Complaints about misleading newspaper photos of cyclists during lockdown dismissed; Man angry about imaginary cycle lane; The value of 'removing driver frustration'; Tayside Police (finally!) trial close pass scheme + more

Press watchdog the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) has dismissed complaints about misleading photographs of cyclists during the coronavirus lockdown.

Images were published in the Mail Online and the Mirror that appeared to show groups of cyclists huddled closely together in London’s Regent’s Park.

The newspapers suggested cyclists were flouting strict social distancing rules, but the photos were taken with a long lens that foreshortens the shot and gives a false impression of proximity.

The Times then did the same with photos of cyclists on Box Hill.

Excellent use of a telephoto lens by @thetimes, misleading image and reporting.
How about a photo of the 6 superbike riders at the top of the hill in conversation about how they don't care about the rules because they can outrun police?

Thx @_D415Y_ for the other perspective pic.twitter.com/ZgznnJrLNT

— Francis Cade (@Francis_Cade) April 6, 2020

Cycling UK lodged a complaint, but IPSO responded to say it wouldn't investigate as the complaint did not fall into an area covered by the editor's code of practice.

A subsequent appeal against that decision was also dismissed.

Cycling UK’s head of campaigns, Duncan Dollimore said: “That left us with no option but to write directly to IPSO’s chief executive to express our frustration that supposedly reputable national newspapers can get away with using misleading, inaccurate and potentially damaging images without fear of censure.

“We’ve seen many more people riding bikes since the lockdown which demonstrates there is a clear appetite for people to cycle more given the right environment of safer roads, less traffic and better infrastructure.

“What we don’t want to see is national newspapers demonising people on bikes and making it wrongly appear as if they are somehow acting above the law.

“It’s clear there’s been a manifest failure by IPSO to even consider the evidence and merits of the complaint made, let alone undertake a proper investigation.”

Last month IPSO also rejected complaints about a Rod Liddle column in The Sunday Times where he wrote that he found it “tempting” to “tie piano wire at neck height across the road” to target cyclists.

The regulator said that the article did not infringe the Editors’ Code of Practice.

Due to restrictions around Covid-19, the 9th Bike Bath sportive, which was originally scheduled for July 5, is being replaced by the Bike Bath 2020 Medal Rides.

Seventeen routes are available, covering short, medium, long or extra-long distances across Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire – with the option to start at any point on the route.

Riders will receive route details following registration and can navigate via the new Iconic Events App. They will also receive route notes including local highlights and indications of facilities such as rest rooms, shops, and refreshment opportunities for each route.

Event Manager at Iconic Cycling Events, Jacko Jackson, said that while they were disappointed not to be able to deliver Bike Bath this year, they’d really enjoyed looking back at past routes and adapting them for this year’s Medal Rides.

“We have outlined a three-month window for riders to complete their chosen Bike Bath Medal Rides to ensure that multiple groups of riders will not to be out on the roads at the same time, but we do hope the rides can play a significant role in attracting visitors to the region’s fantastic shops, pubs and cafes this summer.

“Riders will be encouraged to tour Bath at their own pace and make small detours to visit local towns such as Devizes, Tetbury, Stroud and Frome and take in historic landmarks. With this in mind, if you run a café, shop or pub that you’d be keen to advertise is open to our community of cyclists, do get in touch.”

Riders will have the option to celebrate their ride by signing up for a 2020 medal or one from the year of the chosen route – allowing many Bike Bath regular riders to complete their collection.

The Medal Rides will run until September 30.

Full details here.

Last year Panini did a Tour de France sticker album to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the maillot jaune.

Presumably it went well because they’re doing another this year.

Pour patienter jusqu'au 29 août, la collection officielle @Panini_fr est disponible dès aujourd'hui 😍

Coureurs, parcours, villes, cols, points bonus, maillots ... Tout est réuni dans une collection de 384 stickers et 44 cartes pour suivre le #TDF2020

➡️ https://t.co/orHbleR2EO pic.twitter.com/jUZxmNzqNr

— Tour de France™ (@LeTour) July 6, 2020

When she was campaigning for reelection, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo promised a bike lane on every street in the French capital.

During lockdown, she called for the building of 400 miles of “corona cycleways” to help people get around without using public transport.

Videos of the transformation have been cropping up frequently on social media.

Here's another.

Rue de Rivoli, Paris, 7 juillet 2020 à 8h45. pic.twitter.com/mCxWm8t1JX

— Brice Perrin (@briceperrin) July 7, 2020

We spotted this on our walk yesterday. What a lovely message.
I like to wear ‘normal’ clothes on my bike but I could be tempted to get a bib saying ‘drivers stay awesome’ on the back if it helps spread the love. Or just simply ‘people stay awesome’? ❤️We are all people afterall pic.twitter.com/oB7PiXqy7X

— Eve Holt (@evefrancisholt) July 6, 2020

Great stickers.

Yours for a quid.

Frimley Bike Hub, a hire centre set in Frimley Lodge Park in Surrey, has had almost all of its bikes stolen.

Thieves broke in between Sunday evening and Monday morning, taking about £20,000 worth of bikes, many of which have barely been used.

Following on from this morning's story about the Scottish Government assigning a value to 'removing driver frustration' when costing a road building project.

Back in 2017, we reported on a Tayside police officer who delivered a close pass of a cyclist on a blind bend.

When we spoke to the force about the incident and asked why it did not run a close pass operation based on that pioneered by West Midlands Police, a spokesperson told us that, “in light of our collision and road casualty profile we do not consider an operation of this nature to be a high priority at this time.”

It was later reported that an enquiry had been carried out into the close pass. The force said that the officer responsible had been identified and given “appropriate advice.”

Campaigners have long been unhappy about the reluctance to carry out a lose pass operation and in 2019, Dundee councillors called for police to tackle dangerous overtaking. Police again refused.

Chief Superintendent Todd claimed: “There aren’t drivers driving close enough to cause the cyclists to have an accident.”

Todd went on to say that targeting cyclists – such as those running red lights – would have more benefit than targeting drivers “that aren’t causing any accidents.”

Now – finally! – The Courier reports Operation Close Pass is set to be introduced in Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Angus.

Neil Lumsden, Police Scotland’s north road policing area commander explained: “Since lockdown we have seen a modal shift towards more active travel. This includes an increase in the number of people using our roads for cycling.

“As part of our response to this change, road policing officers across the north will be conducting Operation Close Pass checks in areas including Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Angus.

“This preventative approach allows for positive engagement and an opportunity to educate and increase driver awareness about the need to give cyclists plenty of space.”

The Scottish Government is looking to dual 80 miles of single carriageway on the A9 trunk road between Perth and Inverness.

Is it worth it?

Spice Spotlight reports that analysis of the project set the direct benefits – journey time savings, lower vehicle operating costs and road safety benefits – against the negative environmental impacts.

The expected return is 78p in benefits for every pound spent by the Scottish Government.

You don’t need especially strong aptitude for maths to know that’s not good.

But no matter because the Government then asked consultants to put a monetary value on “removing driver frustration”.

The value of removing driver frustration is assessed as £430m (which is £86m more than the value given to collision reduction).

This little extra means the project would return £1.12 for every pound spent.

You can find information about the method in a paper here.