Cargo bike campaign addresses the classic cyclists “pay no tax” myth; Reaction to former health minister’s “anti-driver” rant; Stevie Williams wins Flèche Wallonne; SRAM tea-Tap and Shimano tea-i2; Pro cyclist rain jacket fiasco + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
"How the hell can you complain about that?": Cyclists pick apart former health minister's "out of touch" outburst at "anti-driver" plan to promote safe cycling and walking
Let’s remind ourselves of what Thérèse Coffey said yesterday about a proposed £5 million active travel scheme in her constituency “to make Woodbridge’s streets better-connected and more people-friendly” (how dare they!)…
The former deputy prime minister and health secretary, who served the roles during Liz Truss’ flying visit to No.10, was unimpressed by the idea for a 20mph zone, shared-use paths, modal filters and footpath improvements, calling it “anti-driver” and saying it “fails to deliver and antagonises”.
Instead, the former minister for health suggested, the money would be better spent providing cycling proficiency courses at local schools, improving crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists, and repairing road and pavement surfaces.
Cue the comments…
She is totally out of touch with the majority of residents. The quiet ones who don’t turn into keyboard warriors. It is a fantastic scheme!
— IronGranny (@nellieh64) April 16, 2024
Orpington Cyclist took issue with the part where Ms Coffey suggested cycling proficiency courses at local schools would be a better destination for the money, calling the suggestion, very eloquently… “bollocks”.
“There is no point in additional cycling proficiency if it isn’t matched by safer routes for children to cycle on,” they pointed out.
stonojnr: “I’d love to know what she thinks is anti-driver about these plans.
“Two modal filters, daren’t even call them LTNs anymore, on minor roads, a kind of cycle route which may be a very local local desire line route, it does nothing for cyclists trying to pass through Woodbridge, an improved pedestrian/cycling crossing of the very type she’s espousing, and some 20mph limits, again on minor residential roads and around schools, exactly where you need them. It’s not exactly groundbreaking cycling infra, just a few more signs, bit of paint and a couple of extra bollards, how in the hell can you complain about that?”
chrisonabike added that Ms Coffey’s suggestions of how to spend the money are “pretty much the ‘encouraging cycling’ of the last decades in the UK”.
“It involves ‘soft’ measures*, seeks to divide things between walking and cycling (‘let them fight over scraps’) and additionally seeks to divert some of the little funding provided away from active travel to motoring (fixing the potholes). In fact merely getting more people choosing to walk or cycle is actually a boon for … other drivers! Those who are ‘pro-car’ should be welcoming this (see e.g. frequently supportive and sensible communications from the president of the AA).
> Drivers should welcome cycle lanes, says AA president
“*e.g. that do helpful things like training children — but then not providing any place for them *to* cycle, or addressing the fact that cycling is still seen as a children’s recreational activity by many adults […] ‘Fails to deliver’ would be a good description of the kind of ‘active travel support’ she’s proposing. We know this, because we’ve been doing it (or not doing nearly enough) for decades.”
Oh, we did get a couple of replies (on Twitter obviously) agreeing with Ms Coffey, one from Ian in Ingleton in *checks notes* the Yorkshire Dales. Good to get the local view. Time for a post-Coffey coffee…
The Dutch (cycle) school run stops for no amount of sogginess
Parents in most of the 🌍: You can’t cycle to school in this weather….
