“Stop spending money on useless cycle lanes”: local media publishes residents’ angry claims without verification; Hope after all? Surveys show next generation of cyclists back new infrastructure despite safety concerns + more on the live blog
SUMMARY
"Stop spending money on useless cycle lanes": local media publishes residents angry claims without verification
We’re a little bit wary of giving unfiltered internet opinions a free airing. We, like many organisations, have a battle between wanting to maintain your attention and interest, and baiting you (beloved reader) into a pool of rage. That’s why we tend to save the social media rage for the live blog rather than most articles, and when we do delve into the underworld of Facebook comment sections, we try to temper the output with the context of what news it is that people are actually getting in a tizz about.
Bristol Live have opted for a different approach. After running an article last week on the “most pothole-laden road in Britain” (Coldharbour Lane for those of you wondering), this week they followed it up with a ‘News Opinion’ article entirely given to repeating its audience’s worst inclinations directly back to them, elevating the online pothole-related output of its audience. With that context, here are the comments that make for quite a reading, thanks to the inevitable cycle lane sideswipes that come.
“If the council concentrated on the roads like all the latest Cycle lanes that will not get used much, then we would have decent roads. All councils, as I have said before, need to be investigated with a fine-tooth comb and see where our money is really going, as it’s not going completely in the areas designated, is it? We already know most of it goes in the back pockets of these contractors, taking advantage of their system. It’s about time it stopped.”
“It’s also worth noting one small pot hole on a cycle lane is fixed as soon as reported, while multiple pot holes on a normal road are left unrepaired for months. Stop spending money on useless cycle lanes and fix the roads instead.”
“They would rather waste money on these new cycle lanes, which not a lot of people use.”
Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised, in some ways it’s a modern ‘letters section’ of what was once a local newspaper. But the verbatim re-posting of these comments, without context, needlessly antagonises and deters cyclists who aren’t deemed worthy of proper infrastructure. It is, after all, possible to fix potholes and have cycle infrastructure, particularly when central government funding is available for councils to do both.
But the distinction of government and council funding isn’t made, no attempt at fact-checking or contextualisation is given to any of the claims, just exacerbating a perceived ‘war’ on the motorists. The article, like this blog entry will be shortly, is also shared on social media, opening the floodgates to a hundred more comments perpetuating the same outrage and needless conflict. It’s all rather exhausting, but something we thought you should know about.
Omloop Nieuwsblad preview: Van der Poel and Wiebes' to lose?
Yep, it’s not a typo, Omloop has dropped ‘Het’ (the) from its name. Is nothing sacred anymore?
Anyway, it’s not the only thing that has changed about the opening classic of the men’s and women’s calendar. The route has gotten harder, with two steep climbs, the Tenbosse and Parikeberg, added in the final 60km to encourage more attacks compared to last year’s edition. Whether it means Mathieu van der Poel or Demi Vollering will just neutralise the race by going solo long before the finish remains to be seen.
With Wout van Aert missing Omloop due to illness, the onus will likely fall to Tom Pidcock to neutralise or counter any long-range moves from the Dutchman, bidding to become the first reigning cyclocross champion to win the opening spring classic.
But if the climbs fail to split the bunch then expect a sprint featuring defending champion Søren Wærenskjold, Van der Poel’s teammate Jasper Philipsen, Arnaud De Lie, and Biniam Girmay. Matthew Brennan will carry British hopes if it comes down to a fast finish. A final mention goes to Soudal-Quickstep. With Remco Evenepoel now a distant memory, the squad have reinvested in experience over innocence, with new signings Dylan Van Baarle and Jasper Stuyven expected to lead the line for much of the next six weeks, with Paul Magnier the designated sprinter after Tim Merlier’s 2026 continues to be disrupted by injury.
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Despite originally not being selected, the women’s race will have its defending champion on the startline, with Fenix-Premier Tech calling up their new signing Lotte Claes at late notice. It would take a brave person to bet on Claes repeating her victory from last year though, when the early break built such a gap that no-one was willing to chase them down.
With Lorena Wiebes on the startlist, the challenge for everyone else will be to drop the star sprinter, far from an easy task. Demi Vollering, Elise Chabbey and Kasia Niewiadoma are among the strongest climbers on paper, whilst SD Worx will also have Mischa Bredewold, Lotte Kopecky and Anna Van der Breggen to mark moves and counter where necessary. British hopes will rest on Cat Ferguson, the 19-year-old having already claimed two early season victories in Spain.
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Fachie "drawn back in" from retirement by Glasgow games swansong
We briefly touched on the Commonwealth Games earlier, as Scotland aims to improve its stature as a host of international sporting events. One man counting on a good occasion is Champion para-cyclist Neil Fachie, who’s been tempted out of retirement to ensure a proper homecoming. Fachie won two of his five Commonwealth titles at the last Glasgow Games in 2014 and is also a Paralympic gold medallist and a 19-time world champion.
