Live blog: Tom Pidcock to plant four grand’s worth of trees; Government admits it needs to double cycle funding; BBC's Watchdog accused of fuelling anti-cyclist rhetoric; Former Paralympic cyclist identified as man who climbed on plane + more

Butt eye that dumb at the moment. Friggin blood knot like an assumption that I have a sus G or maybe a Gsus.
Can't even figure out properly where I put my drill.. Nor bits. Just wanting to drill my bars and fit lay bars. Bought a you beaut CO2 connector today, roads are beautiful, she'll be a unicorn rolling Continental 23s.
Way quicker than bullborns on a partially flat38, partially flat 35.
Hears too the 'The Highland Fox' black whiskey and a light weight tyre pump (recyclable). (Hopefully)

I thought this was about planting trees. Just rode 50 hilly km on flats. Yeah lots more grip without psi up. Some idiot looked but didn't blow them.
Hence trees.. Natural carbon collectors that realize oxygen in their past path.
I like my alloy bikes, I don't race, I like durability, the extra kg via handles etc doesn't bother me neither. I bought 2 composite catamarans from outdoor storage. I figured garaging prolongs span of use and hope that someone sorts out an other than a tree; carbon collector.
Too me that's fast. Sail nine metres in the air, fully rigged 18*8 feet*9metres 75kg.
But I'm as scored as you lads needing replenishment of good will regarding discard of future carbon/Kevlar/glass cloth products.

Thank you muchly, we all need trees.
I'm sure you don't eat shit yet need to shit somewhere. Where may we mutually take a dump regarding our race weight products?
We need this Earth clean, I can tell you why but you'd be with high probability of shitting yourself.
A dumb arse sailor.

Not sure if anyone agrees, but I think the anti-cyclist mood is on the increase. I know 3 people who've been hospitalised by bastards this year. The police have been informed in every case but as usual don't seem to give a damn.

Nice move by Tom Pidcock. Very few pros seem to demonstrate much awareness of the impact of the huge number of flights they take.

"When the BBC went undercover, they also reveal their man wasn't asked if his bike was in working order, or if he had passed a cycling proficiency test of any kind."

Also on this page reporting on the DfT funding announcement, which described maintaining Bikeability funding at current levels as a " Boost ", while acknowledging that

"The funding will ensure that the programme is able to continue for another year, and so that approximately 50% of primary schools across England will be able to access the programme"

Alanis Morrisette would explode if exposed to such levels of irony

So the Government admits that it needs to increase funding for active travel if it is to meet its own targets. Unfortunately acknowledging that someting needs to be done, and actually doing something are two seperate things. The Government will do nothing.

I can't stand the idea of Government doubling the amount of money that they spend on cycling. The reason is because the shite they (or local councils, using Government money) put in now. Painted lines along a road, random blue signs, a couple of dropped kerbs, a bit of resurfacing along a towpath. That's just going to be doubled.

The correct process is to plan a cycle network properly . One that goes to the university, town centre, shops, schools etc. Then work out how much it will cost to build it to Dutch/Danish standards. Then fund it.

Don't just say you'll give more money. That'll get you nowhere.

How good of the government to admit what everybody not only already knew, and have known ever since the pathetic Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy was published; there isn't enough money to achieve the targets.  Which is because they are spending all the money on driving i.e. recent announcement of  £25bn on top of the already projected £15bn.

Am I the only one doubting their commitment to the climate change emergency announced in parliament?  Oh, sorry, I forgot; electric cars.

I didn't realise that passing your cycling proficiency test was a legal requirement?

I'm also not sure why Deliveroo wouldn't check the the safety of the vehicle that the self-employed contractor chooses to use... After all, it's that contractor who would lose out if they have a collision - I was under the impression that Deliveroo classes everyone as 'self-employed' precisely so they don't have legal responsibiity for them.

Cyclist left for dead by drunk and dangerous driver #putthebrakeson

Exactly Ktache. I expect a Watchdog programme on all the White Van courier near misses and issues caused by them having to rush around to get their pay. Will their man be asked to prove his vehicle is taxed, Mot'd and they have business insurance before being hired? 

All delivery drivers and riders are on too tight a schedule are given too much to do in an inadequate amount of time.  All of those scooter pizza delivery riders, the bicycle food riders and couriers and the liveried and white van parcel people.  None being paid what we believe to be a "salary".

It's not their  fault, it's the companies that make any sort of money out of this very dodgy business model.

There may have been things wrong with the state owned Royal Mail, but the workers were paid a fairish wage, got breaks and holidays, sick pay and recieved a pension.  The union would fight for them and their rights.  I don't think I ever saw a postie hooning about on their Pashleys, and generally their delivery vans were driven without too much aggression.

Back in the day there was local delivery depots, plenty of post offices and my goodness 2 deliveries a day.

Now of course, it's like the wild west out there.

Food delivery has always been a bit iffy, but part of that is the demands of the customer.

Having watched the video, James Brown is an even bigger hero than he was before, and I stand in awe of the total commitment of these people.  As and when they finally succeed in getting the government to listen instead of passing meaningless climate emergency declarations, we might see a bit more action on cycling.

The group of delivery riders who seem to emerge from wagamamas  in a constant stream of an evening seemingly turn me into a sort of Victor Meldrew with tourette's every time I pass them. 

[irony on]

I'm sure the BBC will be running a similar prog featuring all the close pass videos from this website for balance.  Then there will be the series reporting in detail the benefits of a switch from driving to riding, with individual progs on pollution, congestion, health, obesity etc.

[irony off]

Insure, train and equip all deliveroo riders with the transport they require to do the job. Then pay them a decent wage and don't set schedules that are impossible to meet without taking risks and shortcuts.

Then add the cost to the delivery charge for the calorie laden, diabetes inducing, obesity epidemic fuelling, junk food that the couch potatoes at home are too fecking lazy to go out and get themselves.

Didn't see the segment, but it can't be denied that Deliveroo riders are some of the biggest, ahem, "risk takers" I see when I'm cycling around.  I've had one collide with me as I overtook him, when he decided to swerve, without looking and for no apparent reason, from the left hand side of a bus lane to the middle of the main carriageway, ending up leaning on me at 30+ km/h, even though I'd left him more than a car's width, given that I treat them like the back of a horse.

I've also seen a number of Deliveroo riders in the City hooning around on electric bikes made from sheet metal rather than tubes, legs completely motionless as they ride around at speeds completely unsuitable for a busy urban environment.

So, I feel there's probably a grain of truth in some of the allegations, but as with any debate around cycling, nuance has gone out of the window and anyone who swings a leg over a bike is a bigger threat to humanity than global thermonuclear war.

Anti-cycling? The BBC? I'm shocked!

I've had enough, I'm going to start a boycott - if enough people stop watching BBC, then they'll soon get the message when they start losing out on license fees.

What's that you say? I still have to pay the BBC even if I don't watch them? B*ll*cks

Don't think the rider on the Dogma is doing Deliveroo in Reading any more. Most of the 'Roo riders here are now on MTBs modified with an electric rear wheel.