Diagram billboard in Bristol (James St / Mina Rd). Not my doing, but with permission. pic.twitter.com/4ppAACOCji
— Dave Walker (@davewalker) August 26, 2020
Spotted in the Saint Werburgh's area of the city by David Wilcox, the original cartoon was created by Dave Walker for Cycling UK and is title 'Decision Time'. You can check out more of Mr Walker's work in his book, 'The Cycling Cartoonist', available to buy on Amazon.
[UK] Fed up of cars parking in the cycle lane... from r/CyclistsWithCameras
Who, what, when, where, how??? There are so many questions and so few answers in this few seconds of footage, which appears to have been recorded by a cyclist in London, showing a car left completely overturned in a cycle lane while everyone else goes about their business.
We'll try to get in touch with the cameraperson to get some more details, but in the meantime we may have to add this to the list of reasons why cyclists might sometimes decide not to use the cycle lane in our feature on the subject.
What a day for Italy 🇮🇹 at the 2020 @UEC_cycling European Championships!
🥇Women's U23 RR - @Elisa_balsamo
🥇Men's Elite RR - @Giacomonizzolo#EuroRoad20pic.twitter.com/kSgO1SSM62— UCI (@UCI_cycling) August 26, 2020
Giacomo Nizzolo of NTT won in the men's elite road race, fending off Arnaud Démare and Pascal Ackermann in a hotly-contested sprint finish - Mathieu van der Poel was fourth.
Earlier today Elisa Balsamo also won in a sprint finish, seeing off Lonneke Uneken in second and Emma Jorgensen in third to take gold in th U23 road race, the first event of the championships.
Healthcare professionals are piloting a scheme which will ‘prescribe’ outdoor activities for some people with poor mental health and other conditions.
Learn more 👉 https://t.co/9hmtny4JAq@Mike_InsightABC@BCbeactive@WestMids_CA@andy4wmpic.twitter.com/XDKRaGlgnQ
— Black Country LEP (@blackcountrylep) August 26, 2020
The Active Black Country project will be run across Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, and forms part of a West Midlands Combined Authority campaign to encourage more walking and cycling. A group of patients in each of the four regions will be 'prescribed' activities such as cycling and walking to combat various conditions, such as poor mental health, loneliness, isolation and complex social needs to improve their wellbeing.
Patients will be given a guide on cycling and walking, which will include locations of parks and green spaces available to them. They will also receive advice and guidance about the health-related benefits of being active, plus follow-up consultations to gauge the impact.
The pilot is set to run over four weeks - the first scheme of its kind was trialled in West Yorkshire back in November last year, and was deemed a success.
It's the Dogma F12, but now in a new colourway and carrying an advert for a 4x4... the team's fleet of F12 and F12 X-Light bikes will feature a navy blue and red team-branded livery when they line up or the 107th Tour de France, and the team edition will also be available to consumers from November for no extra cost over the standard colourways.
Ineos will ride the rim brake versions only, but both bikes will be available to the public with rim and disc brakes.
A new era for the @INEOSGrenadiers begins today.
We'll introduce our new team at 5pm BST/6pm CEST. pic.twitter.com/co8ClmcK2k
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) August 26, 2020
The stage is set at @ogcnice!
You can watch us introduce the INEOS Grenadiers via our Facebook and YouTube channels from 5pm BST/6pm CEST.#TDF2020#INEOStogetherpic.twitter.com/EYRWH1sBGn
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) August 26, 2020
And with Gabby Logan on presenting duties, the team are going all out with the rebrand.
It turns out the rumours floated in July were true, as the Bahrain-McLaren confirm they have parted ways with McLaren just 18 months after the automotive group became a headline sponsor. Unless another headline sponsor steps in, they will be known by the default name Bahrain World Tour Cycling Team from 2021 onwards.
They said in a statement: "Bahrain World Tour Cycling Team and McLaren, the British super car maker and F1 team, today confirm that McLaren will conclude its title partnership of Team Bahrain McLaren at the end of the 2020 season. Team Bahrain McLaren has worked together with the team’s partners to maintain the team at the top level of pro cycling – both on and off the bike.
"The distinctive Team Bahrain McLaren colours have been ridden to a number of memorable victories so far in this Covid-19 interrupted season, including at the Saudi Tour, Paris-Nice, Circuito de Getxo and Route d’Occitanie.The team thanks McLaren for its contribution to the partnership, and wishes it well as it returns its focus to four wheeled racing."
