“If we must have more trams, let them take space from cars”: Cyclists “horrified” at plans to replace bike path with new tram line; Paris votes to triple SUV parking fees; Štybar “shed tears” during final home worlds; Bikeayo Saka + more on the live blog

Cyclists in Edinburgh have again criticised plans to remove a 2km-long section of a popular active travel path in favour of a new “transformational” tram line – arguing that “less car use is the goal”, not the destruction of green, cycling space – after councillors voted to put two potential options for the tram route to consultation, while stressing that the proposals will be presented to the public “objectively”.

Last week, we reported that councillors were considering a recommended £2bn north-south tram line through Edinburgh city centre from Granton to the BioQuarter, which would extend the existing network between Newhaven and Edinburgh Airport and finally incorporate a line first planned around two decades ago during the city’s initial tram project.

Since then, the Roseburn cycle path has established itself as a popular active travel corridor in the city, with the council last year beginning work on a £12.5 million scheme to improve connections for cyclists between the path and the Union Canal.

However, the recommended proposal for the new tram route involves removing two kilometres from the cycle path and incorporating it into the tram network (a walking route will still co-exist alongside the tram line, but cyclists will be “discouraged” from using it), a design that has sparked a backlash from cycling and active travel campaigners in the city and prompted the Liberal Democrats to launch a ‘Save the Telford/Roseburn path’ petition.

A second, alternative route, known as the Orchard Brae Corridor, has also been touted, though councillors have noted that this second option’s drawbacks also include the possible removal of existing cycling infrastructure and limited opportunity to build new protected bike lanes.

> “Travesty” if tram extension plan leads to loss of “much-loved” cycle path, says councillor

On Thursday, while approving the start of a 12-week public consultation on the proposals, the City of Edinburgh Council noted that while the Roseburn route is the “preferred” design for the new tram line, the consultation “should present objectively the pros and cons of both routes”.

Daisy Narayanan, head of placemaking and mobility for the council, told the meeting that the Roseburn and Orchard Brae routes were “not equal options in any shape or form” and that the decision to recommend Roseburn as the ‘preferred’ option came after extensive discussions between officials.

She added that Roseburn Path would “no longer” be “a key cycle route”, and said that while bikes would not be “banned” once the new line was completed, the path would “not provide the same level of cycling experience as it does now”, due to an abundance of “pinch points”.

Nigel Bagshaw, a former Edinburgh Green Party councillor who now represents sustainable transport charity Transform Scotland, also agreed that the Roseburn option “provides greater flexibility as it will facilitate interchange with the public transport network at Haymarket”.

However, he also conceded that the partial loss of the Roseburn corridor as an active travel route “is a concern”.

“As an organisation we would strongly support the plans to review whether there is any prospect for retaining walking and cycling provision along the Roseburn Corridor,” he said.

> Zig-zag corners on “moronic” Edinburgh cycleway to be replaced to improve cycle safety

Meanwhile, Lib Dem councillor Hal Osler told the meeting that she had received a “wave” of emails from residents who were “horrified” at the possibility of losing a “precious linear park green corridor”, especially considering the presence of an alternative option.

And Jakob Assarsson, speaking behalf of Friends of Dalry Cemetery, called into question the council’s commitment to reducing car use in Edinburgh, pointing out that the tram line proposals only seemed to impact cycling and green space, and were based purely on financial concerns.

Trams, he said, “should not come at the expense of an existing world-class nature corridor – with bats, hedgehogs, owls, and badgers, all protected species, throughout – and an extremely popular active travel route.

“If we must have more trams, let them take space from cars. Less car use is the goal.

“Clearly the Roseburn option is preferred because it is anticipated to be less expensive. But only in monetary terms. Not in terms of the quality of the city, the physical and mental health of its inhabitants, and the wellbeing of its nature.”

With the construction process expected to take 11 years, I suspect this debate could rumble on for a while yet…

Thanks to road.cc reader Oldfatgit for neatly summing up the apparent growing chasm between those two great cities when it comes to active travel policy in the 2020s.

