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Bonanza Budget for cycling … sorry, just kidding, nothing as usual; Cargo bikes FTW; Paris-Nice TT highlights; Paris-Roubaix Challenge 'not responding' to coronavirus concerns; ‘Road zombie’ close pass + more on the live blog

Wednesday's live blog is served to you by Jack Sexty this morning and through the afternoon, with Simon MacMichael rustling up your evening course later on...
UPDATED Thu, Mar 12, 2020 17:11
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11 March 2020, 20:54
And talking of cargo bikes ... take a look at what Pedal Me are shifting
11 March 2020, 20:51
Logistics firms are seeing the light .... terrific video
11 March 2020, 20:47
Paris-Nice video highlights

Tak a look back at today's time trial stage of the Race to the Sun ...

11 March 2020, 20:47
11 March 2020, 16:51
British Cycling join in with bashing the Budget

With no cash directly earmarked for cycling and walking projects in England outside of London, most of the biggest authorities on cycling in the country have expressed their concerns at the Budget announced today. 

11 March 2020, 16:36
First pics of Stockport's new rooftop park and cycling bridge emerge

The bridge has been described as a ‘once in a generation’ development, and will provide a vital cycling and walking route between the Podium Park and Stockport train station on top of the new transport interchange in the city. 

The proposal for the new park and bridge has been put to a consultation with residents, which closes on 29th March. Councillor David Meller said: “I am committed to improving the town’s walking and cycling links – indeed, I want us to lead on this within Greater Manchester – and this proposal, linking the two transport hubs is a vital part of our overall plans for Stockport.

“In addition, we would like to hear residents’ views of what they would like to see in the park: the first new park in our town centre for generations.

“This is your (the residents') chance to shape an incredibly exciting project for the town centre as it realises its immense potential and becomes fit not just for the present, but for the future.”

11 March 2020, 16:33
Sustrans respond to lack of cycle funding in the Budget

Sustrans' CEO Xavier Brice said: “Today’s Budget clarified further allocated funding for the Transforming Cities Fund which will help some local authorities invest in walking and cycling.

"However, the Chancellor has not committed to any new funding for active travel. Making it easy for people to choose healthier ways to travel will fight climate change, rising levels of congestion, toxic air, inactivity and social isolation and needs to be a priority for the long term health of our society and economy.

"The Government has signalled in the past that it understands the role walking and cycling has to play in tackling these crises. Research shows that at least £6bn is needed to meet the Government’s targets of doubling cycling and increasing walking by 2025.

"Many local authorities have comprehensive plans for walking and cycling that are ready to be delivered. But clarification and certainty on dedicated long-term funding is needed as soon as possible for them to deliver these plans, fulfil their potential and meet the Government’s own targets.

"The National Infrastructure Strategy and Spending Review will be the opportunity to make this happen. We will continue to make the case for the significant and long-term funding needed in walking and cycling to transform our communities and create happier lives and healthier places for everyone.”

11 March 2020, 15:46
DB Schenker claim e-cargo bikes are 40% more efficient than vans

The transport giants show us how e-cargo bikes are transforming last mile deliveries in Hamburg, saying they're making delivery times up to 40% faster. Check it out in the video above... 

11 March 2020, 16:45
New 2020 route for Bike Oxford (assuming it goes ahead)
bike oxford.PNG

Like any other sporting event or mass gathering, it's subject to what happens with that bug that's going around of course... but all being well, Bike Oxford entrants can look forward to a new route on Sunday 31st May. 

Cyclists have the choice to start and finish at either Oxford University Rugby Club or Chipping Norton Rugby Club, with thousands of riders set to take part. Places are still available, and you can sign up here.  

 

11 March 2020, 15:29
Marcel Kittel partners with Endura
marcel kittel endura 2020

The German sprinter - who retired in summer - has teamed up with Endura to assist with product development... we think, as the info we've received is rather vague: "We are really looking forward to harnessing that enthusiasm for exploring novel areas and concept together as a fascinating rider with a wealth of insight and incredibly interesting projects ahead", say Endura. 

Kittel commented: "I didn’t want to leave pro cycling behind and just do something completely different, to not have any relationship with the sport at all. You need to know that I´m proud of my career and still love riding my bike.

