“People with penny-farthings need cycle parking too!” Confusion as bizarrely tall bike stands “ordered from Temu” installed in Glasgow; Police seize crazy e-scooter with exercise bike attached; Village “ruined” by new cycle lane + more on the live blog

When it comes to local newspaper reports on active travel infrastructure, I’m not sure there’s a headline more commonly used than the tried and trusted ‘This cycle lane has ruined EVERYTHING!’ trope.

It works for almost anything you could ever imagine a bike lane affecting: Businesses, seafront views, mile-long commutes, and – my personal favourite – Christmas (It’s always those pesky cycle lanes ruining Christmas for the kids!).

> "Christmas is ruined," claims business owner... who blames cycle lane for "massive negative impact" on trade

So, this morning, we were treated to a classic of the genre in the New Forest village of Dibden Purlieu, where a collection of angry residents – complete with disgruntled group photo for the front page of the local rag – told the Southern Daily Echo that a new bike path has “ruined” the area and made things more dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.

Earlier this year, a new cycle lane and pedestrian crossing was installed by Hampshire County Council on the village’s Beaulieu Road.

However, some residents claim the nine months of work led to gridlock and local businesses “losing huge profits”. And since it’s been finished, they say the bike path is not clearly marked on either side of the road, failing to delineate between the cycling and pedestrian areas, and that the new crossing has been placed between three busy junctions and a petrol station, leading to a number of near misses.

“Hampshire County Council have ruined the village with all these unclear cycle markings,” Dibden Purlieu resident Janice Chalmers told the newspaper.

“When the school kicks out the children take up all the path and cyclists have nearly taken them off their feet.”

“We have seen accidents happen due to the number of junctions, the position of the traffic light, and the cycle lane markings,” noted fellow resident Steph Osborne.

“It’s like the council just threw it all together – prior to that we had a traffic island and that worked really well.”

Meanwhile, local councillor Malcolm Wade added: “I have been a county councillor since 2013 and prior to that a district councillor since 1991 – in all those years I have never had so many complaints as I have about this cycle lane.

“So many people have written to me with their complaints. I have to agree with them: the scheme was poorly planned and badly executed resulting in us being left with a number of issues.”

And “keen cyclist” John Laurence, a member of the Waterside Action Cycling Group, has claimed that “one of our members is so worried of the dangers across this stretch of road he gets off and walks his bike through the area”.

“This scheme has absolutely made it more dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians – our group did make recommendations to HCC before, during and after their consultation,” he said.

> "A bike lane doesn't close a village": Dame Sarah Storey defends cycle lane blamed for "ruining business" and "killing village", calls shops closing "a coincidence, not an unexpected consequence"

Responding to the claims that the cycle lane has ruined everything, a spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: “The local cycling group and residents have been actively involved throughout the implementation of the cycle lane to ensure the route meets the needs of all users.

“The Beaulieu Road section is part of the Eling to Holbury cycle route improvement scheme. On completion, the entire route will be subject to a post-completion review and monitored to identify any areas where additional improvements may be needed.”

The Pro’s Closet, the specialist used bike and gear retailer founded in 2006 by former professional mountain biker Nick Martin, is set to re-open today – a month after closing its doors and selling off its remaining inventory and other physical assets, another victim of the cycling industry’s post-pandemic struggles.

The company’s demise in October came amid online grumbles about customer service, a string of lay offs in recent years, and heavy discounting, including 75 per cent off across their entire range of pre-owned bikes, wheels, and clothing.

However, according to Bicycle Retailer and Industry News today, Elshair Companies, a private investment firm, acquired the American company’s digital assets last month, including its trademarks, website, software, and customer database.

Elshair has hired two long-time managers of the Pro’s Closet to run the company: Justin England, who was with TPC for 15 years, is the new company’s Chief Revenue Officer, while JP Gage has taken over as Chief Operating Officer, after 12 years with the brand. The new CEO, meanwhile, is Yassir Elshair, who e-commerce business Elshair two decades ago.