“Had it not been Glasgow I don’t think I would have been going,” Fachie told the BBC.
“I have been drawn back in, purely because Scottish Cycling asked the question and I love Team Scotland – I have loved every minute of every Commonwealth Games I have ever done so that was obviously a big big draw and I couldn’t say no.
“I don’t expect to be back in gold-medal winning shape necessarily but I am confident I can get back to being very competitive and hopefully be challenging for a medal, I wouldn’t be doing it if I wasn’t going to do myself justice.”
Hope after all? Surveys show next generation of cyclists back new infrastructure despite safety concerns
Remember when a couple of days ago we reported on the findings presented to TfL that 43 percent of cyclists felt unsafe in the capital? It wasn’t a great look in light of all the active travel investment that has been made over the past decade. Thankfully, we’ve received quite a chunk of evidence this week showing that investment in cycling is still the way to go.
> “There’s still a long way to go”: 4 in 10 London cyclists still feel unsafe in the city
Ahead of elections to the devolved Parliaments in Wales and Scotland, Cycling UK have commissioned surveys of young people age 16-30 (teenagers can vote in these elections). Their findings are refreshingly pro- all things two-wheels.
In both Wales and Scotland, 74 percent of young people said they want streets redesigned to make cycling and walking safer. 58 percent of all adults surveyed in Wales also support the shift (56 percent in Scotland).
The most supported initiatives in Scotland were for better road safety campaigns and the construction of segregated cycle lanes. Meanwhile Wales found one in four young people would reduce their car dependency if better infrastructure was provided.
However, they also found women are less likely than men to say roads are safe for walking and cycling. At the same time, women show slightly stronger backing for change, with 61 percent supporting street redesign compared to 55 percent of men.
On the subject of young people, Lime have also obtained their own data on London cycling which shows 54 percent of 18-34 year olds say they are satisfied with the quality of their local cycle lane network, compared to just 36 percent across all ages.
Maybe the youth aren’t too bad after all…
Roubaix hubris
Fresh from another frantic cyclocross winter, Puck Pieterse’s spring training is already looking ahead to Hell. Just don’t try a dismount in the celebration…
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Tributes paid to peloton's most famous parrot
Franky, the beloved pet parrot of the late Giro d’Italia winner Michele Scarponi, has died.
‘Now they fly together again’ – 🇮🇹 Michele Scarponi’s famous training parrot Franky has passed away
📰 https://t.co/ikeKZY0fy8 pic.twitter.com/sQkwjTBak4
— Domestique (@Domestique___) February 27, 2026
Franky was known for accompanying the Italian climber on several training rides. After Scarponi’s death, when he was hit by a van driver whilst training for the Giro d’Italia, Franky lived in the warehouse run by Scarponi’s son Giacomo.
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In a statement on Instagram, the foundation established in Scarponi’s honour said Franky had died in a factory fire.
“It is a loss that touches us deeply. A big hug to Giacomo, who introduced us to Franky and who has seen his life’s work disappear in a devastating fire, in a warehouse where Franky also lived.”
The foundation, which campaigns for stronger road safety in Italy added that “Michele and Franky now fly together again.”
When is a bike not a bike?
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Klæbo cool on switching sports
Keeping up with the Klæbo sport switch that we speculated on yesterday, Daniel Friebe has poured some cold water (or should that be ice?) on the idea, suggesting that Uno-X would accommodate him, but that there isn’t yet much enthusiasm from the Norwegian to give up the sport where he’s an 11-time gold medallist.
Johannes Klæbo isn’t joining Uno-X (yet) but team manager Thor Hushovd told me today he only needs to pick up the phone (sort of). That and more Seixy time in latest episode. https://t.co/5wzlV8lmvy
— Daniel Friebe (@friebos) February 26, 2026
Zoe Bäckstedt recalls horror crash which smashed helmet “into so many pieces”
Zoe Bäckstedt breaks hand and cracks helmet in training crash
A little reminder of our own mortality for you this friday…
New programme launched for UK Grand Depart
We reported several weeks ago on Scottish Government’s spending for the Grand Depart of the men’s Tour de France. That was before the route was formally confirmed, showing how the route would start in Edinburgh before heading… immediately for the border. Here’s a refresher in case you missed it…
> Scottish Tour de France Grand Départ budget trebles to over £10 million
Included in the Scottish Government’s figures was a provision for a ‘social impact programme’ which, we hope, ensures the biggest bike race in the world doesn’t sink without a trace. Now we have some more details…
The Scottish Government have allocated £1 million to Scottish Cycling (the regional governing body) with the remit to “work with local authorities and community organisations to deliver a range of projects that will create long-lasting impact, whilst also aligning with the wider UK-wide social impact programme led by British Cycling.
