"We are not a nation of motorists": Led By Donkeys projects moving 20mph speed limit video onto Houses of Parliament, after PM's pledge to end "war" against drivers; Hi-vis victim-blaming; When you win a race without noticing + more on the live blog

Several cycling campaign groups, including Cycling UK and the London Cycling Campaign have shared this work by Led By Donkeys on social media, a video projected onto the Houses of Parliament hearing the story of a mother who lost her son Bobby Colleran to a road traffic collision outside a school. 

During the video Joanne questions the prime minister and his government, who at this week's Conservative Party Conference further outlined their 'Plan for Motorists' to tackle the "war" against drivers, namely their plan to "update 20mph zone guidance" to prevent blanket measures...

"We are not a nation of motorists, we are a nation of families."
A message to the prime minister. pic.twitter.com/OK5xlYetOl

— Led By Donkeys (@ByDonkeys) October 4, 2023

"For you not to support it... Why? Why?" she asks. "Because our children should be safe and should be here. You're five times more likely to be killed when you're hit by a vehicle travelling at 30mph. Prime minister, we are not a nation of motorists, we are a nation of families."

The London Cycling Campaign shared the video, thanking Joanne and saying "we demand safe streets for our children". Head of campaigns at the LCC, Simon Munk commented, "When politicians pit 'drivers' against families, we all lose".

"The 'Plan for Drivers' is a plan for congestion, collisions, children maimed and killed, a plan for increasing emissions, pollution and inactivity. It's truly horrifying culture war rubbish to shill votes from idiots," he continued.

"My little boy went to school and never came home again... Prime Minister, we are not a nation of motorists, we are a nation of families."

An incredibly moving message projected onto the Houses of Parliament. 💔

20mph zones save lives. https://t.co/HUymNG7lpV

— Cycling UK (@WeAreCyclingUK) October 4, 2023

Cycling UK shared it too, earlier this week the charity accusing the Conservatives of an "ill-fated attempt to win" votes with pro-motoring policies that risk "undermining" active travel success.

Those comments came after transport secretary Mark Harper used his speech at his party's conference to build upon Rishi Sunak's pledge to end the "war on motorists". On Monday, Harper said the Conservatives are "proudly pro-car" and said the Department for Transport would review guidance on 20mph speed limits in England and opposes their blanket use, would continue the review into low-traffic neighbourhoods, and aims "to stop councils implementing 15-minute cities".

Cycling UK's chief executive Sarah Mitchell called on the government to instead come up with a "holistic plan", not one that "zooms in on one particular mode of transport".

> Rishi Sunak’s 'Plan for Motorists' will "rob people of choice" and force them to drive, say cycling and walking campaigners

She said: "A plan that gives us the freedom to choose how we travel, maximising our ability to opt for healthy, cheap and convenient options.

"Better public transport, and safer ways for people to cycle and walk are entirely compatible with driving. Focusing on one way of travelling is like trying to complete a jigsaw with half the pieces missing.

"No.10 seems intent on undermining some of the government's most successful transport policies of recent years. Ministers should be proud of their achievements on walking and cycling rather than ditching them in an ill-fated attempt to win support in advance of the general election."

The wAr oN mOtORiSts!!!

⚠️ Driver of @MercedesBenz M555STB gets the hat trick of parking on the pavement, and on a cycle lane, and on double yellows on Etherow Street, outside a school.

And of course, there is a “highly dangerous” 4 year old cycling on the pavement... 🤷‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/2Q2pNn009q

— Dulwich Roads (@DulwichRoads) October 4, 2023

That's a hat-trick. Elsewhere in the United Kingdom...

From Facebook. School road, Moseley.

• 20 mph

• Bright White bollard

• Signage

• Planters

• Street lighting

All no match for a @SEATUK (naturally) pic.twitter.com/LE5g58q3My

— Brum Bike Cam (@TheBrumBikeCam) October 4, 2023

Bell Helmets has introduced a 100 per cent crash replacement scheme... for all helmets bought during October and November. Sorry September 30th buyers, no replacement for you.