Parents in the Netherlands: pic.twitter.com/K8RNzFxK2u
— anna holligan 🎙 (@annaholligan) April 17, 2024
TeaTap or Tea-i2? How to make a brew...using a rear mech
Sometimes you’ve just got to take a minute and reflect on how far humanity has come…
What next? Using a disc rotor to chop up your fruit and veg? Oh, wait…
Michelle Froome deletes social media account after Muslims "here to take over" rant, as pro-Palestine activists call for protests against Israel-Premier Tech – despite team distancing itself from "comments made by third parties"
Time to climb: Flèche Wallonne's savage Mur de Huy awaits
It’s the second race of the Ardennes week triple-header — leg-shredding gradients galore as the world’s best tackle the iconic Mur de Huy. As a reminder, here are the best of Zac Williams’ snaps for SWpix from last year’s race…
Any hill that does this to Tadej Pogačar is one to be feared…
Just the four ascents of the 1.3km climb that averages 9.8 per cent for the men this year, the women will tackle it twice, still two times too many for my liking. Finishing with the famous, brutal ramp to the finish in excess of 20 per cent, it’s a hill-climbing dream for those of us watching on the telly… less so for those involved, unless your name is Alejandro Valverde or Anna van der Breggen, of course.
The one race that I targeted but never managed to win. Always came up against somebody stronger. Missing the atmosphere on the Muur today. Not missing the overload of lactic on the finish line. @flechewallonne
— Dan Martin (@DanMartin86) April 17, 2024
Somerset village seeking £50,000 of community funding to build new cycling route
A village in Somerset is aiming to raise £50,000 of community funding in a bid to create a new walking and cycling route that avoids the fast and busy A378 (below).
Residents in Curry Rivel want to create a route to nearby Langport, a journey currently made using the fast-moving A-road or a narrow pavement beside it. Tony Greenway of the Curry Rivel Active Travel Group told the BBC that he’s “always thought this village needs a proper connection to Langport”.
“The A378 is a horrible road — it’s busy, it’s noisy and the pavements are rubbish. Over the last two years, we’ve just been walking our way through treacle trying to get something started,” he explained.
Volunteers have cleared a stretch of overgrown land where the first 200 metres of the route could be created, but the group needs to raise a minimum of £50,000 to make the project a reality. Somerset Council has offered to help, committing £10,000 from its active travel budget, as well as a further £65,000 for improvements elsewhere in the village.
A council spokesperson said the potential route “would be an excellent addition to the active travel network in Somerset and our team is working with the parish council on how this can be delivered”.
The headteacher of Curry Rivel Primary School, Alison Pook, has backed the project, stating that it will “increase safety for all” if there is a “decrease [to the] use of cars used to drop-off and pick-up, which causes congestion around the green and the parish car park”.
Remember that mono-strapped Canyon helmet? We've tried out a prototype, and it's unlike any other bike helmet we've used before
Cycle bridge expected to be closed until June due to "safety" concerns over surface
Plymouth’s Laira Cycle Bridge is expected to be closed for “safety reasons” until June. Part of National Cycle Route 27, there are “concerns relating to the integrity of its surfacing”, Plymouth Live reports. Ongoing essential maintenance will be carried out in the coming weeks, cyclists and pedestrians able to cross via the Laira Bridge Road and its pavement.
“We have closed this cycle bridge due to concerns relating to the integrity of its surfacing,” Plymouth Highways said. “We appreciate that this closure is causing inconvenience and we apologise for this. It will be reopened as soon as corrective works are complete.”
A spokesperson from Pymouth City Council added: “The Laira Rail Bridge walking and cycling route has been closed temporarily for safety reasons as some of the floor panels of the bridge became loose a few months ago. Interim repairs were carried out, but further damage was suffered during high winds so it was decided to keep the bridge closed until a more substantial repair solution could be designed.
“We have now carried out a full survey and are working with contractors on a long-term fix to the bridge’s deck plates and non-slip surface, as well as the lighting. Scaffolding is expected to be erected mid-April and, weather allowing, we hope work will be complete by the end of June.”
"Speeding" lorry driver who killed cyclist blamed low sun – but cyclist's terminally ill wife says she doesn’t want to see motorist jailed
Wout van Aert's first bike ride since classics-ending crash (and it's a new bike day)
Downsides of being a pro cyclist: big crash risk, likely to sustain serious injury at least once during career.
Benefits of being a pro cyclist: bike sponsor who can cheer you up with new bike day on your return.
