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Police force tells cyclists to remove bikes ahead of Remembrance Sunday

The force warned that locks will be cut and bikes removed from area where commemorative events are being held this weekend

Cyclists ​in Bristol have been told by police to move their bikes from some parts of the city centre ahead of this weekend’s Remembrance Sunday – or face having their locks cut and the bicycles taken away.

Avon & Somerset Police have advised that they will remove bicycles found locked up between 6am and 1pm this Sunday 12 November in areas where events marking the end of the First World War and commemorating those who died in subsequent conflicts while serving in the armed forces are due to take place.

In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, police in Bristol said: “Spread the word please Bristol people due to the events around the centre this weekend please don't leave your cycles locked in the areas between College Green and St Augustine’s Parade, you should also see these posters attached to rails.” [ie bikes stands – Ed]

According to the force, locks of bikes found parked in the areas concerned will be cut and the bicycles removed, with a spokesperson telling the Bristol Post that “this is standard procedure for events such as Remembrance Day and is done every year.

"These areas are very well signposted advising people to not lock their bikes there but, should someone do this, their lock will be cut and their bike removed to a location displayed on the posters.

“They can attend those locations to collect their bikes where words of advice will be given."

But one person replying on X accused the force of heavy-handedness, writing: “For heaven's sake, why? Will you be clamping every car that parks, too?”

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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25 comments

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David9694 | 11 months ago
1 like

I wrote a piece about Remembrance Day on here a few months ago, arising from guidance the Royal British Legion issued, following what sounds like a sizeable insurance claim arising from a collision with a driver. In short they've told local groups NOT to effect their own road closures. 

It's interesting that A&S police are taking a really active role: but they can't be everywhere across the patch. Links below. 

It's pretty depressing that it's come to this, but I think the Right have largely brought this on themselves, and all of this by stoking the rhetoric so it escalates such that this event becomes a flash-point.

There's some pretty unofficial looking signs for road closures for Sunday have appeared in my village, and the next one over.  My local Facebook whinger who always puts out dire warnings of sportifs (and some utilities road closures) is predictably silent on all this. 

Royal British Legion: https://counties.britishlegion.org.uk/media/6540234/200821-remembrance-p...

I think the unfortunate incident in question was this - https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/army-veteran-fights-for-his-life-af...

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chrisonabike replied to David9694 | 11 months ago
2 likes

Have we got enough "cars (and the odd tank) in / on War Memorials" for its own thread yet?

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David9694 replied to chrisonabike | 11 months ago
1 like

Somewhere in CCIB there's a round-up, I did of CCIWM - there's about one a year on average. 

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wtjs | 11 months ago
1 like

I don't see this as equivalent to telling cyclists to stay off the roads during the Queen's funeral while allowing motorised traffic to continue as normal around the country unless they're not removing parked cars from the vicinity of the parades/ ceremonies, only 'parked' bikes.

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chrisonabike | 11 months ago
8 likes

Where are British Cycling?  Isn't telling cyclists to stay home on major national occasions a job they've taken upon themselves?

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brooksby | 11 months ago
1 like

I wonder how late they'll leave it to "move on" the gentleman who sits on Bristol's cenotaph every day with a Palestinian flag, loudly praying...?

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chrisonabike replied to brooksby | 11 months ago
4 likes

What about that Edward Colston chap?  I've heard he's pretty controversial and didn't he used to hang around monuments?  The police better check he's not out and about giving it some hate (stirring it up and calling people out being apparently the prerogative of the Home Secretary in this country - examples too numerous to mention).

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Left_is_for_Losers replied to brooksby | 11 months ago
0 likes

It's ok, Suella will give them a rocket  4

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Left_is_for_Losers | 11 months ago
1 like

Why?! 

Also, trees will be relocated, kerbs will be flattened, and bus stops removed to clear the area. 

