Blog

Andrew Marr, winner of the Richard Dimbleby Award and John Snow (Photo by Jon Furniss/WireImage)

Do you realise the total failure of UK’s national cycling policy? The number of Cyclists flatlined since 2002 despite media hype and over £1 billion committed to it.

The  overarching aim was to double cyclists by 2020. Copy Europe, Amsterdam, Copenhagen etc. Maybe you liked the idea too?  But an unavoidable health & safety risk, more work for A & E. In 2016, 18,477 cyclists were injured in reported road accidents, including 3,499 who were killed or seriously injured and reported to the police. Traffic gridlock. Lost time and money. Yes, spending okay, maybe, in central London. Metropolitan elite happy in lycra. But yet another expensive bureaucratic failure.

WHY? You never spotted it! Local authorities delegated planning to cycling charity, Sustrans, rank amateurs, their enthusiasm for two wheels disguising a near pathological dislike of four; single issue fanatics, in the late Bernard Levin’s words. And protest suppressed. Traffic lights flashing amber and red set to green and warnings ignored. Sounds familiar?

Immediately lockdown ends, dump more cycle lanes for non-existent cyclists AND  boost fast chargers for the electric car revolution in city centres. Tens of thousands.The quickest way to get clean air into our towns and cities and revive city centres too. Play catch-up yet again with other people.

For once you should be ahead of the game, not just following it.

PLEASE SHARE WITH FRIENDS & COLLEAGUES