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“Obviously designed by a motorist”: New “Kerplunk-style” slalom barriers on cycle path divide opinion; Bizarre Wout van Aert/Tory party crossover; Cyclists blast party’s call for bus lane suspension; Footballers who ride Lime Bikes + more on the live blog

It’s a cold and frosty Monday, and Ryan Mallon is back with more cycling news, views, and nonsense on the live blog
Mon, Jan 15, 2024 10:09
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“Obviously designed by a motorist”: New “Kerplunk-style” slalom barriers on cycle path divide opinion; Bizarre Wout van Aert/Tory party crossover; Cyclists blast party’s call for bus lane suspension; Footballers who ride Lime Bikes + more on the live blogCycle barriers on RHS Garden Bridgewater canal links, Worsley (Walk Ride Central Salford, Twitter)
15 January 2024, 09:09
Cycle barriers on RHS Garden Bridgewater canal links, Worsley (Walk Ride Central Salford, Twitter)
“What’s it for? Ferret slalom racing? Because it’s certainly not for cyclists”: New “Kerplunk-style” barriers on cycle path divide opinion

The placement of barriers on cycle paths – and their impact on encouraging cycling, along with accessibility for those with non-standard cycles – has long proved a source of discussion and debate on road.cc and around the wider cycling world.

Last March, delivery cyclist and ultra-cycling legend Steve Abraham criticised Milton Keynes Council’s decision to install a growing number of barriers and bollards on the city’s cycleways and shared use routes, which he claimed prevented them being used by delivery riders with large bike trailers – that were themselves supplied by the council.

And in September, a cyclist in Newcastle sent a legal letter to the city’s council to challenge the lawfulness of barriers on a National Cycle Route which prevent him from accessing the path on his recumbent.

> “Oh! Bollards!” Delivery cyclist says council’s new cycle route barriers are too narrow for cargo bike trailers… also supplied by the council

So, it was no surprise then when this attention-grabbing image – of a cycling and walking route in Salford, and its newly-installed barriers – popped up on social media, that it soon divided opinion and left many cyclists scratching their heads.

This, ahem, interesting set of barriers – the design of which seems to have taken inspiration from the marble-dropping kid’s game Kerplunk – are located on the walking and cycling route that connects  Boothstown, Walkden, and Worsley to RHS Garden Bridgewater, introduced over the past few weeks to improve traffic-free sustainable travel in Salford.

Not that the path’s layout is encouraging people to ride their bikes to RHS Garden Bridgewater, at least in the eyes of local cyclists.

“Apparently RHS Bridgewater are confused as to why no one is cycling there,” the Walk Ride Central Salford group tweeted at the weekend. “Eight chicanes on one stretch of path. This was not on the design spec.”

“Obviously designed by a motorist,” added Pete, while others called on a similar design to be instead implemented on the road, to slow down motorists.

Noting that the road the path intersects is a “dead-end access road”, Tom asked the rhetorical (but highly likely to have been asked by the planners) question: “Should we do something to slow cars on this tiny dead-end street, or should we do something to slow cycles on the much longer cycle route?”

Others, meanwhile, saw the funny side in the barriers’ rather tricky placement.

“Are they remaking The Krypton Factor?” asked Gaz, while Sam said he “thought this was an equestrian events ground at first glance”.

“What’s it for? Ferret slalom racing? It’s certainly not for cyclists that’s for sure,” added Russ, and Pauline, oddly, reckoned it “looks like a giant scale eighties leg hair remover device”.

“I think you’ll find that’s the official cargo trike Olympic slalom course, new event: Minimum two passengers must be carried at all times, so they can lift the trike over any barriers which have are totally impassable at ground level…” wrote road.cc Podcast guest Kate Ball, from disabled cycling charity Wheels for Wellbeing, providing a serious counterpoint to the impracticality of barriers designed purely, it seems, to slow ‘speeding’ cyclists.

“Do those barriers meet equality standards?” asked Dorinda. “I watched the programme on RHS Bridgewater’s construction, and I’m sure part of the agreement from Salford Council investing was that it would be accessible to the community. It should be easily accessible WITHOUT a car.”

> Why is the 15-minute city attracting so many conspiracy theories? Plus access for disabled cyclists in the latest episode of the road.cc Podcast

However, other social media users – you see where this is going – didn’t seem to have much of a problem with the barriers, believing their job of slowing down cyclists would keep pedestrians using the path safe.