England told BRAIN that the Pro’s Closet planned to resume buying used bikes, wheels, and frames this week through its existing website, while also leasing a website and rehiring employees let go over the past year.

“It will be a bit of time before we have a healthy amount of inventory, but our aim is to fill the void that the closure of TPC created,” he said. “We will build back the dealer trade-in programme in a way that provides value to dealers across the country and which hopefully is never viewed as a competitor.”

“TPC is back!” the brand’s relaunched website says. “We took a bit of a spill, but TPC is back on track to being the destination for selling and buying pre-owned bikes. It will be a bit before we have bikes for sale, but our doors are open for sellers.”

Nick Martin, who founded the company originally as a personal venture to resell used cycling gear on eBay, is not involved in the relaunch, having stepped down as CEO in 2020.

The clocks have gone back, the afternoons are getting shorter, and everything feels that bit darker – which means one thing: We’re about to be inundated with often well-meaning but usually misguided videos, police social media posts, and council press releases calling for cyclists to ‘be safe, be seen’ on the roads by wearing certain clothing and accessories.

In Worcester, where plans to modify a town centre bike ban have dominated discussion in recent months, the hi-vis season has already begun, with a letter to the Worcester News last week, from resident Roy Clarke, urging cyclists to make sure their lights are working, as it’s mighty difficult for drivers to see them otherwise.

> "Hi-vis distracts from the real issues on our roads," says makers of bike camera warning signs

So, it was only a matter of time before a retort from the cycling perspective made its way into the newspaper’s letters section.

“May I ask through the letters page, now the clocks are changing and as we go into darker days and nights, that drivers of all abilities check the headlights are working on their vehicles. It is difficult for drivers to see cyclists in the dark if their headlights are faulty,” came the perfectly executed reply from Bike Worcester’s chair Dan Brothwell yesterday.

“Joking aside, this is an important issue,” he continued. “I agree with Roy that everyone cycling at night should have working front and rear lights in accordance with the Highway Code and the same applies to drivers.

“I’d also recommend everyone takes time to refresh their Highway Code knowledge and drive to test standard.

“When cycling my lights are on continuously (dynamo), bags have reflective panels, and I’m usually wearing bright colours. I’m still close passed by, on average, five per cent of drivers on my commute to work and witness illegal driving and parking whenever I’m travelling, notably speeding and phone use.”

Well said.

Thanks to Hilary Evans for reminding us that, for all its many, many, many flaws, Twitter is still worth checking from time to time, for gold like this:

Now that’s what I call niche.

Grimsby’s quiet in the afternoon,

But the councillor’s singing the same old tune,

‘Bike are banned, there’ll be a business boon,

‘I’m sure someone will be around here soon.’

> Controversial cycling ban that saw cyclist ordered to pay £1,150 has “rejuvenated” town centre, claims councillor behind it... just days after ‘no cycling’ speaker message cut to twice an hour because “it was too repetitive”

> “If we can get to the end of this year, we’ll be okay”: British bike manufacturers hoping to make it through industry woes

Sticking with bizarre Scottish inventions for the moment, we’re heading up to Inverness, where last week police stumbled upon the kind of ingenious, groundbreaking design even Graeme Obree wouldn’t have dared attempt during the mid-nineties – an e-scooter with an exercise bike attached on top.

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. And, as far as I can tell, it’s not the world’s weirdest Halloween costume ever, either. And no, I have no idea how it works.

“Highlands and Islands Roads Policing officers spotted this adapted e-scooter being ridden around Inverness last night without relevant docs,” Roads Policing Scotland posted on social media (though what the relevant documents would pertain to in this case, I have no idea).

“Yes, that is an exercise bike welded to it. Rider reported, vehicle seized.”

Let’s just say, the people of Scotland were not impressed by the authorities clamping down on their nation’s latest mould-shattering breakthrough.

“Scottish innovation stifled by overzealous officialdom!”

“Imagine punishing someone for top class Scottish engineering.”

“10 out 10 for ingenuity.”

“That is some talented recycling.”

“They are just exercising their rights…”

Can’t wait for Inverness to introduce a PSPO clamping down on these being ridden through the city centre.