London flashride next Wednesday on eve of Parliamentary cycling debate

A flashride will take place next Wednesday evening from The Mall to the Houses of Parliament, on the eve of a three-hour debate there on cycling, partly inspired in reaction to the Cities Fit For Cycling campaign from The Times newspaper. One of its aims is to highlight to MPs that the debate should not just be about the safety of cyclists, but focus also on the wider issues involved.

The marshalled ride, which has the support of the London Cycling Campaign, is being co-ordinated a number of people active in campaigning on cycling issues in the capital, including bloggers Danny Williams of Cyclists in the City and Mark Ames of I Bike London.

On his blog, Williams says: “We'll head down the Mall, along Horseguards Parade, around Parliament Square to Lambeth Bridge, along the south to Westminster Bridge, back round Parliament Square up Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, through Admiralty Arch back to the steps. Please join us.

“It's not a protest. It's not even about 'safer cycling' per se. It's a polite but forceful request to our MPs and to the Mayor to listen to and think about the bigger picture: to make our cities places in which we can live and get around more easily and healthily for all of us. And to encourage MPs to attend the debate taking place the next day.

“We need our Mayor and our MPs to realise the bigger picture and start asking why our cities can't be more liveable for all of us. Cycling is just one part of that but a significant one.”

The flashride next Wednesday, 22 February, meets at 6.15pm at the Duke of York’s Steps on The Mall for a 6.30pm departure.