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Cycling UK makes it easier to reply on planned A63 cycling ban as consultation deadline extended

Charity's online tool will allow people to have their say instead of having to print out response to Highways England and post it...

Cycling UK has appealed for more cyclists to have their say on plans by Highways England to ban cycling on a 15-mile stretch of the A63 near Kingston-upon-Hull that includes the UK’s fastest time trial course.

> Highways England wants to ban cyclists from the UK’s fastest time trial course

With Highways England extending the expiry date of the consultation by three-and-a-half weeks to Monday 12 March due to a “high level of interest” in the issue, Cycling UK has created an online tool to make it as easy as possible for people to have their say.

The charity says that the proposed ban, which Highways England says is aimed at reducing cyclist casualties, is not backed up by a detailed risk analysis and that it sets a dangerous precedent, calling it “the thin end of the wedge.”

> "The thin end of the wedge" - Cycling UK slams Highways England's proposed A63 bike ban

It also says that closing the section of the road between North Cave Interchange and Daltry Street Interchange runs contrary to both government and Highways England policy.

The stretch of road concerned includes the V718 time trial course where, in 2016, Marcin Bialoblocki set a 10-mile time trial record of 16 minutes 35 seconds. Sir Bradley Wiggins also rode a time trial there in 2014 while preparing for his successful UCI Hour Record attempt.

Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns at Cycling UK, said: “It’s nonsensical to ban bikes from a road because they can’t keep up with the motor traffic. Where does it stop if that’s accepted as a valid argument?

“This is one of the main reasons Cycling UK is objecting to Highways England’s proposed ban of cycling on the A63, but also because it contravenes their own strategy and guidance.”

Given the precedent any ban might create, Cycling UK is urging everyone who cycles or plans to cycle in England to object to it, and since Highways England only accepts submissions in hard copy through the post, rather than allowing people to comment online, it has volunteered to co-ordinate responses via its website.

“Cycling UK has been inundated with concern from the wider cycling community about the ban and what it means for cycling on England’s roads,” Dollimore explained.

“With Highways England making it difficult for objections to be submitted in a simple, time- and cost-efficient fashion, Cycling UK has had to create a tool for people to log their objections.”

He added: “We’ll collate all the objections and deliver them to Highways England’s Leeds office in person on 12 March – doing so by bike of course.”

Objections to the proposed ban can be made on the Cycling UK website here.

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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6 comments

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jlebrech | 6 years ago
2 likes

If the ban does go through the main questions to ask will be?

1. how long does it take the police to be dispatched to the scene of a furious cyclist?

2. what's the KOM?

3. Can the fine be framed?

Avatar
gcommie | 6 years ago
1 like

If Cycling UK is going to ride to the Highways England office on the 12th, any chance they coud make it a mass participant event? The more cyclist who turn up the better I think. I'd be prepared to jump on a train up to Leeds and join a mass participant event.

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
2 likes

As I'd posted on the forum several days ago.

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hawkinspeter replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 6 years ago
1 like

BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

As I'd posted on the forum several days ago.

Thanks for your link on the forum - I signed that when I saw it.

I'm glad that Road.cc is giving it a bit more visibility but I'm surprised they didn't namecheck you.

Avatar
jasecd | 6 years ago
1 like

Sent - I encourage everyone reading this to do the same.

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burtthebike | 6 years ago
1 like

Well done Cycling UK, good to see that at least one cycling organisation has the cojones to do something (why do I keep getting fb messages from BC about their campaigning?) and thanks for making it so easy.

These nonsensical decisions need to be challenged and the people making them have to justify them, not just hide behind their authority as planners god-like in their ivory towers, concerned only with the convenience of drivers.

 

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