murder the other. That's why your analysis is completely wrong.
After finishing my first ever driving lesson, the 'instructor' drove me home, reaching 40mph in a 30mph zone. 'I'll get you home quickly' he said....
What I want is not to be close passed, so despite having the excellent Varia Radar and a Fly-6, all that tech is not as effective as a £1 white...
There is an unfortunate irony in the suggestion that less cycling to school is part of the solution here.