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Quentin Willson asks “Where are the cyclists?” – on unfinished Cycle Superhighway that's blocked

Britain’s Worst Cycling Infrastructure Critic? Cyclists set ex-Top Gear host straight after he tweeted picture taken near Parliament Square

London cyclists set Quentin Willson straight on Twitter yesterday after the motoring journalist and TV presenter tweeted a picture of a stretch of Cycle Superhighway near Parliament Square and queried why no-one was using it.

The reason was revealed by Twitter users including Londonneur, who tweeted a video that began from the view towards Big Ben captured by Willson in his picture then panned round to show that the new lane is blocked by red and white barriers, which also have temporary traffic lights placed in front of them.

For his pains, Londonneur says he got blocked by the former Top Gear and Fifth Gear presenter, who dreamt up the show Britain’s Worst Drivers, a format expanded to include titles such as Britain’s Worst DIYer and Britain’s Worst Teenager (though not, as yet, Britain’s Worst Cycling Infrastructure Critic).

He wasn’t the only user of the social network to take issue with Willson, however, with others also tweeting pictures from the same location, Great George Street, between Parliament Square (the direction he took his photo in) and Birdcage Walk.

Figures from Transport for London (TfL) show that once separated infrastructure is in place and fully open, cyclists – including those encouraged to take to two wheels by the provision of safe routes – will take to it in huge numbers.

For example, cyclists now make up 70 per cent of rush hour traffic on Blackfriars Bridge thanks to the installation of the North-South Cycle Superhighway.

As some pointed out, depending in time of day and issues such as phasing of traffic lights, it isn't that difficult to take pictures of Cycle Superhighways apparently bereft of cyclists, or indeed roads free of motor vehicles - and the part of the East-West route beyond where Willson took his picture is still a work in progress, with evidence from other routes now open showing that once end-to-end infrastructure is in place, it wil be used.

But that doesn’t stop some elements of the media from seeking to mislead about their popularity with bike riders, with the Daily Mail for example publishing an article in August claiming a Cycle Superhighway at Parliament Square wasn’t being used, only for TfL to point out there wasn’t actually one at that location.

> "Cyclists not using bike lanes": Twitter responds

Undaunted, the newspaper has continued its campaign against infrastructure for cyclists, not just in London but throughout the country, running an article last week that was trailed on its front page with the headline “Cycle lane lunacy!” and described them as “The new blight paralysing Britain.”

> Daily Mail declares war on cycle lanes

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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32 comments

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Sven Ellis | 7 years ago
0 likes

"For example, cyclists now make up 70 per cent of rush hour traffic on Blackfriars Bridge thanks to the installation of the North-South Cycle Superhighway."
How many more times? Cycles may, cyclists don't, and won't until they stop running all those buses across the bridge.

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Legin | 7 years ago
0 likes

Unlike Quentin Clocker to get things wrong!  1

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bendertherobot | 7 years ago
0 likes

Bradbury was very good, ditto Humble. 

Here's Bradbury with some weird looking chap with short hair.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roaq5YCMJsk

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fukawitribe replied to bendertherobot | 7 years ago
1 like
bendertherobot wrote:

Bradbury was very good, ditto Humble. 

Here's Bradbury with some weird looking chap with short hair.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Roaq5YCMJsk

I clicked on to get past the intro from James May and the first thing I hear from her is

"..maybe getting a bit old, but with a good set of lungs on it."

 

Prescient, if a little unsettling...

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Jem PT | 7 years ago
5 likes

Well, Quentin, I use that cycle lane twice a day. Sorry that I don't spend all day in it, but I have work to do, rather than tweet pointless Twatter posts. 

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EK Spinner | 7 years ago
0 likes

I believe that young lady is Julia Bradury

She has worn well, I love her walking programs in the Lakes using Wainwrights books as inspiration.

I must admit I don't remember her doing TG, but I must also admit to having liked QW in those days, I always wondered how good a deal you would have got if he had been on your side when buying a used car.

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Yorkshire wallet | 7 years ago
7 likes

He should stick to clocking cars rather than clocking cyclists.

He was also always the weak link Top Gear as well. I guess he knew all the tricks of the trade because he actually applied them.

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Leviathan | 7 years ago
2 likes

Old old Top Gear was a very long time ago wasn't it?

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Redvee replied to Leviathan | 7 years ago
1 like
Leviathan wrote:

Old old Top Gear was a very long time ago wasn't it?

 

Yes, talking early 80's with the likes of William Woolard along with:

Tom Coyne, Angela Rippon, Mike Dornan, Noel Edmonds, Gill Pyrah, Peter Macann, Marian Foster, Sue Baker, Stewart Woodcock, William Woollard, Chris Goffey, Tom Boswell, Bob Friend, 
Malcolm Wilson, Tony Mason, Tiff Needell, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, Jon Bentley, David Llewellin, Michael Collie, Quentin Willson, Michele Newman, Stephen Lee, Steve Berry, Andy Wilman, Russell Bulgin, Stephen Bayley, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Stirling Moss, Julia Bradbury, Brendan Coogan, James May, Kate Humble, Adrian Simpson, Jason Barlow

 

brooksby wrote:

Was Quentin Willson the one that looked like Mr Burns?