Very excited to see this all set up for Bedford Place’s new pedestrianised area in Southampton! It’s had some mixed responses, but I’m all for it.
I love the idea of more outdoor dining space, and it’ll be so much easier to stay safely distanced in such a busy area. pic.twitter.com/3JUrrWQcwu
— Jo Fisher (@joannefisher) August 21, 2020
The latest place to be affected by people/newspapers who think they will be affected by traffic-free and Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes is Southampton, with the Daily Echo reporting that families are condemning the "chaos" it is causing.
Barriers were installed on Friday to close Bedford Place to motor traffic, with supporters saying it will curb pollution and help traders in their recovery from lockdown; but some say drivers need to be made more aware, with a resident telling the Echo: “Friday was a nightmare. Okay, it was day one of the scheme and the council seem to think things will sort themselves out but there needs to be continuous monitoring."
According to a number of people who said they have been in Bedford Place since the barriers were installed, the only hint of chaos was caused by motorists who were still attempting to drive through.
📝 Update: Likely false positive test before the Bretagne Classic: Ralph Denk expresses doubts about the current UCI COVID test strategy.
Read more here: https://t.co/wI6kS1VDHhpic.twitter.com/Oq0Y0Wgvj3
— BORA – hansgrohe (@BORAhansgrohe) August 25, 2020
Yesterday, Bora announced two hours after naming their team for Bretagne Classic that they would be withdrawing because a squad member had tested positive for Covid-19... but there was another twist in the tale, because it turned out the test most likely wasn't a positive at all. The team say a further test came back negative, and all other riders and staff returned negative results.
Bora's Team Manager Ralph Denk criticised the testing procedure, saying in a statement: "It looks like my concerns are being confirmed. It is known that PCR tests have a certain rate of error and thus produce false positive results. This in itself would not be a problem, if there were the possibility to check the results immediately in the case of a positive finding.
"We are talking about athletes who have prepared for a race for weeks or months and then might not be allowed to start the event due to a false finding. Today we withdrew our entire team from a WordTour race. It's all about points, but it's also about presence in the media, in other words, the advertising value upon which the commitments of our sponsors are based. Today, these benefits were unable to be gained.
"Of course, the health of everyone involved should and must always take priority, however, it is still unsatisfactory that consideration is not given to all other aspects. I think adjustments must be immediately made here. We also require certainty regarding testing procedures and strategy. If we don't have this, we will soon have serious issues, because who wants to invest in a lottery game as a serious company?”
Beryle have launched a fleet of traditional pedal bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters in the city, which they say is the first share scheme of its kind in the world.
Berly won a recent bid to introduce e-scooters to Norwich, and they will provide 100 scooters initially on top of their e-bike and pedal bike fleet. The model is a cross between dockless and docked share schemes, with Beryl incentivising riders to park in 'geo-fenced' specific bays to provide more control over the fleet and promote responsible parking. Beryl say 94% of trips made on their bikes end in a ‘Beryl Bay’, and the remaining 6% are swept up and returned to bays by their on-street staff.
With the e-scooter trial lasting one year like other UK cities participating, Beryl say the multi-vehicle scheme wil help to inform local authorities on how they can best implement wider sustainable transport plans "by incorporating the right vehicle mix" in the future.
📷 | سباق بطل #المملكةpic.twitter.com/VtiHv4mX7e
— الاتحاد السعودي للدراجات (@saudi_Cycling) August 23, 2020
Sanctioned by the Saudi Cycling Federation, the country hosted its inaugural women's race at the championships, a 13km time trial with ten women competing.
According to Gulf News the winner was Ahlam Nasser Al Zaid, who completed the course in 22:18 mins. She commented: "I’m proud to be the first title holder in the history of this sport in the kingdom."
Saudi Arabia has slowly began to dismantle some of its more archaic laws that stifle women's engagement in public life recently, accredited to the influence of Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman who took office in 2017. Saudi women have been able to drive in the Kingdom since 2018, they're now allowed to go into stadiums to watch football matches, and they can travel 'without a male guard's approval'.
I am a wheelchair user, and I am *literally in the advert*.
To claim that enabling cycling is anti-disabled (the word you want is ableist) is simply inaccurate; Many disabled people cyclist, many more would like to do so but feel unable or unsafe to do so.
