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Pizza restaurant’s sign warns they won’t serve anyone parked in pop-up cycle lane; Cyclist moves trap allegedly laid by dog walkers; 1 in 5 would pay more tax to fix potholes; Drivers STILL using pop-up as car park; Turbo nutrition + more on the live blog
SUMMARY

"Where would you rather live work and shop?" Before and after a street is closed to motor traffic
A telling before and after installation of a modal filter, taken just days apart. Where would you rather live, work and shop? pic.twitter.com/3uX3TGWnkz
— Adam Tranter (@adamtranter) July 3, 2020
This before and captures perfectly how the installation of a modal filter to prevent ‘rat-running’ drivers can totally transform a street.
Drivers still determined to park on Liverpool pop-up 'car park'/bike lane... even after double yellows were installed to stop them
New double yellow lines have appeared on Kingsley Road, however some remain determined to ignore this. At the sound end the advisory lane is a car park. Signs indicate resurfacing along here from July, which is very welcome! Let’s hope bikes are accommodated by the roadworks. pic.twitter.com/g7BwsPC89h
— Phillip Marshall (@Phil__Marshall) July 2, 2020
Thanks to complaints on social media and a hearty dose of pressure from the media, Liverpool Council council promised to act when it was found that a pop-up cycle lane in the city centre was effectively being used as a ‘pop-up car park’, forcing cyclists back out of the lane.
The road that made headlines with up to 20 cars parked in a 0.2 mile stretch has now had double yellow lines painted on it; however as photographed by Philip Marshall, there are still drivers determined to park in the cycle lane. When they were first made aware of the illegal parking, Liverpool Council said: “Enforcement options are being looked at but it is hoped behaviours will change as these new pop-up lanes bed in. However, if car parking persists action will be taken.”
It appears not everyone’s behaviour is changing just yet…
Citroën launch new limited edition city bike with Martone Cycling


The car brand have shied away from superbikes like various other car brands that have dipped their toe into cycling over the years, aiming the new ‘Women Rider Citroënist by Martone’ squarely at city mobility. The three-speed machine has a basket and double kickstand for elegant parking outside achingly cool Parisian cafés, and also retains the signature red chain that features on all Martone bikes.
A unisex version already existed which is currently reduced to €760 down from €950 on Citroën’s Lifestyle website, and the new Women Rider model is priced at €784.
Bikes transforming streets again, this time in Paris
Still don’t appreciate the transformation of Paris? Watch how many people go by, in how many ways. The cars are barely moving, but let’s be clear — they weren’t moving before either. But now people are. Rue de Rivoli & Rue de la Coutellerie HT @EmmanuelSPV pic.twitter.com/ma5CqqDAVR
— Brent Toderian (@BrentToderian) July 3, 2020
No modal filter needed here, there’s simply just so many bikes that cars are now second fiddle. After being comfortably re-elected earlier this week, Paris Mayor Anne Hildago is going full steam ahead with her plans to transform the French capital into a cycling and walking mecca. Cycle lanes have been promised for every street in Paris to make it a “100 per cent” bike-friendly city when the project is complete.
Cyclists get run over, literally
That moment when you want to cross the street in Amsterdam. The Dutch be like… pic.twitter.com/PQeJQ8DS9a
— Cycling Professor (@fietsprofessor) July 2, 2020
As observed by some of those commenting on this bizarre viral video – that we believe first circulated on TikTok – the girl ‘running over’ the cyclists appears to be attached to a rope to make things a little less likely to end up with broken bones. It goes without saying that if you own a gymnasium, a harness and have a dozen friends with bikes who like riding round in circles, don’t try this at home…
Lancashire, Dorset and Leicester among most ambitious councils for cycling, says Cycling UK
This is based off which councils took their full allocation (or more) from the first round of Emergency Active Travel Fund cash, with the three counties named above named as the most ambitious. It wasn’t all good news though, with Surrey off of Box Hill fame only getting 50% of what was available to them – full story to follow.