"A good day to be a retired pro cyclist": Miserable Flèche Wallonne weather + rain jacket struggles
Good day to be a retired pro cyclist 😳 https://t.co/9mVYf1RwyW
— Brent Bookwalter (@brentbookwalter) April 17, 2024
It looks like a rather cold, sodden peloton will decide Flèche Wallonne on the Mur de Huy, unless the most predictable race in cycling decides to go off-script in the next few kilometres. If not, at least we’ve got the women’s race afterwards for a second shot at entertainment.
Anyway, back to the rain…
😅 Dans ces conditions, mettre un imperméable relève de l’exploit, n’est-ce pas @JiimmyWhelan ?
😅 In these conditions, putting on a rain jacket is quite a feat, isn’t it @JiimmyWhelan?#FlecheWallonne pic.twitter.com/M4PjBfTXqz
— La Flèche Wallonne (@flechewallonne) April 17, 2024
And on the subject… disgraceful scenes…
ALL THESE CYCLISTS ALL OVER THE ROAD LIKE THEY OWN IT AND ONLY ONE IS WEARING PROPER HI-VIZ!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/ADql1QZQo7
— Rob Whittle (@PolkaDotRob) April 17, 2024
A British clean sweep in the Ardennes? Stevie Williams lands another huge win, this time smashing up the Mur de Huy to win Flèche Wallonne
Nice quiet week for Israel-Premier Tech, nothing to think about other than racing bikes… ah…
The British men are looking at the prospect of an Ardennes clean sweep this week, just the very minor task of overcoming a certain Tadej Pogačar at Liège–Bastogne–Liège this Sunday. After Tom Pidcock’s Amstel victory, Wales’ Stevie Williams joined the party at Flèche Wallonne, launching a devastating Valverde-esque attack on the steepest slopes to win fairly comfortably.
Some performance from a man having a year to remember, including a Tour Down Under stage win and GC success.
🏹 🇬🇧Stephen Williams remporte La #FlecheWallonne 2024 !
🏹 🇬🇧Stephen Williams wins the #FlecheWallonne 2024! pic.twitter.com/g8v835Mqvq
— La Flèche Wallonne (@flechewallonne) April 17, 2024
Following on from Pidcock becoming the first British man to win Amstel Gold Race (Nicole Cooke took the women’s race in 2003), Williams is the first British man to win Flèche Wallonne (Emma Pooley having won the women’s edition, in addition to Cooke’s triple success at the race). Based on the week so far, we may as well all lump on Tao Geoghegan Hart, Simon Yates, Ben Tulett, Williams and Pidcock this weekend… before watching Pogačar leave us penniless…
Near Miss of the Day 900: Police offer "suitable advice" to driver who squeezed between cyclist and oncoming campervan in dangerous close pass
Katarzyna Niewiadoma wins Flèche Wallonne ahead of Demi Vollering and Elisa Longo Borghini
Katarzyna Niewiadoma added Flèche Wallonne to her palmares this afternoon, dispatching Tour de France yellow jersey Demi Vollering and an in-form Elisa Longo Borghini on the ferocious top slopes of the Mur de Huy.
🏹 🇵🇱 @KNiewiadoma s’impose sur la #FWwomen 2024 !
🏹 🇵🇱 @KNiewiadoma claims the victory on the #FWwomen 2024! pic.twitter.com/Bx2RTtS9lM— La Flèche Wallonne (@flechewallonne) April 17, 2024
Picking up on our earlier talk of clean sweeps, if Niewiadoma can win Liège–Bastogne–Liège she too will complete the Ardennes set, having won Amstel Gold Race back in 2019. Not all in the same year, granted, but still a puncheur’s paradise.
