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Gangs of lads on bikes in Liverpool are… just out for a bike ride

Community group Liver Pedlaa Pool is using cycling to steer kids away from gangs

The Liverpool Echo says it’s received a number of reports of "gangs of lads on bikes" seen cycling through the city recently. Turns out it’s a weekly cycling group that’s trying to steer kids away from gangs and knives.

The founder of Liver Pedlaa Pool, 21-year-old Blaen Roberts told the BBC: "You can't just say put down knives and give up violence because, some of these lads, that's all they know. You need to give them opportunities and life experience and get them out of that circle."

Roberts started the rides in May with just eight people, but they’ve rapidly grown in popularity and he has recently established Liver Pedlaa Pool as a Community Interest Company.

"I myself had a battle with a bad past,” he explained. “I was involved in gangs and stuff like that.”

Roberts says cycling helped him get away from his previous lifestyle and believes others could similarly benefit.

“It’s down to us as the youth in this community to make the changes,” he said. “The police can’t arrest their way out of this problem. You can’t say ‘put the knives down’ without giving the youth the opportunities, the experiences, and most of all giving them that lifestyle change.”

He added: “They make mates through something positive. It’s not like they’ve made mates through drugs or the gang culture.”

Last week the group started off at Liverpool Pier Head and went to Crosby Marina. Roberts is keen that they get out of Liverpool too though. This week they’re off to Delamere Forest with help from local transport company Signum Travel.

About 100 youngsters turned out for the Crosby ride and the group now has 10,000 followers on Instagram. They’ve even set up a mountain bike team.

“We’ve had lads turn up from St Helens, Manchester, even London,” said Roberts. “It’s not just breaking postcode barriers, it’s breaking city barriers too.”

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7 comments

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burtthebike | 5 years ago
4 likes

I do hope they aren't intimidating those drivers sat in their ton of steel.

Avatar
WolfieSmith | 5 years ago
5 likes

Good for Blaen. I live in Crosby and have seen them a couple of times owning the road. Most motorists seem to accept it. 

With 3 road clubs Liverpool has a long history of cycling and now the council is finally finishing the northern cycle commuter path hopefully a bright future. 

Power to the Pedals. 

Avatar
ChairRDRF | 5 years ago
3 likes

Part of the "Bikestormz" movement, first seen in London. Emphasis on "Bikes not Knives", mainly boys around 14 it seems to me, normal street clothes, lots of pulling wheelies. Sometimes several hundred turn out.

 

 

 

Avatar
maviczap | 5 years ago
2 likes

Mein gott, one of thems pulling a wheelie! Call the Daily Mail, hoodlums on the loose, call the bizzies.

 

Great to see, that's 100 kids not causing mayhem, because they're bored, every town,/city should encourage something like this

Avatar
Hirsute | 5 years ago
1 like

Breaking city barriers - mob violence ?

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hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
14 likes

I keep on seeing loads of gangs of motorists when I'm going around town, although to be fair, other people refer to them as a traffic jam.

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BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
10 likes

typical of the negative language used against people on bikes, and the usual ignorance of risk posed, but then hardly surprising is it when 'we' are attacked from all directions incl by authority/those in power.

Well done to Blaen Roberts, gettitng the kids on bikes and taking back the streets and so much more ... and not a helmet/bit of hi-vis in sight, lovely!

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