Oh, and you have to replace your helmet within 12 months of purchase. For the rest of you they've got the usual 40 per cent scheme "aimed to provide riders with support if they encounter unfortunate accidents".

[Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com]

In the last hour it's also been officially confirmed that Astana Qazaqstan will be bolstered by leadout king Michael Mørkøv and the coach, Vasilis Anastopoulos, who played a key part in Mark Cavendish's 2021 renaissance to win four Tour de France stage wins and equal Eddy Merckx's record.

Of course you all know by now that Cav is sticking around for another year, another Tour, and another shot at the record...

> "Just one more year": Mark Cavendish to continue racing in 2024 and target Tour de France record

Speaking about his transfer Mørkøv said "of course, I am happy to reunite with my former teammate Mark Cavendish to chase the new victories for him".

"Besides, the upcoming year is a year of the Olympics and I have a big ambition to fight again for the gold medal in Madison. The team is ready to provide me a good support in chasing this dream and I am really grateful for it. In general, I am happy and ready to provide all my experience in cycling to help the team to reach its biggest goals throughout the next season," he said.

You all better do your homework before next year...

> Mark Cavendish's top 10 greatest Tour de France stage wins

Absolutely superb! The freedom, independence & confidence of cycling to school.
I don’t think I’ve ever visited a school where all the kids don’t put their hands up when I ask, “who would like to cycle to school?”
It’s down to us adults to enable more of this for more children 🚲 https://t.co/8jBJeKktbz

— Dame Sarah Storey (@DameSarahStorey) September 29, 2023

Remember, kids, it doesn't get easier, you just go faster... 

One of cycling's most iconic, bucket list events is back in 2024 — the Maratona dles Dolomites. Here's why, in the words of president of the organising committee Michil Costa, he thinks you should make it your goal for next year...

In the nocturnal silence of the Dolomites. Everything is Anatta, as taught by the Buddhist. The lack of a permanent self, of its independence. Nothing is self-sufficient, everything that exists lacks its own autonomy.

The body parts, even the legs that serve to push the pedals, the hands that grip the handlebars, the eyes that gaze at the Dolomites, are a non-self, and we humans can only exist when we are in relation. In relation to others and in relation to the non-human.

This is precisely the principle of 'mutatio', because everything changes continuously. Will the Maratona change? Certainly, it will change. Just as you change now, as you are reading this. Panta rei, everything flows...

Well, that's me sold...

Online pre-registration is open between October 10 and November 6 before the ballot in the second half of November. The 8,000 starting places will be split 50/50 between Italian and foreign cyclists.

'But what about the event's logo?' I hear you ask...

We began with artistic research, drawing on literature and art. Literature immediately makes us dream in the texts of Kafka and Ovid; visual art, on the other hand, is a journey into the world of Henry Matisse, Heronymus Bosch, up to the most modern artists of optical art, above all Victor Vasarely.

From this research, we first of all extrapolated the colour violet, the colour of metamorphosis, transformation and the union of opposites. Thanks to this colour, we developed the first concept we wanted to express, that of creating a lettering that is impalpable, ethereal, incomplete... mutable.

The result is an open form that has no boundaries, almost at the limit of legibility, because it is still alive and mutating.

Per Strand Hagens of Jumbo-Visma's development team took another pro win yesterday, even if he didn't seem to know he had at the time...

🇩🇪 #MuensterlandGiro

Yes, he stopped.
Yes, he won.
Yes, he celebrated.

Champ. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/wbpAud0uTV

— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) October 3, 2023

The 20-year-old, born in... *checks notes*... 2003 (disgusting, I know), did eventually stop to take the rather amused acclaim of his team's staff...

🇩🇪 #MuensterlandGiro

“I thought it was another lap!”

No, Per! You took the win. 😃💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/Z5UzsgELEw

— Team Jumbo-Visma cycling (@JumboVismaRoad) October 3, 2023