Fuming former Conservative MP says cyclists “must dismount” on paths and slams “dangerous, irresponsible, and unnecessary” decision to protect cyclists with bollards on busy road – weeks after calling for all bikes to have number plates

Just weeks after he indulged in one of the anti-cycling crowd’s most well-worn tropes, by calling for mandatory number plates on all bikes and for cyclists to receive penalty points for misdemeanours, former Tory MP Alan Amos is already back in the headlines – as Worcester’s only remaining Conservative councillor criticised the local authority’s “dangerous, irresponsible, and unnecessary” decision to install cones and bollards to protect cyclists diverted onto a busy road following the collapse of an active travel bridge.

Amos, the only Conservative member of Worcester City Council left following this year’s local elections, claimed that the installation of milestone bollards on the road to provide a safe, alternative route for cyclists as work is carried out on the bridge is “removing essential road space” for lorry drivers, and that people on bikes were causing “dangerous situations” by taking advantage of the cones to force pedestrians onto the road.

According to the controversy-stoking councillor, the temporary infrastructure was further evidence that “the demands of a handful of cyclists are given priority over pedestrians and road safety”.

> Cyclists praise council decision to install bollards on main road as work begins on collapsed historic bridge

Amos’ typically outspoken comments come a week after cyclists praised the local county council’s decision to install bollards on the A449 Malvern Road to ensure people on bikes can continue to get around safely, as work begins to repair a historic bridge used by pedestrians and cyclists.

In February, part of the supporting wingwall of Powick Old Bridge – built in the 15th century and the sight of the opening skirmish of the First English Civil War in 1642, and now a commonly used route for walkers and cyclists – collapsed into the River Teme, the result of flooding and build-up of debris.

Following this initial collapse, Worcestershire County Council cut back on vegetation on the side of the A449 to ensure pedestrians and cyclists could use the shared-use path safely while the bridge was being assessed, while cones were later put in place on the carriageway “to protect pedestrians and cyclists from large vehicles”.

And now, as work begins to fix the bridge, the council has confirmed that the cones will be replaced by more permanent milestone bollards, which will be installed at the end of August, along with a temporary 30mph speed limit during the works.

“These new measures will ensure that cyclists and pedestrians will be able to continue to use the pedestrian and cycle route that Powick Old Bridge falls on whilst the repair works are being undertaken,” Marc Bayliss, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council, said in a statement.

“The temporary measures worked well during the assessment phase so I’m pleased that a more permanent measure will be put in place.”

However, these measures have drawn strong criticism from Conservative councillor Amos, whose colourful (to put it mildly) political career includes a five-year stint as a Tory MP for Hexham between 1987 and 1992, a scandal-driven resignation, a defection to Labour, a late return to local politics and the Conservatives, a spell as Worcester’s mayor, and a slew of controversial, extreme right-wing comments on rape, immigration, and most recently cycling and cyclists.

“Traffic on this stretch of the road from Powick roundabout to the Canada Way roundabout is some of the heaviest in Worcester with non-stop flows including many HGV delivery lorries,” Amos told the Worcester News.

“The road is already fairly narrow so blocking off part of it with cones is dangerous, irresponsible, and unnecessary.

“When I visited the site with a Highways Officer last week, two cyclists were on the pavement clearly expecting me – as a pedestrian – to step onto the busy road, which of course I did not do. They should have dismounted. Pedestrians have priority on all pavements at all times.

“Instead of causing this dangerous situation, the solutions are very simple – either telling cyclists to dismount and push their bikes for this short stretch or for Highways to cut back the overgrown hedges and bushes along the pavement, thereby making the whole width of it available which would solve the problem.”

> “Cyclists are entitled to use the road as much as anyone else”: Councillors and locals blast “discriminatory” ‘Cyclists Dismount and Proceed with Caution’ signs at temporary traffic lights

He continued: “Shortly they’re going to replace these cones with so-called ‘milestones’, which are simply two bollards stuck on a platform, but they’ll make no difference whatsoever as they’ll also be put in the road removing essential road space.

“Significantly, they still haven’t told me how much they will cost but it will be tens of thousands of pounds wasted.  It is a pity that, yet again, the demands of a handful of cyclists are given priority over pedestrians and road safety.”

> Furious councillor claims "dangerous and selfish" cyclists and "vicious" gulls will take over city centre now controversial cycling ban removed

The councillor’s complaints have sparked a backlash from local cyclists, with one Worcester News reader describing them as “Typical Cllr Amos. His views are well-known, and he did so much harm when he held the transport portfolio.

“The pavement referred to is currently designated as a shared path. Both pedestrians and cyclists need to pass each other with respect.”

And despite Amos’ rather predictable criticism, Bike Worcester’s chair Dan Brothwell said last week that the local “cycling community are very pleased to see this improvement to the temporary diversion”.

“It’s fantastic that officers have engaged collaboratively with us throughout the process since the bridge collapse to provide a workable solution for all users,” he said.

> Councillor suggests mandatory number plates and penalty points for cyclists — so that bikes are on “level playing field with lorries, vans and cars”

Amos’ latest anti-cycling comments come less than a month after the 71-year-old called on Worcester City Council to introduce mandatory number plates for cyclists in order to “create a level playing field with lorries, vans, and cars”, after the popular cycle hire scheme Beryl Bikes was introduced in the city last month.

He sought assurances from the local authority, following the launch of the Beryl Bikes scheme, that monitoring will take place to ensure that users do not cycle on pavements and that taxpayers’ money is not used to subsidise the scheme, while also calling for number plates to be made mandatory not just on the hire bikes but for all cyclists, and for the introduction of a penalty points system for people on bikes.

“I think it should be compulsory for all cyclists to have a number plate which all vehicles on the road have to. My concern is about enforcement,” he said.

“All bikes should have a registration number by law so there is a level playing field for any vehicle that uses the road – lorries, cars, vans, and bikes. They should all be subject to the same rules.”

And those outbursts aren’t even the only times this year that Amos has publicly criticised the local authority’s cycling policies.

In March, he lashed out at the council’s decision not to extend a controversial Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) — which was brought in with the stated aim of tackling dangerous cycling in the city centre, as well as prohibiting feeding of gulls — claiming that the “outrageous” decision will signal a “free-for-all” for “dangerous and selfish” cyclists and “vicious” gulls.

Amos, unsurprisingly, was the only councillor to vote in favour of extending the order, with the council stating that “people should be allowed to cycle responsibly within the city centre” and that there is “no evidence” of people intentionally feeding gulls.