“Imagine having to share it with pedestrians, the utter outrage,” Hilton wrote under Walk Ride Central Salford’s post.

“As a mountain biker can I say WTF ...if a cyclist can’t be arsed to go around that then I doubt they will get on a bike for long anyway. It’s not difficult and it’s not hard,” said Rob.

“If you can’t cycle around them, perhaps you should be on cycle paths or road. They are there for the safety of pedestrians. If you have to slow down, so what,” added Gary.

“Shouldn’t have bikes on public footpaths, well done to the council, people can now walk safely and not have to jump out of the way for unlicensed uninsured untested cyclists!” wrote Si, filling up his anti-cycling bingo card nice and early in the week.

Eh, Joey, is that you?

15 January 2024, 12:19
Motorist scolds cyclist for riding in bus lane - while driving an untaxed car (Stormont Cyclist)
“Yet more proof our politicians only think about people in cars”: Cyclists blast party’s call for bus lanes to be suspended during upcoming transport strike

Over in Northern Ireland – where, as regular live blog readers will know, the track record on active travel isn’t mightily impressive – the prospect of major strike action on Thursday, which will see tens of thousands of public service workers, including bus and train drivers, walk out, has prompted one political party to call for bus lanes to be suspended for one day only.

> “Stop victim blaming”: Government’s New Year’s call for all road users to “share responsibility” for safety slammed, as new figures reveal cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists account for over half of all road deaths in 2023

“Bus lanes should be suspended for the duration to ease any expected congestion from private car usage, which would also bring an environmental benefit from reducing the number of cars idling in traffic,” David Honeyford, the infrastructure spokesperson for the cross-community Alliance Party, the third largest party in Northern Ireland, told the BBC.

“It would be a sensible approach in terms of maximising traffic flows, especially during rush hours, and minimising air pollution, until the industrial action is finished and bus services resume.”

However, Alliance’s call to suspend bus lanes during the strike – to accommodate motorists – has been heavily criticised by cyclists and active travel campaigners on social media, who claim the stance is “yet more proof our politicians only think about people in cars”.

“Bad move, Alliance,” Athena said on Twitter. “Protect the bus lanes for cyclists.”

“There will be a lot less traffic in general if schools are closed and lots of healthcare staff on strike. Bus lanes aren’t just for buses. Another own goal by Alliance. I thought you were cycling supporters!” wrote Niall, while the Belfast Urbanist described the statement as “a policy straight out of the Conservative Party playbook”.

“And what about all the cyclists who use the bus lanes to escape the perils of the quite frankly shocking level of general driving here?” asked the Holywood Cyclist account.

“Buses are not the only users. Yet more proof our politicians only think about people in cars.”

> “I love it when drivers harass me for breaking rules they made up in their head”: Motorist tells cyclist he’ll “get a ticket for being in the bus lane”… while driving an untaxed car

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure – known for its active travel faux pas over the years – secured a rare PR win in the eyes of cyclists for the government body, telling Alliance that bus lanes, regardless of strike action, encourage people to consider other sustainable travel methods, including walking, cycling, and car sharing.

“Bus lanes will remain operational during the industrial action for cyclists, motorcyclists, permitted taxis, any operating buses, which could include buses provided by health and education authorities, and the emergency services,” the DfI spokesperson said.

“Bus lane enforcement will continue as normal. Maintaining safe spaces for cyclists and motorcyclists, as well as providing ease of access for the emergency services, is always important but even more so when traffic volumes are high.”

15 January 2024, 10:28
Victor Lafay wins stage two of the 2023 Tour de France as Wout van Aert reacts angrily behind (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)
Can the Conservative Party harness the spirit and strength of Wout van Aert ahead of this year’s election? Well, their WVA-obsessed campaign director certainly hopes so…

Now, retired pro cyclists have long dabbled in the dark art of electioneering once they’ve hung up their bikes – Sonny Colbrelli and Claudio Chiappucci’s unsuccessful forays into Italian regional politics two recent notable examples – but here’s one professional cycling/politics crossover I’m sure you never expected to see ahead of this year’s (probable) general election.