How not to go tubeless, with Alex Dowsett
After trying and failing with a regular pump and giving his floor a good helping of sealant as well as his tyre, on the advice of his dad the Israel Start-Up Nation rider eventually deploys a CO2 canister to get his new tubeless tyre on the rim (we have it on pretty good authority this won’t work with some tyre/sealant combos). If you want our advice in written form, check out this handy how-to guide.
Get even, get a bike
If you’re driving, and you get angry when a cyclist can go faster than you in traffic, or get through closed roads etc: Don’t get mad, get even*.
*a bike. Get a bike.
— Elinor Barker (@elinorbarker) July 3, 2020
Says Olympic champion Elinor Barker.
1 in 5 would be willing to pay 10% more council tax to fix Britain's battered roads, finds new survey


The survey from innovative pothole repair company Roadmender Asphalt found that almost 1 in 5 of those questioned would support a 10% rise in council tax for road repairs, that could amount to an extra £2.5 billion a year just in England. 69% of those surveyed also said they now prefer to cycle or drive to work rather than take public transport due to risks posed by COVID-19, and 32% said that commuting is the most stressful part of their day because of poor road quality.
To fix potholes, Roadmender Asphalt use a new material specifically designed for the job called Elastomac, and have called on councils to use their services for more cost-efficient and effective repair long-term. Their CEO Harry Pearl commented: “Experienced by councils up and down the land, the problem with pothole repairs is they are carried out using a process built around materials designed for building roads rather than fixing them. As a result the process is more costly, inefficient and ineffective than it needs to be, rather like playing squash with a tennis racket. You can do it but it’s far from ideal.”
If there’s one thing drivers and cyclists can all agree on all of the time, it’s that potholes are a whopping great pain in the backside…
"I'm saving you from a manslaughter charge": video of mountain biker moving trap allegedly laid by dog walkers goes viral (WARNING: strong language)
In the (sweary) clip, the mountain biker filming claims that the two dog walkers have deliberately laid branches across a path in Epping Forest. Although they don’t actually admit it, the conversation would suggest the cyclists have seen the pair putting the traps down.
The argument continues, with the male dog walker shouting “I’m not saying you can’t cycle”, but accusing the cyclists of riding dangerously. The cyclist filming says he is saving the pair from “a manslaughter charge” by removing the traps, with neither side backing down.
It’s the latest in a growing list of incidents in which self-styled vigilantes have put traps down with the intent of deterring/injuring cyclists, including one where two pensioners admitted to putting traps down on a path in North Yorkshire. Police confirmed that they interviewed two women – a retired teacher and a former parish councillor – about the incident after footage of the pair circulated on social media.
British Cycling announce latest update on return to racing, and confirm no national championships will take place in 2020


British Cycling have have given an update on the sport’s route out of lockdown today, announcing that regional level racing is still suspended until 1st August and no national level events can be held until at least 1st September – ruling out any major national championships in the UK this year.
The lifting of a suspension on all club and group activity was announced in British Cycling’s ‘The Way Forward’ document on June 18th, but they’ve clarified that the regional races allowed to take place will not include road racing or sportive-type events. British Cycling say: “We are keenly aware that road racing is the passion of a great number of our members. While we were able to reintroduce small club rides on June 18, we believe there are particular challenges when it comes to reintroducing this discipline as well as other mass-start events on the public highway, including sportives.
“These challenges include the impact on the communities whose roads we use, field sizes and the support required from emergency services. Therefore, it is likely that when mass start road events do return, they will do so first on closed circuits.”
An e-bike for $17? Seems legit.
Probably best not to click on this if it does pop up on your Facebook feed…
First you needed turbo-specific clothing... now you need indoor nutrition, say Science in Sport
Own your paincave with Turbo+
A world first in sports nutrition, Turbo+ is designed for indoor training and formulated with cooling menthol, proven to enhance performance in heat by up to 5%.