While Paris’ SUV ban has received widespread praise from cyclists on social media – including some knowingly futile calls for the UK to follow suit – other readers were similarly baffled by local decision making in Auld Reekie.

“Wow! Just when I thought we'd hit peak absurdity, Edinburgh council proves me wrong,” wrote eburtthebike.

“We’re going to reduce car trips by taking away cycling infrastructure, not we’re going to reduce car trips by taking away driving infrastructure.

“They should go away, make a cup of tea, sit down and read their own policies and then implement them.”

This video broke me. Help, I need context.pic.twitter.com/DBackmD20d

— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) February 4, 2024

Another one to add to the weird and wonderful list of cycling podium prizes…

The long, complex debate over the length and structure of the cyclocross season has arguably proved more intriguing than most of the racing this winter, dividing riders, prompting bizarre public outbursts from UCI presidents and disgraced former team bosses, and highlighting the inherent difficulties in growing a sport seemingly reliant on its multidiscipline stars.

But, with summer roadies like Mathieu van der Poel and Zoe Bäckstedt adding to their increasingly bulging collection of rainbow jerseys at the weekend, changes appear to be on their way in the world of cyclocross – thanks to the planned introduction of a condensed UCI World Cup calendar, designed to entice the MVDPs and WVAs of the world, who may otherwise not want to spend four cold, wintery months in a muddy field as they prepare for the Tour of Flanders.

According to reports in the Belgian media, Flanders Classics (the rights holder of the World Cup until 2018) is currently negotiating with the UCI over a new schedule that will mean the cyclocross’ premier competition – which runs from October to the end of January over 14 rounds – will take place entirely in December and January, and over 10 or 12 rounds.

> road.cc Podcast: Lucinda Brand and Eli Iserbyt on the future of cyclocross

The new calendar, which is set to be announced in the spring, will also ensure that World Cups do not fall on the same weekend as other major, traditionally important races (which potentially draw riders away from ‘foreign’ – in other words, non-Belgian or Dutch – World Cups), while aiming to expand cross’s global reach by including more far-flung races, such as the long-touted London event and, apparently, in other UK cities.

“The negotiations take a long time and that is normal. This is about the future of cyclocross,” Flanders Classics CEO Tomas van den Spiegel told HLN.

“The cyclist of the future is multidisciplinary. I’m not just talking about Van der Poel, Van Aert, and Pidcock. But also about Van Empel, Van Anrooij, Pieterse, Backstedt, and Thibau Nys. That is the next generation that emulates Mathieu, Wout and Tom.

“If you want to make cyclocross sustainable, we can no longer ask the riders to adapt to the calendar. Then it seems logical to me that the World Cup adapts to the rider of the future. We have to find a format that allows this type of riders to win the World Cup.

“Then we have to ensure that the World Cup is held in December and January, without wanting to touch the Christmas period. There are a number of historic races there, we should not want to thwart them. In the future it will still be possible to race cyclocross from September to the end of February. But in the big races it must be ensured that the best riders are at the start. This is also the case in other sports and for me that is the future of cyclocross.”

(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

Meanwhile, the subject of the ‘cross calendar also came up in Mathieu van der Poel’s post-race interviews with the Dutch press, after the all-round superstar secured his sixth world cyclocross championships, moving him just one rainbow jersey shy of the all-time men’s record set by Erik De Vlaeminck.

And while Van der Poel remains intent on cementing his status as the best ‘crosser of all time by surpassing De Vlaeminck, the abuse he’s received by some fans during his startlingly dominant winter has forced him to weigh up his future in the discipline in which he made his name, at least when it comes to competing for any extended period of time during the road off-season.

“I think that is the only motivation to start racing again in the winter,” Van der Poel told WielerFlits of his desire to reach that seventh ‘cross world title.

“The rest of the season, as I've said before, isn't important. There is only one race that counts and that is the World Championship.

“Showing that I am the best is not something I am concerned with. I'm just working on that record. Everyone still talks about that De Vlaeminck record. That's something people just don't forget. Even many years after his career, people talk about it. So those are the things that matter and keep me busy.”

