"If they can't park outside, they can't stop here": Cycle lane has "killed" village, local businesses claim (despite project adding 80 off-street spaces); Scottish minister calls helmets "individual choice" amid tabloid questions + more on the live blog

Business owners in the Rochdale village of Castleton have claimed sales are down 50 per cent and the area has been "killed" by the installation of a new cycle lane as part of a £4.4 million road improvements scheme.

The council told the BBC it is "too early to judge the success", some locals infuriated by the fact the road space which was scrapped to make way for the infrastructure was on-street parking, that despite the scheme also seeing 80 new off-street spaces created.

However, business owners believe it has "killed" passing trade, the owner of a local chippy saying customers used to "pull up, order the food, get back into the car, and away they go" but there is apparently now "nowhere to park"... except the 80 newly created spaces, presumably?

"It's supposed to get better but I can't see it, to be honest," Mark Foster of the New Bridge chip shop said, suggesting trade had decreased by a "drastic" 50 per cent.

Likewise, the owner of the Mini Market vape shop, said half their business had "gone" as "if they can't park outside, they can't stop here"... except at the, you guessed it, 80 off-street spaces?

"If it keeps going like this all of us will have to close down," Rahand Mahmud said. The BBC also heard from residents who called it a "total waste of money" and claimed that the project has "killed" the village.

The council did stick up for it (a bit), saying it would be part of a wider "fully connected routes" project that would link as part of two transport hubs and allow cyclists to make "longer journeys".

Police have released footage of a careless driver smashing into two female cyclists at a roundabout, causing the victims "life-changing injuries". The motorist, Zahin Ali, has been jailed for 10 months and was also sentenced to a two-year driving ban at Reading Crown Court on Monday.

> Careless driver jailed for 10 months and given two-year driving ban for seriously injuring two cyclists

After a successful previous iteration last year, British Cycling has announced that the national road championships will once again take place in the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire.

The event will kick off with the time-trial events in North Yorkshire on 19 June, with the circuit races taking place in Darlington town centre which played host to two Tour of Britain stages in 2008 and 2009, and finally concluding with the road races in Saltburn (no, not the mansion from the weird 2023 movie) on 23 June.

Last year's national men's road race champion, Fred Wright said ahead of the announcement: "To win my first elite national road title on Saltburn Bank was incredibly special and it has been such a privilege to wear the national jersey in the pro peloton. It meant a huge amount to win last year and I can’t wait to head back to the seaside and battle it out against the best riders in the country with some amazing crowds."

Reigning women’s national road race champion Georgi added: "Winning my second national title last year on Saltburn Bank was just amazing, and wearing the national jersey on the world stage is so special. Women’s racing at the minute is so exciting and we had such a good battle last year. I can’t wait to race in front of home crowds again and try and retain my jersey once again!"

The races coming back to North Yorkshire means that the region is set to host the races after the 2019 UCI World Championships, which proved to be unpopular with some locals, with even Tour de Yorkshire's organiser claiming that the Worlds in Harrogate were the "catalyst for ill feeling" and raised concerns about hosting cycling events.

Here's an interesting, and timely considering the story from Rochdale, new report from Create Streets, the think tank whose founding chair Nicholas Boys Smith is a government adviser.

A report by the organisation, supported by Cycling UK, outlined the significant economic benefits that can come from improving active travel provision. The Move Free report found that following projects to improve pedestrian, cycling or public transport access to shops, retail sales increase by an average of 30 per cent.

"Cars are great. Cars are awful. Cars can boost liberty. Cars can destroy it. Cars can help the economy. Cars can undermine it. It is largely a question of where. They add most value in areas of lowest density. They add least and do most harm in areas of higher density," Nicholas Boys Smith said.

"When it comes to freeing up our streets, our advice to decision-makers is; add choice and let people decide with their hearts and heads; think about place not just about movement; and find gradualist 'win-win' processes for improving places with the consent, even with the active leadership, of local neighbourhoods."

Sarah Mitchell, Cycling UK's chief executive added: "For some of us, and for some journeys, driving is necessary, but by providing other transport options and enabling other ways of getting around, driving also becomes easier for those who still need to drive, as the roads are freed up.

"We're urging the government to strengthen national planning policy to ensure new developments don't get planning permission unless sustainable transport options, including walking and cycling, are included."

Active Travel England and National Highways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise stronger collaborative working. National Highways is the body responsible for operating, maintaining and improving motorways and major A-roads in England, while Active Travel England, led by Chris Boardman, is the government's executive agency responsible for making walking, wheeling and cycling "the preferred choice for everyone to get around in England".

Boardman met with National Highways chief executive Nick Harris as the two parties committed to improve both organisations' alignment as part of a closer working relationship that will see data and guidance shared, opportunities for joint working and helping ensure maximum value from investment.

"ATE is teaming up with National Highways to make sure people can enjoy safe and pleasant journeys to work, school or the shops under their own steam. In turn they will reap the health benefits, save money and make more sustainable travel choices – it's win-win for everyone," Boardman said.

This is promising. If @NationalHways were to work to achieve betterment for active travel in every project, it would be transformative, especially in more rural areas. https://t.co/OlrZWuhYvY

— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter) March 21, 2024

Likewise, Harris said he is "very pleased" to be working more closely with ATE. He added: "National Highways is developing 'an approach to active travel' which will set our role, vision and priorities for active travel during the next roads period. This MOU signing is an opportunity to publicly demonstrate our commitment to active travel."

Through its Designated Funds programme, National Highways has invested £70 million in active travel schemes and is set to deliver an additional £22 million by the end of 2025.

Just when you thought you'd seen every questionable barrier design to prevent "anti-social behaviour" on cycle routes...

> "How exactly is a disabled person supposed to access this bridge?": Campaigners call on council to remove "unlawful, discriminatory" barriers from National Cycle Route