Cop suspended for punching cyclist wrongly accused of theft; AA chief says cyclists shouldn't "pretend they’re in Tour de France"; Nail traps buried on trail; £5m cycling infra boost for Manchester; 'Priapic cyclist' spotted + more on the live blog

The footage was widely shared on social media earlier this week, with Birmingham Live reporting that the officer repeatedly punched and kicked the 44-year-old black male after accusing him of stealing a bike - it's now emerged that the officer has been suspended, after this incident on 20th April came the day before he was filmed kicking a 15-year-old boy in the head. 

The man in the video claims that he is entirely innocent, and that he was riding his bike to get his daily exercise during the pandemic. He says his bike is grey and that the stolen bike was black, and that officers say they recovered the stolen bike elsewhere. 

A Birmingham community activist has lodged a formal complaint on the cyclist's behalf, accusing the officer of racial discrimination, assault, false imprisonment and use of excessive and unjustified force: “This man was only guilty of riding his bicycle to take part in exercise, which he has been told he can do", said Desmond Jaddoo. 

The Metro reports that the officer has now been suspended, and is also being investigated for the incident with the teenage boy. A spokesperson for West Midands Police said: "A complaint was received after the officer stopped a teenager on 21 April in Melbourne Avenue, Newtown. In the ensuing incident it is alleged that the officer used unnecessary force in striking and kicking the young person. A further complaint was received which involves the same officer.

"It relates to a prior incident on 20 April in Frederick Road, Aston, where two officers stopped a man they suspected was on a stolen bicycle. The man was detained and it’s alleged the officer assaulted the man before he was released with no further action."

Greater Manchester's local authorities have launched the 'Safe Streets Save Lives' campaign to support social distancing during coronavirus lockdown and recovery, with pop-up infrastructure and temporary measures prioritised to enable safe essentials travel and exercise. Up to £5 million of emergency funding is promised from the Mayor Andy Burnham's Mayor's Cycling and Walking Challenge Fund.  

Transport for Greater Manchester say that while traffic volume has dropped by around 60% during the pandemic, cycling and walking now accounts for up to 33% of journeys during the lockdown. 

Greater Manchester's Cycling and Walking Commissioner Chris Boardman commented: “Like any successful response to a crisis, people must be the priority. And fortunately, the data is unambiguous; during lockdown more and more residents across Greater Manchester are turning to walking and cycling for essential journeys and exercise. So, in order give people the space they need to keep safe, the only real question was ‘how soon can we act?’

“If we don’t take steps to enable people to keep traveling actively, we risk a huge spike in car use as measures are eased. Not only is it the right thing to do to protect people now, but it’s vital to meet our clean air goals and protect our NHS long term.”

Edmund King made the comments after a survey by the AA found that people think the behaviour of drivers and cyclists has 'got worse' since the lockdown. The Evening Standard reports that the poll of more than 19,700 drivers revealed that 25% feel drivers and cyclists were both behaving worse.

King said: “Less traffic doesn’t mean that drivers should start drag-racing at traffic lights, dangerously overtaking others or ignoring the speed limits.

“Drivers should also leave a wide ‘social distance’ when overtaking cyclists. Equally, this isn’t a time for cyclists to pretend they’re in the Tour de France and ignore mini-roundabouts and stop signs.”

The Standard report that the Metropolitan Police enforced 800 speeding offences last week, more than three times the number during the same period last year. One driver caught doing 93mph in a 30mph zone, and 34 drivers in total were caught doing over 100mph.

Bizarrely, drivers who took part in the AA's survey were also asked how they feel about the 'behaviour' of pedestrians, and 25% said they feel that pedestrians are 'behaving better' than before the pandemic. As if to provide a damning snapshot of the reported worsening in driving behaviour, shocking footage was widely shared yesterday of a Birmingham man forced to stand in front of a car at a pedestrian crossing to stop the driver from running over his children.

Just seen a lad in cycle shorts not able to walk straight then I realise he's got such a massive lob on he can't walk properly - absolutely massive like a proper foot-long cob - he looks like a tripod - it's making Egyptian tomb furniture in his pants

— Melanie 'Isolation Karen' Princess (@MeLadyFreshness) May 5, 2020

And it wouldn't be the first time a cyclist's appendage has landed them in trouble... that time when a Dublin man sustained a seven-week erection after crash-landing on his bike's top tube for example, and who can forget the man who was chucked out of the World Naked Bike Ride in Canterbury for getting 'overexcited'? We're having a hard time racking our brains for more examples from the archives, but do let us know if we've missed any...

Ce matin avec mon équipe rue de Rivoli et rue Saint-Antoine pour préparer le plan de circulation vélo prévu dans le cadre du déconfinement : 50 km de voies seront progressivement dédiés aux cyclistes à partir du 11 mai. #Transports #Paris pic.twitter.com/sEtuSS4zrL

— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) May 6, 2020

Mayor Anne Hidalgo already had expansive plans for a comprehensive cycle network around Paris, and they've been quick to dedicate street space for cyclists and pedestrians during the lockdown; another 50km will be ready to go by Monday.  

68% of UK journeys are under five miles. Distances that can be walked or cycled.

So perhaps active travel should be listed as one of the 'best alternatives'...
https://t.co/Wt1R8mZd9e

— Living Streets (@livingstreets) May 5, 2020

With public transport set to be greatly reduced to maintain some social distancing, the article asks the question of how people will get around when the lockdown lifts; and although the BBC quote Professor Tony Travers who says that "a sudden and radical change in road use" is needed if we're all to get around on bikes and scooters, the alternative travel suggestions don't include cycling or walking. Instead, electric scooters (which aren't currently legal on British roads), taxis, cars and drone taxis. 

Annoucement that two major roads to get temporary cycle lanes in London.

Whilst this is to be applauded, provision on local high streets (many controlled by the local councils) is more likely to give people the confidence to cycle for everyday journeys to school and work. https://t.co/18f9htt4ni

— APPGCW (@allpartycycling) May 6, 2020

The All Party Cycling Group say they also want to see provisions on local high streets, but nevertheless welcome the changes. This is all part of the Streetspace plans announced by Will Norman recently.