According to the Financial Times, Isaac Levido – the man charged with the frankly terrifying and daunting task of steering Rishi Sunak’s faltering Conservatives to a highly unlikely fifth straight election victory – is apparently obsessed with Wout van Aert.

What Wout did to deserve that dubious accolade, I’ll never know.

Wout van Aert wins the 2023 Tour of Britain (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

Blue or red, Wout – which one is it? (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

The FT notes that campaign director Levido is particularly smitten with the Belgian’s ability to swap from world-class leader in the classics to a domestique de luxe at the Tour de France, “half killing himself to protect his leaders and drag the team through the mountains”.

“The Australian political strategist expects similar Tory discipline and graft as he tries to get Sunak over the line,” the FT notes.

Can’t say Sunak is much of a Jonas Vingegaard, mind you.

And, considering Wout’s penchant for second place finishes and their recent head-to-head record on the road and in the ‘cross field, I reckon it would be rather prudent right now of Labour’s campaign director to let it slip that he’s a massive fan of Mathieu van der Poel…

15 January 2024, 16:45
Pothole in Didcot, Oxfordshire (credit - Tim Masters)
British Cycling joins forces with road user and industry groups as part of ‘Pothole Partnership’ to call for urgent action on Britain’s potholes, as reports of road defects hit five-year high

As new data reveals that almost 630,000 potholes were reported to councils in England, Scotland, and Wales between January and November 2023 (with the total number expected to be much higher due to only half of the local authorities releasing their figures), British Cycling has joined forces with road safety and industry groups to call for urgent action on Britain’s decaying roads.

Coinciding with National Pothole Day, the launch of the new Pothole Partnership – formed by the governing body, along with the AA, the National Motorcyclists Council, IAM RoadSmart, the British Motorcyclists Federation, and manufacturer JCB – includes a five-point plan to government for tackling the issue, with a core focus on guaranteed funding and delivering high-quality repairs which last.

“We know from our members that potholes are a longstanding frustration and concern,” says Caroline Julian, British Cycling’s External Affairs Director.

“They have tragic and fatal consequences that cannot be ignored. If we’re serious about fulfilling our ambitions to get more people cycling, we simply must ensure that our roads are safe and comfortable for them to ride on, and not the crater-filled carriageways they currently face.

“As we begin a General Election year, today’s call sits alongside our work with the Walking and Cycling Alliance to ensure that the interests of our members are heard, understood and represented by parties and candidates ahead of polling day.”

15 January 2024, 16:18
Cycling to work, the key to good mental health

A new study from researchers at the University of Edinburgh has highlighted the beneficial impact on mental health that cycling to work can have, with those who commute by bike less likely to be prescribed antidepressants.

The research, published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology, is the work of Chris Dibben, Laurie Berrie, Zhiqiang Feng, David Rice, Tom Clemens, and Lee Williamson, and is titled: ‘Does cycle commuting reduce the risk of mental ill-health? An instrumental variable analysis using distance to nearest cycle path’.

Linking commuting data from Glasgow and Edinburgh, accessed via the Scottish population census, with mental health prescriptions from the National Health Service Prescribing Information System records, researchers were able to note cycle commuters had a lower level of mental health prescriptions than among other commuter types.

Cyclists at traffic lights, London © Simon MacMichael

Read more: > New research finds commuting by bike can improve mental health, with those who cycle to work less likely to be prescribed antidepressants

15 January 2024, 15:57
Fantasy Cycling (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)
Is this the real race? Or is this just road.cc Fantasy Cycling?

The men’s Tour Down Under kicks off tonight/tomorrow (oh, I don’t know), which means only one thing – the road.cc Fantasy Cycling league is back!

And following on from my top 10 result at last year’s Tour de France, your favourite live blogger – no, not Dan – is aiming for some Pogačar-style dominance this season.

So, if you reckon you can beat my world class fantasy cycling tekkers, make sure to pick your team over at fantasy.road.cc before the TDU’s theme tunes starts playing tonight, and I’ll see you in October (when you’ve all invariably thrashed me because I forgot about Tirreno-Adriatico…).

Good luck!