Shimano patents hint at fully wireless groupsets
Cargo bike campaign addresses the classic cyclists "pay no tax" myth
It’s a tale as old as time (or as old as social media, at least). Cargo Revolution, a campaign “celebrating pioneering businesses who are adopting cargo bikes” and encouraging others to “join the zero emissions revolution”, posted a fairly inoffensive tweet about the sun being out so why not hop on a bicycle for your next journey? Shocking, I know…
Naturally…
And pay no Tax…..
— Hoxtonboy (@Hoxton_mob) April 16, 2024
Fair play to the Cargo Revolution, displaying admirable patience, and offering an educational reply: “Cyclists pay tax when they buy their bicycle, their tyres, their brake pads and their shoes. All of this pays for upkeep of roads (and hospitals, schools etc.) Drivers pay an additional charge called Vehicle Excise Duty, which is based on the emissions their vehicles produce.” Not to mention council tax which if I’d known I was exempt from, as a cyclist, I would have cancelled years ago…
A couple more for the (taxed) road?
Everyone pays tax Hoxtonboy.
Everyone (perhaps except the people in massive cars and yachts and houses who can afford to keep their cash off-shore).
Cyclists aren’t your enemy where tax is concerned.
— Bernie 💙 Author | Speaker (@_WhatMakesAMan_) April 17, 2024
We all pay tax. No one pays road tax. It doesn’t exist.
— endless (@endlesstime0001) April 17, 2024
Anyway, on the somewhat related money topic, here’s Money Saving Expert’s Martin Lewis offering some pedal-related advice earlier today…
Good to see @MartinSLewis suggesting ‘ditch your car’ as a way to reduce the cost of motoring.
Car clubs, taxis, public transport and walking, wheeling and cycling could be a better option for some. pic.twitter.com/RIEv4KQ44w
— Transport Action Network (@TransportActio2) April 17, 2024
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Latest Comments
@mdavidford Didn't want to break the flow, boy.
This is a shocking case and should raise the question could this driver have been stopped earlier? So many convictions, why was he still behind the wheel? The sentence does fit the crime in this case, but had the driver stopped after the initial collision, would they have even been jailed? I can't help thinking about the BBC program "The Crash Detectives", where about 14 mins into "Season 5 Episode 3: Fair to all parties" the police embark on what seems an exercise to exonerate the driver, with some ridiculous reasoning such as "the victim's reflective jacket is so bright it makes their front light difficult to see", conflicted by "ah, but the victim's reflective jacket might not have been as bright, so probably harder to see for the driver". In that case the driver faced "no further action". The gulf in outcomes is extreme where deaths on our roads are concerned.
@yodhrin A brilliant story told by one Ed Solomon: he was sitting in a café in LA and he heard two young ladies arguing over a point in the original Men in Black movie. "I can help clear that up for you," he said to them. "Thanks," came the reply, "we don't actually need an explanation from a middle-aged white guy to tell us what to think." "Okay, no problem," said Solomon and went back to his coffee. Ed Solomon wrote the screenplay for the original Men in Black movie.