"I was looking to stay involved to reignite my passion for the sport and to also refocus on what I love about riding my bike. That´s being outside in nature, having fun with friends and forgetting about what else is going on in the world for a few hours. No pressure, just fun. I wasn´t pushing to be involved with any cycling company because it was important that the choice of brand should be a ‘natural fit’ and based on shared values and ideas. So, when I met Pam and Jim and got a good look at the company, I realised that this possible partnership felt very good and authentic. It´s great to be part of Endura now and I´m looking forward to being with them to focus on good, innovative products while having fun on the bike.” 

Work it out for yourself, but good for you anyway Mr Kittel! 

11 March 2020, 14:27
Cycling UK say today's Budget announcement has earmarked NOTHING for cycling and walking
london-cyclists-hyde-park-corner-copyright-britishcycling.org_.uk_

It appears Boris Johnson's 'getting it done' mantra does not apply to cycling in the latest Budget announced today, according to Cycling UK, who say Chancellor Rishi Sunak didn't commit a penny to cycling and walking projects for English councils outside of London. The full statement from Cycling UK's CEO Paul Tuohy reads:

“It’s beyond belief that the Chancellor has announced £1bn will be spent on ‘green transport solutions’ without a single penny committed to cycling or walking in today’s Budget, leaving English councils outside London with no earmarked money whatsoever to spend on their local cycling and walking network plans from the start of next month.

“Instead, he has announced a staggering £27bn road building programme which will only serve to increase the climate, air pollution, congestion, and inactivity related public health crises threatening this country.

“By its own research, the Government needs to spend at least £6bn to meet its target of doubling cycling and increasing walking by 2025, but sadly it’s become clear its commitment to active travel has been parked in this budget and that’s a huge disappointment.”

We'll have more on this and our full reaction to the budget in a full article later today. 

11 March 2020, 14:07
Canyon's second 'Speedmax clinic' demo event taking place at York Sport this Sunday
Canyon Speedmax CF SLX 9 (1).jpg

If you've got your eye on one of Canyon's flagship TT/triathlon bikes and couldn't make it to Cyclopark last month, Canyon are hosting again on Sunday 15th March at York Sport. 

Experts will be on hand to advise on sizes and cockpit configurations, so you'll be well informed on exactly what you need to order if you decide to buy one. Registration costs £10, which entitles you to the set-up and advice, an hour of riding and a goodie bag to go home with. If you fancy it, you'll find all the registration info with remaining time slots available here. 

11 March 2020, 13:20
Paris-Roubaix Challenge organisers reportedly ignoring entrants over coronavirus concerns
paris-roubaix challenge

With France issuing a ban on all sporting events and gatherings of more than 1,000 people until 15th April, you'd expect that the Paris-Roubaix Challenge sportive on the 11th in the build-up to the pro race on the 14th is bound to be affected; however a road.cc reader has been in touch to say that organisers are ignoring questions from the public regarding the possibility of the event's cancellation, and reportedly deleted a Facebook post with comments asking for an update. Some of the comments underneath previous posts still remain on the main event page on Facebook: 

paris-roubaix challenge facebook comments.PNG

The reader told road.cc: "Obviously nobody knows what is going on with respect to coronavirus, but the organisers of this event seem to be acting quite dishonestly.

"They continue to post ‘course recon’ and calls to sign up on their Facebook (presumably scheduled posts), but refuse to answer any of the many, many comments about whether the event is going ahead. Even a quickie to say “we don’t know yet” would be nice. Then last night, they actually deleted their most recent post, which last I saw had about 50 posts from participants all worried about cancellation.

"I attended in 2016 and it was a fantastic event. I am signed up again this year and although my gut tells me it’s probably not going to go ahead, the organiser being evasive and dishonest is not helpful."

road.cc have contacted the organisers for comment. 

11 March 2020, 12:41
The Budget: good or bad news for the state of Britain's roads?

The new Chancellor has announced that an extra £2.5 billion will be spent on repairing potholes in the next five years; although Mr Pothole (who recently gave us an exclusive interview) is not enthused, claiming that won't even be enough to fill the backlog of holes that need filling in Kent. More to follow in our cycle-friendly budget round-up later... 

11 March 2020, 10:43
Victor Campenaerts shaves his beard for extra Paris-Nice aero gains

The Hour Record-holding Belgian is taking no chances when it comes to today's TT at Paris-Nice: "In my first individual time trial for NTT I need to perform, I want to perform, so I will shave the beard", says Victor before lopping off the lot save for a striking party 'tache. He reckons the close shave will save him around 5 watts... 