15 January 2024, 15:30
“Bang to rights, I’m afraid”: Surrey Police release fuller version of controversial clip of cyclists fined for ignoring red light

It’s fair to say that yesterday’s story about the group of cyclists who received fines for ignoring a red light sparked something of a controversy online, with many cyclists, including Leigh Day lawyer Rory McCarron, pointing out that Surrey RoadSafe’s oddly truncated footage of the cyclists’ misdemeanour failed, in fact, to actually show the riders passing the stop line while the lights were red.

However, in a bid to quell the backlash, this afternoon the road safety partnership released a much fuller version of the original, “unnecessarily cropped” clip.

“Following on from yesterday’s post, there were a lot of questions raised as to whether the cyclist had travelled over the stop line when the lights were red,” the account wrote.

“As you can see from the downloaded cleartone, the lights were red when they crossed the stop line and then continued.”

As road.cc reader Rendel Harris noted in the comments of the original article, “bang to rights, I’m afraid”.

15 January 2024, 14:45
Pothole (Malachy Quinn/Twitter)
Happy Pothole Day! Pothole reporting set to be made “easier than ever” thanks to updated Cycling UK tool

Happy Pothole Day, to all who celebrate the annual reminder that Britain’s roads are crumbling fast and creating an ever-present danger for cyclists and road users around the country.

And to mark the occasion, Cycling UK is relaunching a refreshed version of its pothole reporting tool, Fill That Hole, which first launched way back in the misty realm that was 2007.

According to the cycling charity, around 200,000 potholes have been reported using the app, which sends the reports directly to the relevant highway authority. If the authority fails to take action, these reports can then help others in the future to claim for damage or injury against the local authority if the neglected road defect causes a crash.

> “Britain’s pothole crisis costs cyclists’ lives”: Campaigners say new funding to fix road defects – which the government claims will alleviate “misery” for motorists – “must not ignore” people on bikes

“Thanks to reports made by Fill That Hole’s thousands of users over the years, dangerous stretches of our roads have been identified, fixed, and made safe for all road users,” Cycling UK’s chief executive Sarah Mitchell said of Fill That Hole’s update, which was secured through funding and support from law firm Fletchers Cycle SOS.

“It’s important to report road defects when we find them for the safety of us all, and Cycling UK hopes that everyone who cycles will make these reports more easily than ever using  Fill That Hole.”

15 January 2024, 13:57
It’s the one we’ve all really been waiting for – the road.cc Recommends Bargain Buys of the Year!
roadcc recommends awards 2023-24 - Bargain Buy of the Year

> Unveiling the ultimate cycling bargains: check out the road.cc Recommends Bargain Buys of the Year 2023/24

15 January 2024, 13:23
Oh, there’s a debate about cycle path barriers, you say? Meanwhile, over on Finland’s extremely barrier-less ‘ice path’…

I wonder if over in Oulu they have frothing social media debates about skiers and skaters putting cyclists and pedestrians in danger on shared-use ice paths? Hmmm…

15 January 2024, 12:44
I regret to inform you that live blog ‘favourite’ Ashley Neal is at it again…
Ashley Neal CYCLOPS video (Ashley Neal/YouTube)

> YouTube driving instructor Ashley Neal visits new CYCLOPS cycling junction... and calls it an “absolutely awful waste of time and money”

15 January 2024, 11:59
Are bike path barriers really about keeping pedestrians safe?

Over on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Luke has raised an interesting point about the oft-cited argument that cycle path barriers – such as the slalom-style ones installed in Salford – are put in place to keep pedestrians using the route safe: 

15 January 2024, 11:25
Bike racing, bike racing everywhere…

It may only be the middle of January, but we seem to have already hit that sweet spot in the calendar, when bike races are coming at you thick and fast from a whole host of disciplines and from all over the world (yes, it’s also that one time of the year when we can empathise with our fellow cycling fans down under).

So, just in case you’re struggling to keep up with the pace – don’t worry, you’ll get used to it by classic season – here’s a quick roundup of all the weekend’s racing action…

Sarah Gigante, 2024 Tour Down Under (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

At the Women’s Tour Down Under, 23-year-old Sarah Gigante put years of illness, crashes, injuries, heart problems, and contract turmoil behind her with an emphatic, cathartic win on her home race’s hallowed ground of Willunga Hill, beating Nienke Vinke, Neve Bradbury, and Amanda Spratt to secure the overall victory, possibly the biggest of her young and turbulent career so far.