Yes all the post war clearances & developments with the car centre stage is / was pretty universal. I think it helps that the NL is pretty flat & easy going so historically has very many cyclists from all ages & walks (or should it be rides) of life, who wanted to keep pedalling & presumably built up a lobbying force to save what they still had & build it back up. I notice the flatter UK towns have far more cyclists than much of West Yorkshire, although York's not too bad. If I lived in a flatter place I would cycle more; I dont mind hill climbs but you always arrive at your destination with a sweat on! The hilly nature is probably still a physical barrier for many resulting in fewer cyclists & lower use of cycle lanes - to be fair most of the lanes are on easier gradient routes, more likely to be used. There's none on the steep climb to our area which as its a dual carriageway is not much fun & feels a lot safer on the footpath. Overall it seems to be more of a sport activity here, rather than mum or dad or gran popping out for a quick shop or kids cycling to school. There are some pretty fierce climbs in most directions. Also the "broken" routes where C lanes stop & start awkwardly, usually at junctions, means you cannot just flow along, you have negotiate some tricky bit of kerbed channel with tight bends or something. All there with safety in mind I'm sure but not good cycling. Its easy to see why some cyclists who just want to crack on with their ride, don't use them. (Not just the freestyle lads who cycle thru every set of lights or diagonally across busy junctions regardless). The C lanes are always subservient to cars, I think largely for economic reasons; so many have to travel miles to get to work & for all its faults the car does the job but of course there are many counter arguments. I heard the NL have experimented in a few smaller towns with removing all kerbs & signage (?) etc so cars no longer have priority. I dont know how successful it has been. I've been in Indian towns where few rules were followed & seemed like an insane free for all, virtually constant gridlock, which I'm not convinced was an improvement! Even with a million pound cycle lane in the park, with all the best intentions, how much difference will it make, given human propensity to do what suits us best regardless of others. Who is going to police it, presuming that the current / previous free for all presumably was not policed? (This obvs is a wider issue) Have there been a spate of cyclist - pedestrian accidents that raised the notion of formal laning? Was it pedestrians who wanted to reduce cycling risks for themselves or the reverse? Is it a minority pressure group/s getting their way when the general park using public actually have other concerns such as better lighting & personal safety & actually arent bothered about the cycling issue either way? I should read up on it I guess!
@eburtthebike The normalisation of lifetime bans would be a good start to changing perception back to the pre-war understanding that driving is a privilege, not a right. And then a reinforcement of Sentencing guidelines can get underway, with a focus on "does the offender pose a continued risk to society?" In the case of the 15y/o's, their parents may not be culpable for the life changing injuries, but they are responsible for neglecting their kids to give them access to such egregious weapons on two wheels. CPS just needs to look further than ends of their noses and i doubt they'll fail to find substantive evidence of negligence.
@lesterama Thats even better.
@qwerty360 Thanks for this info. I've had two failure to identify in my reporting "career". One got away with it completely as it was a hire car through two different companies and they ran out of time to prosecute and one got points and a fine. The latter was NMOTD 946. I won't put a link in or you may never see this comment. If I've had two it must be quite common occurrence. Yet another loophole condoned by the legal system for the well off and unscrupulous.
@stulemanski wrote It depends on the situation but generally I prefer to stay on my bike as it takes up less room than walking by the side of it with pedals ready to catch the ankles of other pedestrians. If it's a no cycling area then it's get off and walk unless it is completely deserted. As for driving in cycle lanes be prepared to be pissed off and be prepared for the police to take no action when you report it with video evidence.
Yes I'm managing to avoid it. Living 60 miles away really helps there... The change to pedestrianisation happening when there isn't a plan for the large number of cyclists in London is really regressive.
16 thoughts on “Cargo bike campaign addresses the classic cyclists “pay no tax” myth; Reaction to former health minister’s “anti-driver” rant; Stevie Williams wins Flèche Wallonne; SRAM tea-Tap and Shimano tea-i2; Pro cyclist rain jacket fiasco + more on the live blog”
Taking a break from voting to
Taking a break from voting to pump raw sewage into the Deben is she?
Woodbridge is already blighted by entitled SUVs driving through the main shopping street. Nothing like coming out of Honey and Harvey’s to the smell of stale diesel fumes.
Meanwhile Kesgrave up the road has some of the best cycling infrastructure in the country and the highest number of kids cycling to school as a consequence.
Coffey has zero good ideas and the sooner we can vote her out the better.
A fag smoiking, clinically
A fag smoiking, clinically obese former Health Minister should probably welcome some active travel…
an example of Kesgraves “best
an example of Kesgraves “best cycling infrastructure in the country” https://maps.app.goo.gl/GsCMbzDUTPdq59qS9
stonojnr wrote:
Your point being? That old lane (now closed off as is obvious in the link you posted) was built thirty five years ago or more. On the other side of the road is the new lane which goes under the road, meaning the children of Kesgrave High School don’t have to navigate the roundabout.
