“We are going back to the 20th century”: Cyclists slam plans to “dismantle” cycling infrastructure in Spanish cities as “political revenge”; Cycling staircase “commissioned by Danny MacAskill” blasted; Vingegaard’s ‘acting’ debut + more on the live blog

Now, when we say that more cycling infrastructure is needed in our towns and cities, I’m not sure this is exactly what we had in mind…

The installation of a new, what can only be described as a cycling staircase in Plymouth, forming part of the Saltram Meadow to Colesdown Hill cycle path, hasn’t gone down too well with local riders, who have branded it a “stairway to A&E”.

“That’s even worse than I imagined,” wrote Alan on the Plymouth Cycling Campaign Forum Facebook group, while Pete pondered whether “the councillors would like to demonstrate how wonderful their new piece of cycling infrastructure is on the opening day”.

William also noted that Plymouth City Council had initially “boasted about how the route would benefit wheelchair users and mobility scooter users”, while others pointed out that the local authority had missed a few tricks even when implementing the stairs.

Apparently, revolutionary concepts like that are too difficult for them to grasp

— 🚲 Will - @WilliamNB [at] toot.bike🇿🇦🇬🇧 (@WilliamNB) June 21, 2023

“There should at least be a groove on both sides to wheel a bike up and down in,” says Keith. “I can only see one on the left. Most people will have a bike to their right when they are walking with it so it will be very hard for most people to push a bike up that groove.”

“I had a chat with the guys building it one day when I was out riding and even they said it was madness,” added Steve. “They have however left a lovely sloped bank alongside which is presumably where people will actually ride.”

"cycling infrastructure" if you are Danny MacAskill 🙄

— Bill Hulley (@billhulley) June 21, 2023

Meanwhile, over on Twitter, some suggested that this new piece of ‘cycling’, ahem, ‘infrastructure’ (I use both those terms loosely) must have been designed by none other than Danny MacAskill himself.

Which is the only explanation that makes sense, really…

Of course, this isn’t the first questionable cycling staircase to grace Devon’s cycle routes.

> Warning signs to be placed at “crazy” cycle route steps after 83-year-old injured in horror fall

Last June, we reported that warning signs were put in place at the entrance to a bike path in Torquay which contains a flight of steps, after an 83-year-old cyclist suffered multiple injuries after falling while walking his bike down the steep descent.

The path, which runs behind Torre Station through Torquay woodland, cost £350,000 to build and includes a steep flight of steps where cyclists push their bike through a gulley while climbing or descending the 30 steps.

It was opened in 2016 to offer riders a route away from the busy main road. Original sketches for the cycle route showed a gentle slope through the trees, but a 60-metre set of steps was built instead.

The controversial steps were criticised almost immediately by prominent local cyclists such as the late Ken Robertson, forcing the council to admit that the steep mid-route staircase was “not an ideal solution”.

Apparently it seems that the councils in Devon are yet to stumble upon that ideal solution, then. Best leaving it to the cyclists to stumble up the steps, I suppose…

> New bikes, wheels, and components break cover ahead of Tour de France – 8 things we learnt at the Dauphiné

I didn’t learn anything at the Dauphiné, because I wasn’t invited along. Not that I’m bitter about it…

Earlier this month, we reported that the right-wing coalition currently governing Italy was planning to impose a crackdown on cyclists in the country, by introducing legislation that would force people on bikes to wear helmets and carry licence plates and indicators, while also paying insurance.

(Of course, Lega’s Matteo Salvini, the Deputy PM behind the draconian proposals, quickly backpedalled on his plans as soon as a backlash came his way – as government ministers tend to do after coming up with point-scoring anti-cycling schemes.)

> Cyclists blast Italian government’s “extremely worrying” plans to introduce bike registration plates and insurance

In Spain, another right-wing coalition has come under fire for its plans to immediately scrap cycle lanes and low emission zones in some Spanish cities, a move that critics say is inspired only by “political revenge and technical ignorance” and which will knock Spain “back to the 20th century”.

Some context: In last month’s regional and municipal elections, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE), which has governed Spain alongside the far-left Unidas Podemos alliance for the last four years, was on the receiving end of a drubbing, prompting prime minister Pedro Sánchez to call a snap general election for the end of July.

The results of last month’s elections, and the prospect of a new government being formed next month, has also led the conservative People’s party (PP) strike a coalition deal in a number of cities and regions with the radical right Vox party.

> Italy’s Deputy PM Salvini backpedals on number plates for cyclists

It’s this coalition that has moved rapidly to reverse Spain’s green agenda.

In Elche, in the Valencian region, three major cycleways in the city centre are due to be scrapped “as quickly as possible” – despite recently being funded by EU active travel grants – while the local government will also get rid of a low emissions zone which it says “attacks” the free circulation of cars.

“In addition to the fact that it is a meaningless decision because it eliminates the connectivity of the entire infrastructure, it would mean returning the money to the EU, having to pay a fine and, in addition, allocating municipal funds for dismantling. A delusion,” Esther Díez, the area’s mobility councillor until a few days ago, told La Politica Online.

“With the bike lane we have managed to reduce traffic pressure by 50 percent. We are going to see a an economic, environmental, and road safety setback so that some gentlemen can double park for 10 minutes a day.”

Trying to explain why the new right-wing coalition is “obsessed” with cycle lanes and “in a hurry” to eradicate them, Díez says: “I think that the focus is on the democratisation of public space. Conservative forces defend a model for a privileged few, in the social sphere and also in the urban sphere. They want a city that is designed exclusively for motor vehicles. They cannot tolerate that other forms of mobility have their space.”

The policies have also prompted protests from local cyclists, with a demonstration calling for the protection of the cycle lanes and road safety measures for people on bikes set to be held in Elche tomorrow night.

El próximo jueves, si estás en #Elche o tienes oportunidad de estar:
Gran BICIFESTACIÓN por el mantenimiento de los carriles bici y contra la #ViolenciaVial🚴‍♂️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️
¡NO a la involución en #movilidadsostenible!#Bicifestacion22J
🗓22.06
🕢19:30
📍Parada Bicielx-Jesuitinas@ConBicipic.twitter.com/0XnIiHG6gg

— Pedalibre (@pedalibre) June 20, 2023

Meanwhile, in Valladolid, at the new mayor’s first meeting in charge, he gave the instruction to repeal a LTN law, which he claimed made the city “stuck and chaotic”.

However, Darío S, a mobility technician and geographer at the University of Valladolid, claimed that the scrapping of the zero emissions areas is “a decision that no, I repeat, no mobility technician or specialist would take with the very positive results obtained”.

“It is only understood from political revenge and technical ignorance,” he said.

“A period of regression is opening in Spain in many areas, mobility is one of them, but the right thing will continue to be the right thing even if some only want to do politics for a minority. Change is unstoppable, whether it is ordered and scheduled or well forced and chaotic.”

> Research paper concludes that networking Seville’s cycle lanes helped improved cycle safety

In Gijón, a coastal city in north-western Spain, new mayor Carmen Moriyón announced that one of her first acts will be for cars to once again travel through the city “without any type of environmental label”, while restructuring the city’s road policies by dismantling the cycle network.

“From now on, vehicles will have absolute freedom of movement and parking on the streets and roads of Gijón,” Mariyón said.

Meanwhile, Díez describes these “backward” steps by the new local conservative regimes as “frustrating as it is worrying”, coming as they do at a crucial time for active travel and the fight against climate change.

“We are going back to the 20th century when we should be accelerating the transformations,” she says.

Worrying times, indeed.