11 March 2020, 11:16
Paris-Nice riders are 'self-isolating' today

Everyone's favourite cycling expert has made his latest wholly accurate observation, noting that riders have placed themselves into isolation today by riding one minute apart! Guess shaving the beard isn't the only precaution Mr Campenaerts is taking... 

11 March 2020, 10:24
Extinction Rebellion staging Pedal for the Planet 'critical mass' ride in Bath next month
extinction rebellion bath critical mass poster 2020.PNG

The ride in our road.cc hometown takes place on Saturday 25th April, will all welcome to join in to raise awareness of the climate emergency. Extinction Rebellion claim the ride is to "reclaim public street space from its typical domination by private cars that pollute the air and endanger people." 

The route is four miles long and participants are encouraged to decorate themselves and their bikes in pink, and bright green. 

11 March 2020, 09:35
Nigel Farage, expert on all of the things

Coronavirus? Check. Leaving the EU when he's worked there for a two decades? Check. Legendary Tour de France-winning bikes from yesteryear? Check. (For context, BBC Newsnight were slammed for inviting the Brexit Party leader on Newsnight to talk about Coronavirus on Monday night, despite his apparent lack of credentials on the subject) .

11 March 2020, 08:55
'Road Zombie': driver totally unaware of cyclist who has to use their car to steady himself

As the man behind Brum Bike Cam explains, the driver was wholly unaware they were breaking the law when they passed him with precisely no inches to spare, first using the car for leverage to avoid falling over and then attempting to say 'good morning' to draw attention to himself. The driver was apparently completely oblivious, and the hashtag says all you need to know... 

11 March 2020, 08:57
Cars don't set you free

...says this modified billboard ad in Bristol. Ford might want to check out the latest Inrix Global Traffic Scorecard, which calculated that last mile speed in Bristol is just 13mph in a car; considerably slower than travelling by bike for many of us. 

11 March 2020, 09:06
Thought your crashed carbon frame was a write-off? Think again, say Target Composites

We're never not impressed by the work of Cheshire-based carbon repair specialists Target Composites, who have saved this once-handsome Colnago Concept from the skip and restored it to its former pre-crash glory. Check out more of their work on the Target Composites website. 

Jack Sexty

Arriving at road.cc in 2017 via 220 Triathlon Magazine, Jack dipped his toe in most jobs on the site and over at eBikeTips before being named the new editor of road.cc in 2020, much to his surprise. His cycling life began during his students days, when he cobbled together a few hundred quid off the back of a hard winter selling hats (long story) and bought his first road bike - a Trek 1.1 that was quickly relegated to winter steed, before it was sadly pinched a few years later. Creatively replacing it with a Trek 1.2, Jack mostly rides this bike around local cycle paths nowadays, but when he wants to get the racer out and be competitive his preferred events are time trials, sportives, triathlons and pogo sticking - the latter being another long story.  

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15 comments

Avatar
IanEdward | 4 years ago
0 likes

I noticed the Paris-Roubaix challenge organisers were still trying to drum up entrants a few weeks ago.

I wondered if their event insurers would pay out more based on number of entrants, e.g. if it was worth their while holding out until the last minute?

I had already cancelled due to having low back surgery, can't say they made it especially easy...

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BBB | 4 years ago
3 likes

Re: budget

Like immigrants, cyclist are just another minority that the current government at best doesn't give a #### about and at worst would love to get rid off.

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MrGear | 4 years ago
0 likes

Is 40% faster exactly equal to 40% more efficient?

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eburtthebike | 4 years ago
6 likes

I had the misfortune to accidentally listen to some of the budget speech, and it was an utterly appalling display of schoolboy laughing and jeering, self-congratulatory back slapping, mostly political, with lots of repetition of Boris the Liar's catchphrase "getting it done".  It was frankly obnoxious.

As CUK say, there is almost nothing in it for cyclists, despite lots of rhetoric in the speech about being so green they'd disappear on a lawn.  Even the amount earmarked for potholes will barely scratch the surface.  It was basically is list of everything they'd done for the past ten years inverted, all the cuts reversed, all their own policies annulled and in the glorious Maggie's words, u-turned.