Transform your indoor training with Turbo+
https://t.co/bprxNje6Rj pic.twitter.com/Oaa7WurwEV— Science in Sport (@ScienceinSport) July 3, 2020
Team Ineos’ nutrition sponsor have just launched the Turbo+ range, claiming that the cooling menthol formula can enhance your performance in the heat… so we can’t just use it in the heat as well then? In any case, the range includes gels and a powder formula and is available now… full story here.
"The lane is for cyclists": Pizza restaurant create signs warning they will not serve anyone who parks in pop-up cycle lane
to try and protect cyclists and pedestrians at the Forrest road junction to try and stop people parking on the pavement & bus lane. We have encouraged our neighbours to do the same. Stay safe.. be nice… eat pizza x pic.twitter.com/ZN7iN050wq
— Civerinos Food Club (@civerinos_slice) July 3, 2020
Civerinos Slice of Edinburgh have installed the signs in an effort to prevent drivers from parking in a recently installed pop-up cycle lane at the Forrest Road junction outside their restaurant. In the smaller print underneath the main notice, Civerinos say they won’t serve or take deliveries from anyone parking in the lane.
They say they’ve took action to “try and protect cyclists and pedestrians at the Forrest road junction to try and stop people parking on the pavement & bus lane. We have encouraged our neighbours to do the same. Stay safe.. be nice… eat pizza.”
It would be wrong to congratulate this bold move without a suitable pizza pun…
Brilliant. Your customer base has just grown. Thank you for doing this.
— Algorhythmical (@Algorhythmica1) July 3, 2020
3 July 2020, 08:36
Plus his answers to more obligatory questioning about helmets.
Chris Boardman has sold his car and is working part-time at Halfords
No, he hasn’t fallen on hard times
3 July 2020, 08:36
Find out which counties topped the cycle funding league table
Emergency funding ‘winners and losers’ – is your area serious about cycling?
‘Widen my path’ tool lets you show your council where you need safe space
3 July 2020, 08:36
Full story on the latest British Cycling announcements
“Particular challenges” when it comes to bringing back sportives – British Cycling
Governing body also announces that 2020 British National Road Championships has been cancelled
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Latest Comments
I'll counter that by saying the Bryton 750se I have drives me nuts at times. Inconsistantly picks up on routes created on Komoot and the app re-syncs every few seconds when trying to set up the device and sends me back to the home screen. The most infuriating one is that I turned live track on. Once. It now won't turn off and repeatedly flags up the live track is starting, and then disconnecting every few seconds whilst riding. I haven't timed it but it wouldn't suprise me if 10-20% of the time the the screen is covered with an error message. That's been about 6 weeks now. Other than that it's great :/
RE: Police launch road safety operation... by clamping down on cyclists using footbridge Meanwhile in Glasgow, Police Scotland are riding their motorbikes over the pedestrian and cyclists only bridge. https://x.com/FietserGlasgow/status/2065106152917012523?s=20
@Paul J Van Schip certainly seems a bit of a dick, but he's a European and multiple World Champion on the track, pretty sure you don't get there without having some talent in your legs.
Poor Vincent cannot get over the simple fact that given the choice people prefer dedicated cycling spaces, rather than pretending to be cars like vehicular cyclists.
What is the point of the fancy air sensor if it can't account for changing weather conditions?? If all you care about is a delayed approximation of aerodynamic watts in steady conditions, you don't need any special sensors for that. Just your speed on a decently flat course is enough to approximate rolling resistance and drivetrain losses. And the rest must be aero. If you assume a less aero body position at the same watts, your speed will drop while rolling resistance also drops, which means approximated aero watts goes up. And that's enough to demonstrate what you've shown in your testing protocol ("I sat upright and the number went up a little while later").
