Author name: Steven Edwards

News from Elsewhere

Has the Times declared war on cyclists? | Peter Walker | The Guardian

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Peter Walker

Even in the context of the UK media’s famously curious coverage of everyday cycling, this was a surprise. Away from the more familiar tabloid cries of a “battle” over changes to the Highway Code, tucked away in the sober enclave of the Times’s editorial pages something odd was happening.

It was near the bottom of a leader column on cycling that a paper which, less than a decade ago, launched the most concerted and effective media campaign for safe cycling seen in this country for years, decided in effect to declare war on those who opt for two-wheeled transport.

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Antarctica’s ‘Doomsday Glacier’ keeps scientists at bay with iceberg and sea ice | Antarctica | The Guardian

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Antarctica’s so-called Doomsday Glacier, nicknamed because it is huge and coming apart, is thwarting an international effort to figure out how dangerously vulnerable it is.
A large iceberg has broken off the deteriorating Thwaites glacier and, along with sea ice, it is blocking two research ships with dozens of scientists from examining how fast its crucial ice shelf is falling apart.

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“Many drivers believe: might is right.” Lords Debate the Highway Code Amendments

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Sean Meager 28 January, 2022

It’s unlikely to come as much surprise to readers of this publication that there have been updates to the UK’s Highway Code.
Yesterday (27 January) I (Sean Meager), tuned in to witness Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Jenny Jones), raise a ‘motion of regret’ in the House of Lords to trigger a debate among our Noble Lords. In attendance was Baroness Vere of Norbiton, Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Department for Transport and lead minister for roads, poised to set out the Government’s position. Jones is an ardent advocate for safer active travel and CI.N has a separate interview with her here.

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“What drives you mad about cyclists?” Radio 4 presenter criticised for “irresponsible” questions during Highway Code segment | road.cc

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“What drives you mad about cyclists?” Radio 4 presenter criticised for “irresponsible” questions during Highway Code segment

One Twitter user claimed the interview “encouraged aggressive driving towards cyclists”
A BBC Radio 4 presenter has been criticised for asking what some have described as “irresponsible” and “poorly judged” questions about cyclists during a segment on the recent revisions to the Highway Code.
On Saturday’s edition of the Today programme, the long-running news and current affairs show, Mishal Husain interviewed Kevin Fong, a doctor and television presenter, and racing driver and motoring journalist Rebecca Jackson

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“Lunatic Highway Code” encourages road rage and gives cyclists carte blanche, Fair Fuel UK boss claims – road.cc

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Dan Alexander Feb 04, 2022 
The founder of Fair Fuel UK, which lobbies the government over fuel duty, has penned a provocative opinion piece published in The Sun(link is external) newspaper, attacking last week’s Highway Code changes, calling them a “cyclists’ charter to ride any way they wish”.
Howard Cox’s article titled ‘Lunatic Highway Code will just encourage road rage and put cyclists at risk – Government must rethink it now’ claimed the changes “must have been authored by an asylum inmate”.

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Town councillor blasts ‘hell-bent cyclist sleeper cell’ – southwalesargus.co.uk

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Dan Barnes
AN ACTIVE travel group within a town council is being disbanded following accusations from one councillor that it had become a “sleeper cell” of cyclists.
In a transcript of the Monmouth Town Council meeting held on Monday, January 24, which has been shared with the Argus, a councillor has launched a scathing attack on the town’s Active Travel contingent.

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Extreme weather has cost Europe about €500bn over 40 years | Extreme weather | The Guardian

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Fiona Harvey
Severe floods and other extreme weather have cost Europe about half a trillion euros in the past four decades, with Germany, France and Italy the worst-hit countries.
Between 90,000 and 142,000 deaths were attributed to weather and climate-related events over the period 1980 to 2020, the overwhelming majority of them from heatwaves.
The data, published by the European Environment Agency on Thursday, does not show a clear trend of increase in losses over the decades from the impact of the climate crisis. This is because the economic impacts tend to be concentrated in a few major events – more than 60% of the economic losses came from just 3% of the weather events over the period – and these can strike anywhere and cause vastly different results.

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3 in 4 people want to ride a bike but are put off by lack of safe lanes – theconversation (Australia).com

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Lauren Pearson January 11, 2022
Cycling is healthy and sustainable, but only 1.7% of trips in Melbourne are made by bike. Car use has soared since lockdowns were lifted. 
We surveyed over 4,000 Victorians and found more than three-quarters are interested in riding a bike, but only in infrastructure that separates people from cars (such as off-road paths or protected bike lanes).
This proportion is far higher than previously thought, highlighting a huge opportunity to increase bike-riding rates by building separated bike lanes.

News from Elsewhere

Cyclists are being injured in London every day, says Sadiq Khan aide – Evening Standard

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Ross Lydall @RossLydall 2/2/22
The risk of cyclists and pedestrians being killed or injured must be considered before Transport for London axes road safety schemes, an aide to Sadiq Khan has warned.
Dr Lynn Sloman said she was concerned that the safety of people walking or cycling was not prioritised highly enough against the need to maintain the capital’s bridges and road tunnels.

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Plans to encourage cycling by banning cars from “rat run” delayed –

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1,000 locals have signed a petition opposing the scheme in Beeston, though one resident claimed campaigners have “catastrophised” the ban
Ryan Mallon 5/2/22
A plan to encourage cycling by banning motorists from a cut-through road described by locals as a “race track” has been delayed after a petition against the proposals secured over 1,000 signatures.
Last month we reported that Nottinghamshire County Council was planning to introduce an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) which would stop cars from accessing the narrow Dovecote Lane in Beeston. 
The planned closure, which will be enforced using planters, is being funded by the DfT’s Active Travel Fund and aims to encourage cycling in the area “for all ages”.

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