What’s more, the AG Insurance-Soudal rider is heading back to Willunga on Saturday to race a time trial against the climb’s retired king Richie Porte, in a bid to break her own Strava QOM – which she set in 2021 – after a strong headwind prevented her from recording a new fastest time during her Tour Down Under-winning ride at the weekend.

“I'm coming back on Saturday, for a new attempt. There's a Willunga time trial, against Richie. He’s retired but I’m not, so look out,” Gigante said. Talk about setting a marker down.

Away from the road and the heat of Australia, and onto the freezing, muddy fields of northern Europe, where Lucinda Brand revealed that a broken nose could be her season’s secret weapon, as she recovered from her horrific crash at last Sunday’s Zonhoven World Cup to beat Puck Pieterse and Annemarie Worst and secure her third Dutch national cyclocross championship title in Hoogeveen.

Meanwhile, in Falkirk, Cameron Mason and Anna Kay put in two supremely dominant performances to blow the field away at the British championships, as Kay secured her maiden national senior title and Mason, riding on home turf, doubled up on his inaugural success last year to nab another 12 months in the British stripes.

Josie Knight of Great Britain wins Gold in the Individual Pursuit, 2024 European Track Championships (Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

(Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

And, speaking of British stripes, Josie Knight won the individual pursuit on the final day of the European Track Championships in Apeldoorn, ensuring Team GB ended up at the top of the medal table with six golds and 14 overall – the nation’s best ever performance at a Euros. Which certainly bodes well for a certain rendezvous in Paris later this year…

15 January 2024, 10:59
Joey who? A footballer/cycling post we can all get behind

Our Fulham-supporting live blogger and news editor Dan will be particularly pleased with Dutch (what else?) full back Kenny Tete’s latest bid to make our coveted Footballers Who Cycle XI. Not sure he’ll be able to dislodge Lee Dixon though. I’ll have a word with Neil and Roberto in the gaffer’s office…

15 January 2024, 10:09
Weekend roundup (featuring You Know Who)

Warning: Our usual Monday morning roundup of all the weekend’s cycling news may contain a disappointingly necessary reference to a retired, bang average, faux-intellectual professional footballer-turned-scattergun social media shock jock (and no, I still haven’t forgiven him for that sending off at Man City on the last day of the 2011/12 season)…

To be honest, I’m actually surprised it took him that long to turn his attention to cycling. Anyway, here’s the roundup:

Four cyclists fined after Surrey Police stops group ride for ignoring red light (@SurreyRS/Twitter)

> Four cyclists fined as police force shares footage of group ride stopped for ignoring red light

> Joey Barton's latest unhinged cycling-related social media rant tackles "road tax, insurance and MOT" for cyclists

2024 shimano ai cover

> Shimano is developing AI suspension adjustment

> "Come pedal in our shoes for a day and see what we experience": Cyclists urge safety action after driver smashes into group ride in shocking collision

> Safety works confirmed for "optical illusion" cycle lane behind more than 100 injuries, as infrastructure branded an "utter pantomime"

Muswell Hill assault (submitted by reader)

> Road rage motorist arrested for dangerous driving after knocking cyclist over and throwing bike away

> Delivery driver who hit cyclist and blamed low sun found not guilty of causing death by careless driving

> Check out the anti-theft light that uses Apple technology to “locate your bike anywhere in the world” + more tech news from Shimano, Garmin, Lazer, Enve…

> Green with Enve: Spoon Customs' head-turning limited edition XCR Izoard with Enve components

Ryan Mallon

After obtaining a PhD, lecturing, and hosting a history podcast at Queen’s University Belfast, Ryan joined road.cc in December 2021 and since then has kept the site’s readers and listeners informed and enthralled (well at least occasionally) on news, the live blog, and the road.cc Podcast. After boarding a wrong bus at the world championships and ruining a good pair of jeans at the cyclocross, he now serves as road.cc’s senior news writer. Before his foray into cycling journalism, he wallowed in the equally pitiless world of academia, where he wrote a book about Victorian politics and droned on about cycling and bikes to classes of bored students (while taking every chance he could get to talk about cycling in print or on the radio). He can be found riding his bike very slowly around the narrow, scenic country lanes of Co. Down.

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essexian | 1 year ago
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Happy National Pothole Day!!!!

https://twitter.com/WeAreCyclingUK/status/1746834723303780556

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