He continued: “Sometimes I wonder if it's worth it to have beer poured over you every race. “Although that shouldn't influence the decision too much. On the other hand, I can't just let it pass.

“I still enjoy cyclo-cross, it's something I really like to do. But it's not just the ‘cross. It's everything that comes with it. It takes a lot of energy.

“A day like that on the cross simply demands a lot from you. The racing is perhaps the easiest part of the day. My focus is also more and more on the road, that is where my big goals lie.”

In great news for bike nerds, like myself, up and down the country, Bespoked, the UK and Europe’s premier handmade bike show, is returning to British shores this summer after a year on the continent.

To the uninitiated, Bespoked tends to feature lots of superb craftsmanship, custom paint, lovely lugs, and Chris King headsets among the mostly independent makers, and a fine selection of one-off quirky bikes that you will certainly not find in Halfords.

It last took place in the UK in October 2022 at London’s Lee Valley Velopark, and will held for the first time this June at the iconic Victoria Baths in Manchester, so make sure to mark it in your diaries.

“Victoria Baths is an ideal venue for the show, with its glass roof, neutral palette, and ornate interiors,” Bespoked’s Peter Georgallo said in a statement today.

“Manchester is ideally situated at the centre of the UK geographically, with fantastic transport links and proximity to the Lake District and Peak District, which make up some of the finest riding in the UK.”

Registration for the event, which will take place between 28 and 30 June, is now open on Bespoked’s website.

DANGEROUS DRIVING IN CORK

Darren from Mullane School of Motoring sent us this shocking footage. Darren was conducting a lesson when a 'maniac' overtook them, almost hitting a cyclist, before breaking a red light at a busy junction.

Call: 0818 104 106
Text: 086 8 104 106 pic.twitter.com/2wig4cljPt

— Neil Prendeville (@NeilRedFM) January 29, 2024

“Look at this f***ing eejit,” says Cork-based driving instructor Darren, in something of an understatement, as a “maniac” motorist overtakes him at speed through a busy town, narrowly avoiding an oncoming cyclist in the process, before close passing another cyclist and ploughing on through a red light.

But, but, but cyclists…

pic.twitter.com/u4RLJVcH8y

— Cycling out of context (@OutOfCycling) February 4, 2024

I really hope you didn’t need context for that particular homemade sign (because if you did, goodness knows where your mind wandered to in the process), but here it is anyway:

> Mathieu van der Poel spits at “booing” spectator on way to 7th straight win

Fresh from opening the scoring against title rivals Liverpool yesterday afternoon, Arsenal and England ‘starboy’ (urgh) Bukayo Saka has staked his claim for a spot on the wing in our high-flying Footballers Who Cycle XI…

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Bukayo Saka (@bukayosaka87)

> Footballers who cycle XI — the Premier League stars who love life on two wheels

Saka, Salah, or Robben? Now that’s what they call in football a nice problem to have.

Oh, and don’t worry, it didn’t take long for a Gooner to pop up in the comments calling for their No. 7 to “get a helmet on kid”…

We’ll get to the cyclocross, and those utterly dominant displays in Tábor, in a minute or two, but here’s what else you may have missed while trying to keep up with all the bike races suddenly back on TV. And, you know, actually riding your bike…

> Head teacher of school in Exeter low traffic neighbourhood urges parents to take care after pupil knocked off bike

> Six teens arrested after cyclists targeted in hit-and-run crashes in Melbourne

> Near Miss of the Day 890: Scaffolding truck driver makes very close pass on cyclist

> Is this the return of the rim brake!? Ritchey's Road Logic makes a comeback in three configurations

> Can you afford to be a faster cyclist in 2024? Invest in Assos' £5,670 skinsuit pack, life-size Van Aert + Evenepoel dummies, self-lifting bike racks, a rearview safety "revolution", new Shimano shades + more

> This crowdfunded carbon fibre e-bike apparently has Michael Owen on its "ambassador team"

Well, there’s no denying the former Liverpool, Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Newcastle poacher’s inherent charisma and electric personality…