Your correction is accurate - it's almost always been "the (lack of) thought that (doesn't) count". "Massive" - less than a billion a year spent on active travel (trying to catch up / building a network across the entire country) Not massive - 6 billion every year (2026-2030) spent on road *maintenance* of existing "already built, goes everywhere, very convenient" road network for inactive travel Ultimately the reason "cycle infra" is *needed* is those unbelievably colossal amounts spent every year (and for more than a century now) on making mass motoring not just viable but apparently the "best choice" for most journeys. As the Dutch and others have shown, the majority of people *are* prepared to cycle and even mix with very light, slow local motor traffic *if* cycling is also made safe and convenient for the whole of their journey (including secure parking at both ends). (The history of the financial drivers of the current situation are a complex topic but note that while people complain about "crumbling roads" and underfunded motor infra - with some reason - by us continuing the fuel duty escalator freeze (for example) we're actually helping motorists pay *even less* for that activity / subsidising more of the cost of driving than ever.)
yes, but people will still object - which was my point.
So ' Priority of Road Users' and 1.5 metre clearance at 30mph has been been reduced to 'sharing'? NCN route 2 here in South Hams is an absolute scream with white vans, tractors and total idiots who refuse,or are totally incapable,to reverse on high Devon banked lanes ...means you have to get off and pedal back to a passing place....could be at that all day...so I don't bother...
@MaxiMinimalist Agreed. The big problem I see now is today's parents grew up being driven to their schools, and therefore, see private motor vehicles as the only viable form of transport. The vast majority of UK infant and primary schools have a catchment area that is within easy walking distance from home to school. Yet, the traffic caused by pupils being driven to/from school is astonishing. Banishing the "School Run" should be a priority for all schools.
When I was a kid (that was during the previous millenium when phones were connected to a plug in the wall), I rode my bicycle to school, music academy, sport grounds, parties even during the winter. The government didn't have to spend, correct that, didn't have to think of spending massive amounts of money to build cycling specific infrastructures. Over the past 3 or 4 decades, cars have grown bigger, taller, safer (for their drivers) and faster. Meanwhile, motorists have become abusive, aggressive, hypersensitive to people moving on two wheels, aka cyclists. Spending billions upon billions on new infrastructure won't address the crux of the matter. Sadly.
40 thoughts on “Pizza restaurant’s sign warns they won’t serve anyone parked in pop-up cycle lane; Cyclist moves trap allegedly laid by dog walkers; 1 in 5 would pay more tax to fix potholes; Drivers STILL using pop-up as car park; Turbo nutrition + more on the live blog”
The problem we have is that
The problem we have is that many motorists know that the likelihood of them getting caught, fined or prosecuted for illegal parking, exceeding speed limits, going through red lights, closes passes etc etc is significantly less than the chance they will ‘get away’ with it.
Councils and local law enforcement often don’t have the fiannces or resources to do anything about it. However, the car pictured on double yellows is pretty clear and Liverpool police should not ignore it.
I always assumed that traffic
I always assumed that traffic wardens were paid by the ticket…clearly not.
It’d be so easy to stop anti
It’d be so easy to stop anti-social parking – just have a suitable app that allows the public to video dodgy parking and provide a small bounty for doing so. That’d encourage people to walk around their neighbourhood more whilst also supplementing their income and hopefully getting more fine money into the treasury. Some people might see it as a war on the motorist, however.
The councils did do something
The councils did do something about it:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-bans-use-of-cctv-spy-cars-for-on-street-parking
CCTV enforcement was banned because it worked. CCTV ‘spy car’ were recorded to issue more tickets an hour than an average warden in a month in some areas iirc… It was viable to keep all the existing wardens employed, but most in cars, paid for by the end of day 3 in extra fines collected…
Civil enforcement officers
Civil enforcement officers
Unless it is outsourced, they will be a salaried employee.
hirsute wrote:
They will still be salaried even if outsourced. They are not allowed to be set incentives or targets. Performance is managed by expected reasonable norms. Penalty charge notices generate revenue for Local Authorities, but both directly employed and outsourced enforcement officers have a cost. The balance that a lot of LAs struggle with is to spend more on enforcement to generate better enforcement and an off-setting revenue. A company cannot guarantee a level of return, nor can it actively incentivise enforcement officers to issue more tickets. If they are successful, the number of offences and associated revenue will fall – there is a balance. Less competent LAs tend to spend less on enforcement because it keeps costs down……
I suspect what might be going
I suspect what might be going on there, too, is that the local residents don’t have off-street parking and think it is their right to park on the road next to / near to their house.