— Heavy Metal Handcyclist (@CrippledCyclist) August 26, 2020
A handcyclist who actually appears in TfL's new Streetspace For London advert has hit back at Steven Norris' assessment of it, also adding: "Additionally, more people cycling frees up space on the road, making it easier for those journeys which must be undertaken by car, to be undertaken by car. Most journeys by car in London are under 3 miles. That's an absurd state of affairs."
Hi Sarah-Jane, payments are made according to the repairer T&Cs. We're working with registered cycle repairers in order to request any additional information needed so that we can proceed with payments.
— Energy Saving Trust (@EnergySvgTrust) August 25, 2020
After we reported yesterday how an anonymous mechanic said the Fix Your Bike scheme has slowed his workload and he is still waiting for payments from weeks ago, some would-be bike shop customers are reporting that shops are no longer accepting vouchers because they aren't getting paid. The Energy Saving Trust simply say they are "working with registered cycle repairers in order to request any additional information needed so that we can proceed with payments", which doesn't really explain anything.
Today's the day we introduce the INEOS Grenadiers 👊#BuiltOnPurposepic.twitter.com/vlVVnWnjnu
— INEOS Grenadiers (@INEOSGrenadiers) August 26, 2020
A new bike? Another new car? Hmmm...
Calling all Londoners, now’s the time!
Bike it, walk it - let’s get London back on its feet pic.twitter.com/ipXGb5anfo— Jonathan Kelly (@JKBartsHeart) August 25, 2020
Which is all good if the weather’s fine and you’re fit enough to cycle or walk. Ageist, anti- disabled, thoughtless wokeism. Not serious transport policy. https://t.co/NkEPDMkz2L
— Steve Norris (@StevenJNorris) August 25, 2020
What a load of bollocks! Are you blind or just another bigoted dinosaur driver? Saw at least TWO handcycles used by the disabled in that short fast moving clip! And NOT all disabilities are visible. Suggest you look at #MyCycleMyMobilityAid& LEARN!! https://t.co/XbLcflvcI2pic.twitter.com/qUIoAa9g8K
— @2_Wheeled_Wolf 🇪🇺 (@2_Wheeled_Wolf) August 25, 2020
It's quite the U-turn for Mr Norris, who also served as a patron of Sustrans during his parliamentary career when he was considered an expert on transport issues. Some have pointed out that his summary of the advert is anything but expert, as plenyt of disabled and elderly people are able to cycle.
Get people back onto public transport. As @christianwolmar has pointed out TFL and DfT should be much more committed. Gilligan’s stuff ( ironically a Johnson plant in TFL) is massively counterproductive.
— Steve Norris (@StevenJNorris) August 25, 2020
And if you’re all fit and well and want to cycle that’s great. Have a thought for those who aren’t and can’t.
— Steve Norris (@StevenJNorris) August 25, 2020
Norris continues to defend his point, claiming that more focus needs to be placed on improving public transport to help those who can't walk or cycle. Many don't seem to agree...
Weather? We have jackets and umbrellas.
Ageist? My mum cycles at 84.
Anti-disabled? Adapted cycles; mobility scooter & wheel chair users benefit hugely from protect infrastructure.
— Götz von Berlichingen #FBPE 🐟 #SardinesUK (@georgebernhard) August 25, 2020
I’m 71 and disabled. I can’t walk far but can cycle all day long. What are you talking about?
— Robert Jamieson (@RobertJ42913260) August 26, 2020
None of this is true Steve, but if you think of any other marginalised groups you'd like to speak on behalf of then feel free to give it a second try pic.twitter.com/mqlqTT9Cus
— Ask your coworkers which union they are in (@angryaboutbikes) August 26, 2020
The fast food giants have been trying to clean up their image in recent years (paper straws etc) and now the environmental push appears to be extending to sustainable travel as well as recyclable products. Horizont report that McDonalds Germany are responding to customer demand by launching their first three bike-in services, after some complained that they were unable to use the McDrive service by bike during lockdown.
Bike-in pick-up points have been designated in the restaurant car parks, and this option can be selected when ordering via the McDonald's app. There are tables set up for customers to eat, or they can ride off and take away.
We've no word on if and when the bike-in service will be coming to the UK any time soon, but McDonald's are set to make a decision on expanding it further by October.