Met road safety cop to review stop & search of Black Cyclists Network founder; Eastbourne cycling group slam town centre scheme; Deceuninck-Quick Step 2019 video; Brailsford on CEO role of Kipchoge’s sub-2 hour marathon + more on live blog

The Bespoke Cycling Group, who campaign for safer cycling across Eastbourne, have been highly critical of the Eastbourne town centre improvement scheme, as they say it restricts access for cyclists. The plans involve new bus lanes that won't allow access for cycles, which Bespoke say will discourage cycling in the town centre and force cyclists onto a busy ring road. 

A statement reads: 

“The routes now open to cycles are being restricted. Choices will be either get off and walk or go on the busy, and for most, inappropriate ring road. The ring road is shown on the crash database as one of the routes with the most traffic incidents. So the young, old and disabled are discouraged from using cycles.

“A cycle route alongside buses was in the original plans. Now buses are permitted in this stretch, and taxis at certain times, but cycles are forbidden.

“This is so far from the national direction as to be laughable. Phase 1 also built out many of the local streets so that the road widths were reduced, forcing cycles further into the path of cars, vans, lorries and buses.

“To make the modal shift away from cars, people need to use buses or cycles. People will not use cycles if they perceive it is more difficult and more dangerous to do so. The town centre plan will make provision for cycling throughout Eastbourne worse and people will continue to drive throughout Eastbourne."

In response a Council spokesperson told the Eastbourne Herald: “The scheme has to strike a balance between the interests of a range of people with differing needs, including pedestrians, people wanting to access the area who use mobility aids or who have visual or sensory impairments, bus users and those choosing to cycle.

“The kind of configuration we’ve opted for is primarily aimed at improving conditions for the pedestrian environment, and it doesn’t easily lend itself to including access for people choosing to cycle.

“While the scheme does require cyclists to dismount, this only applies to a few town centre streets and we’re actively working to improve cycle routes between the town centre, residential areas of Eastbourne and the seafront. Cycle parking is also proposed to be provided at key entry points into the pedestrianised area. 

“We are investing £6 million in walking and cycling in Eastbourne and south Wealden which includes new cycle routes, and we are also consulting on a Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan for the county in the new year."

Quick-Step notched up 68 victories in 2019, and there was also a memorable two weeks for Julian Alaphilippe in the Yellow Jersey. Take a look at their season recap above.  

We are so sorry this happened @BCNtweet. The benefits of cycling should be available equally to all, but those from BAME communities face barriers to taking up cycling others don't. Please @metpoliceuk, don’t add to the barriers already facing people who cycle or want to. https://t.co/4x6OOBmfYa

— London Cycling Campaign (@london_cycling) November 19, 2019

This is appalling. https://t.co/NpWSK6Mnjd

— Peter Walker (@peterwalker99) November 19, 2019

Basically sounds like the officer felt he had his pride hurt by the cyclist not complying with his absurd instruction to reverse the bike into a blind spot, and used a s&s to regain his sense of power. He has undermined the Met and all his colleges. Hope @metpoliceuk take action!

— Rob Smith (@robsmith87) November 19, 2019

Our story yesterday detailing how Mani Arthur was stopped and searched by a Metropolitan Police officer because he claimed he could "smell marijuana on him" has been met with a general outpouring of shock and disappointment. We'll be looking to follow up in the coming days if necessary. 

If you have a carbon wheelset that's the same weight as an alloy one but the alloy one is half the price. What extra will you get from the carbon ones for twice the money? Genuine question, as I'm looking into some new wheels to buy next spring ish... hopefully.

— Rich Mitch (@rich_mitch) November 19, 2019

Rich Mitch asked this one over on Twitter. Obviously you can get some aero benefits, but what else is better about carbon hoops? Enough to justify the price?

Let us know in the comments below.

This is so important and one of many reasons why I’m so pleased @EBackstedt6 signed for @TrekSegafredo

Concussion is overlooked so often!!! https://t.co/57EsnVljpS

— Magnus Backstedt (@Maggy_PR) November 18, 2019

The World Tour team have partnered with HeadCheck Health to offer the company’s concussion assessment tool to riders. Using evidence-based science and smartphone technology with cycling-specific modifications, Trek-Segafredo say the tool will allow their medical staff to rapidly and accurately assess concussions as well as track rider recovery.

In October, four medical professional used HeadCheck to assess all the Trek-Segafredo riders, and they can now use this data as a baseline to check for concussions if a suspected head injury occurs in training or racing. Staff can access headCheck data from their phones and respond immediately with the best course of action, comparing results to the baseline data.  

Trek-Segafredo Head Doctor Nino Daniele said: “This is a very powerful tool. Now we can easily and accurately measure when it is safe for an athlete to continue riding after a concussion.”

HeadCheck is already used by football, rugby and hockey teams amongst other sports, and Trek-Segafredo worked extensively with HeadCheck to adapt the tool for cycling. They already supply tools and support for Trek Factory Racing’s Downhill, Cross-Country, and Enduro teams.

So you don't have to faff around making new accounts for all of our sister sites, your road.cc account will now allow you access to off.road.cc, eBikeTips and Dealclincher too for quick and easy extra liking and commenting powers. Read more here. 

Yay! https://t.co/HJ0XjRVOKM

— Chris Boardman (@Chris_Boardman) November 18, 2019

The brainchild of Cycling and Walking Commissioner Chris Boardman, the Bee Network will be a fully joined up, 1,800 mile network of segregated cycle lanes, wider pavements and safe junctions - and it appears that work has now started to make it a reality. 

It was proposed by Boardman in his Made to Move report for the Mayor, a 15-step plan "to transform Greater Manchester" - and received unanimous approval from the ten district leaders in the region. If and when the whole Bee Network is completed, Greater Manchester will become the first city region in the UK to have a fully joined up cycling and walking network, and it will also be the most extensive in the country. 

A disused railway line spanning 25 miles across Herefordshire & Worcestershire could become a major tourist attraction for cyclists & walkers. The trail would run along the old line between Worcester & Leominster. pic.twitter.com/FU2XWPy803

— BBC H and W (@bbchw) November 19, 2019

The photo from BBC Hereford and Worcester isn't really selling it, but apparently this railway line could become a new 25 mile cycling and walking trail.