“Drivers still determined to
“Drivers still determined to park on Liverpool pop-up ‘car park’/bike lane… even after double yellows were installed to stop them”
Dangerous parking; police, report today, and every day until it stops.
I must admit that during
I must admit that during lockdown and with much, much quieter roads, I was hoping Bristol City Council would jump at the opportunity to fix potholes and repair our terrible roads with minimum disruption to motorists.
Of course, I also admit that I know nothing about their staffing or funding situation. With some many people on furlough across all sectors and also that it may not have been considered essential, I kind of get it. Just a shame , that’s all!
In their defence, they did do
In their defence, they did do quite a lot of repairs through lockdown while the roads were quiet. The problem they have is that so many of the city centre roads are so utterly fcked that they don’t have the time, manpower, or resources to fix them all.
Fair comment.
Fair comment.
Can’t speak for everywhere,
Can’t speak for everywhere, but up here in Derby filling potholes is outsourced to a private company. Where is the incentive to do a good job when you are paid by the number of holes you fill? Doing a crap job means you can charge over and over again for more and more shoddy repairs. All they do is tamper a bit of tarmac in without putting a sealant around the joint resulting in the newly laid tarmac being pulled back out over the coming weeks by vehicles passing over them.
Do it once, do it right.
Not rocket science.
There must be a standard to
There must be a standard to work to though and inspections. Fail the inspection you don’t get paid until it is done to the required standard.
I think the main problem is they won’t fix an adjacent one that they can see needs doing but for which they have no work order and hence no income for doing it. This leads to a poorer, overall surface.
most councils who are
most councils who are responsible for highway maintenance will admit when pushed on it,they check at best only 1 in 10 jobs of work carried out.
“…..the problem with
“…..the problem with pothole repairs is they are carried out using a process built around materials designed for building roads rather than fixing them.”
I reported a pothole about ten months ago, and it was finally filled in January. Trouble was, they’d filled it so badly, or did it in the rain, that a week later, it was just as bad; a week. We definitely need a better system for filling them, so I hope that councils will be using this new stuff.
Company that wants councils
Company that wants councils to spend more money finds that 80% of people don’t want to pay for councils to spend more money.
A different way of looking at it.
By the way, I know it’s possible to pay more tax to HMRC if you want, I suppose local councils will also accept money if you’re one of the 20% and want to give them more than you’re obliged to.
Quote:
Interesting clip from Epping
Interesting clip from Epping Forest, and I wondered what the status of the path was, thinking that it might have been pedestrian only, but the City of London website says:
“Cyclists can cycle across most of Epping Forest. Our paths are multi-user, unless marked otherwise…..”
So unless this path was marked otherwise, which doesn’t seem likely, the cyclist is right, and the couple were committing a criminal offence by boobytrapping the trail. I’m just amazed they had their dog on a lead.
I started watching it, and
I started watching it, and agree with your points.
As we’ve seen all through ‘lockdown’, there are an increasing number of low level vigilante-types who want to stop cyclists from lawfully riding through ‘their’ areas by making traps for them, to put them in hospital (I’m sure these people didn’t see it like that, of course…).
However, I didn’t watch this video all the way through. I felt the plot development was a bit slow, and I kept waiting for someone to say, “Leave ‘im, Barry, ‘e ain’t worth it!”…
brooksby wrote:
Yeah, you didn’t miss much.