My MP will be hearing from me, but being true blue, he will be pointing out that they've spent some money on paint in Lydney, and ignoring the rest.

EDIT: They are actually planning to spend what labour were called marxists for planning to spend.

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hawkinspeter replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
2 likes

It's shocking but not unexpected.

With Covid-19 being especially dire for people with compromised breathing, I'd've thought it would be more logical to get more people involved in active travel and out of motorised vehicles. I was reading just the other day about how tyres are a major source of vehicle pollution (especially large, heavy vehicles) along with the brakes  and neither of those are legislated or controlled.

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fukawitribe replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
1 like
eburtthebike wrote:

I had the misfortune to accidentally listen to some of the budget speech, and it was an utterly appalling display of schoolboy laughing and jeering, self-congratulatory back slapping, mostly political, with lots of repetition of Boris the Liar's catchphrase "getting it done".  It was frankly obnoxious.

Modulo the catchphrase - this describes much of the dealings in the House, for decades, transport-related or otherwise.

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gbzpto | 4 years ago
0 likes

ASO has just cancelled Paris Nice Challenge they also organise Paris Roubaix

https://www.timeto.com/en-GB/sports/cycling/paris-nice-challenge-2020

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Awavey | 4 years ago
1 like

Re the Budget,tbf the politicians would argue the 500m extra pothole fund does benefit cyclists,and the budget document (always way more important to read than the Chancellors soundbites for news clips speech)also restates the fund for buses/cycling they announced last month and a 1billion fund for transforming cities which includes some cycling infra. So its not alot and whether it's new money or existing announced stuff hard to tell,but it's more than nothing for sure.

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brooksby | 4 years ago
1 like

Well, I suppose at least the Govt claim they'll make a start on fixing the potholes...

(Although I wonder whether that'll only be on the strategic road network and they'll leave councils to pick up the tab for fixing local roads still...).

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brooksby | 4 years ago
1 like

(It's sort of relevant to that twitter video clip, so bear with me).

I was in the (painted) cycle lane going up Colston Street in Bristol this morning when a woman tried to pass me in her car.

The painted lane is handlebar width (being generous) and she couldn't move over in her lane at all because of cars queuing for the traffic lights by Colston Hall.

So she appeared behind me, then eveeer soooo slooowly edged forward, forward, forward (all while about a foot at most off my right bar-end), level with me, sloooowly forward (clearly thinking she was being really careful and safe).

And then she had to fall back as she realised the cyclists ahead of me, and then me, were having to move out of the cycle lane because the builders had put the signs warning about the traffic lights for people driving down the hill in the uphill cycle lane (and the triangle warning signs are basically the same width as the cycle lane).

It's the only time I think I've ever been passed so closely that I could have just held onto her wing mirror and got a lift up the hill.

And I think she had no idea that she was doing anything wrong at all...

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eburtthebike replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
1 like
brooksby wrote:

And then she had to fall back as she realised the cyclists ahead of me, and then me, were having to move out of the cycle lane because the builders had put the signs warning about the traffic lights for people driving down the hill in the uphill cycle lane (and the triangle warning signs are basically the same width as the cycle lane).

I had thought that most drivers in Bristol were now used to cyclists and drove accordingly, but perhaps she's not a local.  Have the warning signs been reported for obstructing traffic?  I once reported an abandoned car in a cycle lane in North Bristol, which was still there a few days later, so I rang the police non-emergency number and pointed out that it was a seriously hazard and very dangerous for cyclists, followed up by reporting it on their website too.  I don't know if that's why, but it was moved pronto.

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ktache replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
3 likes

I thought that cycle routes were the ideal place to put motorist only signs.

This is on NCN 4, slightly more paint on the shared use path than the standard triangle.

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ktache replied to ktache | 4 years ago
3 likes

And isn't it standard practice for road workers to put road work signs in cycle routes, I mean, the've all been told that nobody cycles in them.

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Awavey replied to ktache | 4 years ago
4 likes

I did once complain to my local council for doing that and tbf they did move them...that one time 2

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srchar replied to Awavey | 4 years ago
0 likes

When it snows, which admittedly isn't very often, my council (Enfield) helpfully piles up all the snow cleared from the roads in the cycle lanes, where it freezes solid and makes the lanes unrideable for days after everywhere else has thawed.

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