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Rendel Harris replied to Left_is_for_Losers | 11 months ago
5 likes

It always amuses me in Good Morning Vietnam when Captain Haulk takes over Cronauer's show after he's been suspended and Garlick says to him, "I'm begging you, don't try to do comedy sir, it's not in your blood."

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Left_is_for_Losers replied to Rendel Harris | 11 months ago
1 like
Rendel Harris wrote:

It always amuses me in Good Morning Vietnam when Captain Haulk takes over Cronauer's show after he's been suspended and Garlick says to him, "I'm begging you, don't try to do comedy sir, it's not in your blood."

Was there an issue with my thoughtful, cyclist-supporting, reasonable response?

Proof if there ever was any that a leopard can't change it's spots. You are a coward and a bully rendel, and you always will be. 

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David9694 replied to Left_is_for_Losers | 11 months ago
3 likes

Whoosh.

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Backladder replied to Left_is_for_Losers | 11 months ago
1 like
Left_is_for_Losers wrote:

Why?

Because nothing can be allowed to stand in the way of remembering those who died so we could live in a police state. If we could harness their spinning in their graves we would have an unlimited source of green energy!

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Surreyrider | 11 months ago
5 likes

Under what law/rule do the police have the right to do that? Or are they making things up?

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belugabob | 11 months ago
4 likes

It's difficult to see how the bicycle stands pose less of an obstruction without bikes attached, than with.

What extra access is actually gained, by removing the bikes?

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Rendel Harris replied to belugabob | 11 months ago
10 likes

I'd imagine it's more likely to be justified on the grounds of anti-terrorism than additional access? Bicycle bombs were used in the past by the IRA and bikes are still used to plant IEDs in places like Afghanistan; given the state of the world at the moment one can actually understand the police being extra cautious around Remembrance Day ceremonies this year.

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brooksby replied to Rendel Harris | 11 months ago
1 like

That was my assumption, too.  They do this every year.

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FionaJJ replied to brooksby | 11 months ago
0 likes

Same here. There have been signs on Whitehall for years warning people against attaching bikes to railings, which are clearly not (just) about aesthetics. 

And yes car bombs can be used too, but there's no parking in that area either, and I'm sure someone abandoning a car there would be lucky if all that happened was they got towed. And cars leave more clues to ownership. Of course most of these policies were introduced when terrorists were not of the suicidal variety.

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Car Delenda Est replied to Rendel Harris | 11 months ago
6 likes

I wonder if there are any other vehicles that have been used for terrorism..

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Rendel Harris replied to Car Delenda Est | 11 months ago
3 likes
Car Delenda Est wrote:

I wonder if there are any other vehicles that have been used for terrorism..

Yes, obviously if they don't ban car parking around the event as well it would be a nonsense but I believe a fair section of the area around Bristol's Cenotaph is closed off and parking suspended for Sunday - perhaps a local would know a definitive answer?

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morgoth985 replied to Rendel Harris | 11 months ago
2 likes

I would argue that the restriction on bikes locked to permanent racks is only defensible if so.

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Rendel Harris replied to morgoth985 | 11 months ago
0 likes
Morgoth985 wrote:

I would argue that the restriction on bikes locked to permanent racks is only defensible if so.

I would entirely agree!

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David9694 replied to Rendel Harris | 11 months ago
2 likes
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Rendel Harris replied to David9694 | 11 months ago
3 likes
David9694 wrote:

https://www.bristol.gov.uk/residents/streets-travel/road-closures/curren...

Cheers, so looks like they're not just picking on cyclists.

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belugabob replied to Rendel Harris | 11 months ago
1 like
Rendel Harris wrote:

I'd imagine it's more likely to be justified on the grounds of anti-terrorism than additional access? Bicycle bombs were used in the past by the IRA and bikes are still used to plant IEDs in places like Afghanistan; given the state of the world at the moment one can actually understand the police being extra cautious around Remembrance Day ceremonies this year.

That makes sense.

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