My wife won’t let me watch at
My wife won’t let me watch at all – she says it’s “borrowing trouble”.
The couple admitted it was ok
The couple admitted it was ok to cycle, the old boy even used the word ‘byeway’.
They did not want it used as a mountain bike trail (whatever that is) or to cycle irresponsibly, but laying traps is ok.
I can understand why the
I can understand why the riders were pissed off. But despite the annoyance level, swearing never helps in these situations. That’s a nice whippet by the way.
OldRidgeback wrote:
Not familiar with that brand; are they new on the cycling scene?
eburtthebike wrote:
My whippet runs alongside me while I’m riding in the park. He loves it. So do I.
Having ridden for years in
Having ridden for years in Epping Forest, I don’t recognise that as a Bridleway, it is almost certainly a footpath, and Corporation of London often patrol to prevent cyclists and horse riders from using the footpaths. Even so, it’s usually live and let live, unless people behave like idiots.
BadgerBeaver wrote:
That comes into the category of anecdotal helmet evidence; I didn’t recognise it so it can’t be true. Why are so many people convinced that what they believe, without evidence, is true? Well, like helmets, it could be a religious thing, where evidence is superfluous.
BadgerBeaver wrote:
Having ridden for years in Epping Forest, I know most trails are open to cyclists and horses other than few marked restricted areas (Loughton Camp, Ambresbury Banks, Connaught Water, Rushey Plain). Never seen CoL rangers patrolling trails either.
Doesn’t really matter if the
Doesn’t really matter if the geezer was allowed to cycle there or not. Placing obstructions on a path to create a hazard for others is pretty irresponsible and childish.
I love quite close by and it
I love quite close by and it was in a local FB group and the man was identified as a primary school teacher no less (not the cyclist obvs)
Goldick wrote:
We don’t need to know what you get up to in your car at night.
“An e-bike for $17? Seems
“An e-bike for $17? Seems legit.”
Especially given the name of the company; the Eurakar store.
Civerinos Slice of Edinburgh;
Civerinos Slice of Edinburgh; what a great company. Bit far for me to go for a pizza, so do they post them? I do hope all the cyclists who live there show their appreciation.
One-in-five would pay more
One-in-five would pay more tax to fix potholes, but then continue to buy sh*t from Amazon et al. which pay sod all of their obligation because it’s slightly cheaper than a bricks and mortar (tax paying) shop.
Hmmmmmm……
Amazon pay all the tax they
Amazon pay all the tax they are obliged to under existing tax laws, if you object to the amount of tax that results in, lobby your MP to change the tax laws so they have to pay more.
Awavey wrote:
While hassling your MP is a good idea, it’s not easy to get big companies to pay an appropriate amount of tax. They have whole teams of people finding relevant loopholes and it’s particularly difficult with multinationals as they can shunt around their costs and profits to favourable tax regimes.
Municipal Waste wrote:
Funny how councils won’t consider a more proactive / preventative method by reducing the number of the vehicles that cause the damage in the first place (and their speed, which is also a factor) by promoting cycling.
And only 20% are prepared to pay more. So the other 80% want to have all the roads maintained properly, the leaking roof fixed on the school, the street lights come on every night, the fly-tipping removed, the bins emptied and a thousand other things without them paying a penny more than they have to.
They buy from Amazon and get their food, clothes and DIY stuff from out-of-town shopping centres then complain because all the independent traders in town have closed down.
Just been looking at Frsh
Just been looking at Frsh Good Friday over on Singletrack and discovered that some bloke called Jo Burt has gone and got him his own bar tape.
I think it looks rather cool. Unbiased/heavily biased reviews soon please.
Great example of filtering
Great example of filtering posted by Adam Tranter (above)
Those cyclists in Paris. They
Those cyclists in Paris. They’re not wearing hi-viz and lots of them aren’t even wearing helmets. No number plates either. This must be a hoax surely.