That “old lane” as you call
That “old lane” as you call it, is 1) very much open, some misguided cyclists still use it. I used it once, vowed never to again and I block ride through that roundabout on the road instead.
And 2) was built no more than 10 years ago, use googles history and you can see how it used to look.
The ‘new lane’ on the other side of the road is simply part of a wide path built years before the newbuild estate in the 80s grew around it.
Carlton Reid claims its one of the 1920 cycle paths and he might be right as the surface is about 100 years old. And all they did to it was add a blue cycle sign, made it a shared path, that’s your best cycling infra in the country.
And its shared with drivers bored of queuing on the access roads, its got alot of hidden driveways that drivers don’t check for cyclists, lots of side roads drivers dont check for cyclists, Jeremy Vine would be overflowing with content if he rode it.
If thats the best we can do, seriously no wonder cycling will never ever amount to anything in the UK.
Thankgoodness she wasn’t
Thankgoodness she wasn’t health secretrary for long if she can’t see the link between health and active travel. I’d hate to be the one who breaks it to her that smoking can cause cancer!
Anyone seen this one?
Anyone seen this one?
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/651786
brooksby wrote:
Can’t say that I agree with that.
It’s missing the point that the reason we don’t want impaired drivers is due to the safety issues, so it seems arbitrary to pick on just a few substances that can cause impairment and ignore other ones (e.g. prescribed tranquilisers aren’t illegal yet are likely to cause a major problem with driving – they usually mention it on the label). There’s also non-substance impairments which would also be ignored by the change.
I’d much rather that driving privileges were taken away from people when they exhibit very poor driving skills for any reason – the point is the safety and not whether or not a particular drug is classified as illegal or not.
Yup – plus “more punishment”
Yup – plus “more punishment” also doesn’t address the point that punishments need to be enforced. (“Crucifixion? Ah, no. Freedom. Freedom for me. They said I hadn’t done anything, so I could go free and live on an island somewhere.”) It’s a) quite unlikely you’re going to get nicked for driving while banned and b) if you do the standard punishment seems to be … another ban.
Are you suggesting what we
Are you suggesting what we really need is a wider review of road traffic offences and penalties…?
There’s an idea. We could
There’s an idea. We could call it a “Comprehensive Road Traffic Law Review”, or something like that anyway.
brooksby wrote:
“Tells me a lot about your
“Tells me a lot about your cycling. I’m speaking as the winner of a County wide safe cycling award from 1974. In the 50 years since I’ve been riding regularly and applying the techniques I learnt then. No need to report close passes, take avoiding action or whine about motorists.”
Patronising, ignorant and fails to listen !
(not directed at me)
Out earlier in the car, NSL
Out earlier in the car, NSL very windy.
Cyclist on my side, so I slow, then another cyclist the other way going 25 mph with a driver in play. I decide to stop instead of making it any worse and the divvy driver pushed through. I hope the cyclist had a camera, as that driver needs remedial lessons. Absolutely bloody clueless.
Cycle bridge expected to be
Cycle bridge expected to be closed until June due to “safety” concerns over surface
Shades of the notorious cheese-grater bridge in Bristol, one of a series of bridges over the docks there which wasn’t only not fit for purpose, it was actively dangerous, being made of stainless steel which was slippery when wet and a surface with bumps with holes in, hence the name.
The first three new bridges over the docks were disasters, despite being on cycle routes, but they finally got it right with the fourth. Well, they did get an enormous amount of flak for the first three, but why oh why oh why did it take four attempts to get it right.
I think I’ve still got a copy of my article in Local Transport Today from a couple of decades ago, pointing out that bridges, even those on cycle routes, appeared to be designed by morons who literally didn’t have scooby about designing for cyclists, and that they didn’t appear to be checked by anyone who did know even the basics.
Great win from Welshman
Great win from Welshman Stephen Williams!