Could an EU ban prevent illegal bikes and battery-tampering kits coming to the UK? Leading industry body calls for action for “road safety” and “cyclist confidence”; European Championships preview + more on the live blog

@Mr Blackbird And the evidence that Spalding BID are a wunch of bankers is overwhelming.

@IanMK Many years ago, HSE decided that cycle helmets were not PPE. Not sure if their position has changed since then.

@Rendel Harris Thanks for digging all that up. That link is of the 'this is the answer, now put it in your own words' variety. As for Spalding BID, this is interesting: "Spalding BID Ltd is a registered company with a Board of Directors who volunteer their time to provide performance monitoring and strategic oversight of the delivery of Spalding BID Improvement Plan. Its Directors must be members of the registered company and in general appointed because they are business owners, business partners or have another vested interest in the town. It is important to note that Spalding BID Ltd is an independent company which is not owned, governed or operated by South Holland District Council." It raises £170k/year by taxing local businesses, which as you point out, they can't avoid, and they can't vote them out until 2029. "Spalding BID 5-year term of operation runs from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2029, after which businesses will be invited to take part in a new ballot to determine whether Spalding BID will run for a further 5-year term." I got curious about what exactly BIDs are so I googled and found some stuff, amongst which the ballot information was particularly interesting: "Establishment and Proposals • Notice Period: Proposers must notify the billing authority and the Secretary of State at least 84 days before requesting a ballot. • Business Plan: Proposers must submit a detailed project plan, consultation summary, and cash-flow budget. • Additional Services: Projects must fund improvements in addition to standard baseline services provided by the local authority. The Ballot Process • Postal Vote: Ballots are conducted entirely by post via the local authority's returning officer. • Dual Majority: Approval requires a simple majority of those who vote, and a majority of those votes must represent a majority of the aggregate rateable value. • Maximum Term: A BID arrangement can last for a maximum of 5 years before a renewal ballot is required to continue. Levy and Finance • The Levy: Eligible non-domestic ratepayers within the defined zone pay an extra levy, typically 1% to 4% of a property's rateable value. • Collection: The local billing authority collects the levy alongside standard business rates and holds it in a ring-fenced BID Revenue Account"

I imagine the 105,000 figure is the estimate for the top of high season., not the number of full-time jobs. The trouble with this job is that you are overworked for 4 months a year and then don't always work enough to stay in the black for the other 8. So many mechanics may need another job for the rest of the year, but then they can't keep up to date with the industry. Catch 22.

@Rendel Harris hmm... wonder if this organisation has received some journalistic attention? It could just be wording but yeah that reads "we've decided x, now let's come up with 'evidence' to prove that..."

@Rendel Harris do you think they got any evidence - or was it just anecdote?

@Chris RideFar I think because the over complexity of what bikes have become over the last decade it puts off many who may of been prepared to service their own bikes in the past but are now not so confident. Disc brakes are the obvious one for me. Its no longer a simple task of swapping a brake cable and putting in new pads, there is the bleeding, cutting of hoses, fitting barbs etc, its 3 new tools just for that 1 job if your needing to replace the parts. Even bleeding alone put off many, cos if you mess it up youre left without functioning brakes. a simple cable pull is easy to see and understand. hydraulics can be poor but you dont know until you come to use it and it can just fade and become spongy mid ride. Thats before we get into internal routing, headsets, the million and 1 different BB standards etc.

@eburtthebike I'd be genuinely surprised if this didn't fall under the remit of the HSE and they hadn't done an investigation. Imagine if a forklift hit a cyclist on a large industrial site. Having said that, although the HSE are unlikely to give specific advice, the 'staff are encouraged to wear helmets' doesn't sound like the outcome of a competent risk assessment.

@Smoggysteve My JoeBlow II is about 15 years old and still going strong. I'd say you were the exception but then Perce agreed with you. If my cycling son ever decides to permanently 'borrow' mine I would definitely get another Topeak.

@mdavidford It may be private land but, unless it was a staff-only area, it was a way open to the public (even if they have to pay to be there). Road legislation therefore still applies.