 

//digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/16/16/980x490/landscape-1461252732-tv-top-gear-hosts.jpg)

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brooksby replied to Redvee | 7 years ago
1 like
Redvee wrote:

//digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/16/16/980x490/landscape-1461252732-tv-top-gear-hosts.jpg)

I know what Clarkson and Angela Rippon look like; I don't know who the other woman is, but the answer is clearly 'Yes' - QW was the one who looked like Mr Burns yes

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wycombewheeler replied to brooksby | 7 years ago
1 like
brooksby wrote:
Redvee wrote:

//digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/16/16/980x490/landscape-1461252732-tv-top-gear-hosts.jpg)

I know what Clarkson and Angela Rippon look like; I don't know who the other woman is, but the answer is clearly 'Yes' - QW was the one who looked like Mr Burns yes

Clarkson in his Grange hill days?

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MBWB replied to Redvee | 7 years ago
1 like

//digitalspyuk.cdnds.net/16/16/980x490/landscape-1461252732-tv-top-gear-hosts.jpg)

You just know Clarkson was double denim there! Always was a total...Jeremy Hunt

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brooksby replied to Redvee | 7 years ago
1 like
Redvee wrote:

... Kate Humble...

KATE HUMBLE presented Top Gear?!? 

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CygnusX1 replied to brooksby | 7 years ago
1 like
brooksby wrote:
Redvee wrote:

... Kate Humble...

KATE HUMBLE presented Top Gear?!? 

Actually yes.

http://home.bt.com/pictures/tv-news/12-top-gear-presenters-you-might-have-forgotten-about-from-angela-rippon-to-kate-humble-41363967574037

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RMurphy195 replied to Leviathan | 7 years ago
0 likes
Leviathan wrote:

Old old Top Gear was a very long time ago wasn't it?

Yup, when it was a half-decent program, and QW had my respect! To criticise may be one thing, but given the reason for the empy lane is just a few yards away out-of-shot is either lacking in observation or judgment, or simply making a sarcastic remark to kick the developers - or whoever is responsible for the work not being finished - into life.

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brooksby | 7 years ago
4 likes

Was Quentin Willson the one that looked like Mr Burns?

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mike the bike | 7 years ago
11 likes

 

There are, believe it or not, hundreds of writers and columnists who consistently entertain and inform us on a wide spectrum of topics without resorting to half-truths, innuendo and sensationalism.  So why is the motoring press so over-represented with these dribbling dolts?

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bigshape replied to mike the bike | 7 years ago
5 likes
mike the bike wrote:

 

There are, believe it or not, hundreds of writers and columnists who consistently entertain and inform us on a wide spectrum of topics without resorting to half-truths, innuendo and sensationalism.  So why is the motoring press so over-represented with these dribbling dolts?

must be the fumes

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gethinceri | 7 years ago
8 likes

I liked him until 10 minutes ago, now I think he's a knob.

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harman_mogul | 7 years ago
3 likes

Welcome to post-factual news narratives. You'll be seeing a lot more of them in the next decade or two.

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Edgeley | 7 years ago
20 likes

Please can I use the word cockwomble?

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CygnusX1 replied to Edgeley | 7 years ago
1 like
Edgeley wrote:

Please can I use the word cockwomble?

You may. You can even use the fantastic jpeg someone on here made (I thought I had it saved to my PC ready to deploy at times like this, but can't find it)

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VeloPeo replied to CygnusX1 | 7 years ago
13 likes
CygnusX1 wrote:
Edgeley wrote:

Please can I use the word cockwomble?

You may. You can even use the fantastic jpeg someone on here made (I thought I had it saved to my PC ready to deploy at times like this, but can't find it)

This one?

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Gourmet Shot replied to Edgeley | 7 years ago
1 like
Edgeley wrote:

Please can I use the word cockwomble?

Yes you may

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zagatosam replied to Edgeley | 7 years ago
0 likes
Edgeley wrote:

Please can I use the word cockwomble?

If I was Quentin Willson I'd be deeply upset and highly offended by the use of that name. So yes, it can (by general consensus) be used and I hope he takes note  1

 

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Mungecrundle | 7 years ago
13 likes

Poor old Quentin. He can't even do stupid with any style.

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bikebot | 7 years ago
19 likes

Via Private Eye

//i.imgur.com/U1825RJ.png)

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tritecommentbot replied to bikebot | 7 years ago
8 likes
bikebot wrote:

Via Private Eye

//i.imgur.com/U1825RJ.png)

 

Brilliant!

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Daveyraveygravey replied to tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
3 likes
unconstituted wrote:
bikebot wrote:

Via Private Eye

//i.imgur.com/U1825RJ.png)

 

Brilliant!

 

What a two-faced Clarkson-wannabe!

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handlebarcam | 7 years ago
10 likes

Something else which is also empty is my EPG when I search for TV programmes presented by Quentin Willson. That would be because he is a poor man's Jeremy Clarkson (who is himself an idiot's Stephen Fry.)

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