That £1 million is included as part of the Scottish Government’s £9.25 million investment in the Grand Depart and does not represent additional funding.
Announcing the programme alongside some fantastically grumpy looking children in Penicuik, Business Minister Richard Lochhead said the Grand Départ “is a once in a generation opportunity.
Happy Classics Eve to all who celebrate...
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Rest assured I’ll have a full Omloop preview (and a slightly briefer Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne lookahead) later today…
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@Jakrayan God knows. On the country roads here (Kent) people are usually good at not close passing me but the consistently overtake me on blind corners etc. Oncoming cars on very narrow roads its 50:50 as to whether they will slow down at all despite passing me within 50cm. Once I get back into civilisation its a different story. Bad driving becomes the norm.
You could bé right. I live in a French Pyrenean départment with plenty of narrow, tight roads. About 80% of drivers either pull over to thé max or wait for a better space to overtake. Mind you, there's always thé odd one looking at their phone...
For a while I've thought this was an unfortunate brand name. Several times I've seen cyclists riding towards me wearing Le Col jerseys with their right arm covering the L so it looks like they are advertising e.Coli.
A driver in a BMW not looking properly at a junction? Who'd have thunk it?
@bennysnnock Which is why training for a driver's licence should include cycle training, of course.
As someone who previously worked in the custom cycle clothing industry, I have to admit this news did make me smile. I'm sure the brand will rise like a phoenix from the flames, but just the idea that they've gone pop has lifted my mood. Fair play to Yanto though, I'm sure the brand has set him up, one way or another, for life; he had a vision and he delivered on it. But, having been at the wrong end of a strategy that involved outspending the rest of the industry (on advertising) and out-discounting on retail kit, it's nice to know that their 'be the last man standing' strategy has - at least for now - failed. One trick (let's be fair and call it a strategy) that really frustrated me back in the day, was the way in which they used to give university cycle teams free kit. All very upstanding you say, however their motivation was more; 1. get people in your kit young and (hopefully) keep them for life - fair enough - but more acutely 2. remove decent revenue streams from your competitors. Uni teams were great because every year there was a new influx of members needing kit - so LeCol just took the market, not to make any money, just to kill it for the rest of us.
@Rendel Harris Absolutely. I was just making the point that Surrey has a lot of 'couldn't care less if I hit you' drivers whose attitude is get out of my way and if you don't that's your fault.
Their socks were all right.
@mctrials23 All those play out in Surrey pretty much every ride.
@Smoggysteve: Just buy the red version. It's faster—everyone knows that!
12 thoughts on ““Stop spending money on useless cycle lanes”: local media publishes residents’ angry claims without verification; Hope after all? Surveys show next generation of cyclists back new infrastructure despite safety concerns + more on the live blog”
Teenagers can vote in all UK elections, although in national and English ones only those teenagers aged 18 and 19. “16 and 17-year-olds can vote in these elections” would better suit the point being made.
I think it’s a climate impact programme you want for that, isn’t it?
Wasn’t the parrot some random parrot that just happened to regularly join Scarponi on his local training ride – not Scarponi’s own parrot?
The article does say that the parrot lived in Scarponi’s son’s warehouse.
It is sad that Franky reportedly died in the factory fire, but apparrotly he had been warned several times about smoking near to packaging materials.
Although the parrot (a blue and yellow macaw) is native to Central and South America, it could probably survive in the wild in Europe, as long as winters weren’t too harsh.
But this article proves beyond all doubt that parrots are polycyclic.
“Useless cycle lanes” just another local rag jumping on the anti-cycling bandwagon.
One of the comment is the rag is “My car and alot[sic] of cars have low profile tyres which realy[sic] suffer from this”. I suggest significant increases in insurance premiums for the owners of such poorly chosen vehicles.
“…Scottish Cycling will deliver a social impact programme that focuses on three core areas: tackling inactivity and improving mental wellbeing; making Britain more productive and prosperous; and supporting communities to thrive.”
This statement sounds like an ambiyious political platform. All of the above for only 1 million quid. Way to go Scottish Cycling.
Erm, I don’t think _they’ve_ dropped it. I think just possibly it has more to do with het Nieuwsblad rebranding themselves as just Nieuwsblad.
‘Gotten’ ? The word is ‘become’, as in, I have become sick of seeing ‘gotten’.
I agree, stop building useless cycle lanes – build proper ones.
@kingleo “stop building useless cycle lanes – build proper ones.”
Actually – can we have “largely separate networks of routes *in practice* for cycling, by filtering to make areas no- through-routes for motor traffic, building separated cycle infra where necessary – oh and providing separate space for pedestrians so they’re not scrapping with cyclists either…” ?
As a Bristol resident (like the RCC team), I can confirm that Bristol Live is absolute dogsh17, the lowest form of tittle-tattle journalism. Utter rubbish. Facebook in newspaper form. I wouldn’t even believe the death notices posted on there.