Live blog: Thomas Jacquelinet wins Trans Pyrenees Race; Date set for Freeman tribunal; BBC: people in cars more exposed to more pollution than cyclists; Schoolboy tries to cycle through Finsbury Pk floods; Extinction Rebellion improve London cycling +more

Hi @CrossCountryUK, I'd like to reserve a bike space on these two trains tomorrow. I can't hang my bike from the front wheel (it's too heavy/bulky, and I'm not strong enough to lift it) so could you please also confirm that the storage spaces are horizontal? Thank you. pic.twitter.com/5DTwAzmwKn

— Robyn Jankel (@RobynJankel) October 5, 2019

Amidst the latest criticism of Great Western Railway's farcical bike hooks, we missed that Cross Country were also getting a few barrels full on Twitter at the weekend due to their similarly unhelpful vertical bike storage. We've got a feeling they didn't help themselves with this reply either... 

You can't put in the the vestibule area, it'll block doorways and fire escapes. You'll need to find a way of hanging it up yourself, or seek help in doing so. Otherwise, it doesn't come onboard. ^RM

— CrossCountry trains (@CrossCountryUK) October 5, 2019

Robyn Jankel replied: "Your empathy is palpable. Is this how you respond to disabled cyclists hoping to get their mobility aids on board? Not even "our staff will do everything they can to assist you"? Why not just come out with it & say "We hate cyclists"? God forbid you support your paying customers."

Others described Cross Country's response as discriminatory and ableist, on the basis that they are essentially saying those not strong enough to life their bikes onto the hooks are not welcome on board. 

With many train operators across Europe perfectly capable of providing adequate bike storage in the form of guards vans and cycle-specific carriages (that more often featured on UK trains until more recently), what's going on with British train franchises? It's something we'll be revisiting soon as the complaints continue to pile in from disgruntled rail passengers who dare to travel with a bicycle... 

Thomas Jacquelinet has won the inaugural Trans Pyrenees Race in Biarritz this lunchtime, arriving on France's Atlantic coast just 4 days 7 hours 50 minutes after setting off from the resort to head across the mountains to the Mediterranean and back, covering 1,284.2 kilometres.

Sam Thompson came into Biarritz 20 minutes later, having taken the lead overnight but losing it again this morning.

The next rider, Contsantin Schitt, is through the third checkpoint but still has around 220 kilometres to ride.

Sam Thompson #TPRNo1cap45 took the lead during the night while Thomas Jacquelinet #TPRNo1cap54 had a 4 hour stop.
⁠
With big climbs still come Thomas had the advantage of fresher legs & regained the lead this morning.⁠#TPRno1
James Robertson @PEdALEDjapan@fizikofficialpic.twitter.com/ySa7BRY4we

— TransPyrenees (@TransPyrenees) October 8, 2019

How much does air #pollution affect a family on the school run? pic.twitter.com/m9QpiUqH0Z

— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) October 8, 2019

Measuring exposure to pollution on children going to school, the results shown that cycling exposed them to 28.1% more than the recommended limit, walking was 40.1% over and driving was highest at 44% over; dispelling the myth that cars 'protect' occupants from emissions outside. 

Best known for their super high-vis high-vis cycle clothing, Proviz have launched a range of five quick-release, USB rechargeable bike lights. Named after the brightest stars in the galaxy, they're called the LED360 Sirius Front Bike Light, the LED360 Capella (front), the LED360 Canopus & Vega (set) the LED360 Procyon (rear) and the LED360 Vega (rear). Prices are between £19.99 and £59.99. 

Though the run times are around what we'd expect - 4 hours on full beam for the LED360 Capella front light, for example - Proviz make some unusual claims about the battery life: "Samsung technology gives the battery life 2600 mAh, 600 times longer the average bike light."

mAh is 'milliamp hours', and to our knowledge doesn't actually refer to the run time of the lights, so we're not too sure what the deal is here. Check back for a story later if we hear back off Proviz... 

It was good to hear bird song in London this morning on the car-free roads. Not traffic-free, there were plenty of bikes. #ExtinctionRebellion#cycling#ClimateCrisispic.twitter.com/8eLZj3n19X

— Bethan Nowell (@BethanNowell) October 8, 2019

Cyclists passing through the #ExtinctionRebellion roadblock in Trafalgar Square this morning. pic.twitter.com/LCbRT5poQ0

— Dr Emma B Saxon (@EmmaBSaxon) October 8, 2019

Seeing no cars and loads of #bikes in #Westminster today was an enticing vision of the #future.

@extinctionrebellion @xr_ealing #extinctionrebellion#bikelife#climatechange#everybodynow#internationalrebellion#cycling#trafalgarsquarepic.twitter.com/5P4Vtmrz1N

— Neal Romanek (@rabbitandcrow) October 7, 2019

...as many major roads are closed to motor traffic due to Extinction Rebellion protests. Can't it be like this all the time? 

Westminster Bridge is closed to vehicles except cycles and emergency vehicles. There are flocks of happy cyclists getting home much faster and safer than usual. #EverybodyNowpic.twitter.com/zS5ffV8Foz

— October Rebellion - Beyond Politics (@october_beyond) October 7, 2019

Extinction Rebellion do appear to have made cycling over Westminster Bridge temporarily pleasant, with only cycles and emergency vehicles being allowed over.