Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

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Pete Owens
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Re: Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

Post by Pete Owens »

pjclinch wrote:
Pete Owens wrote:Given that the purpose of cycle lanes is to speed up motor traffic by clearing us out of the way...


And here were lots of us thinking the main idea was to enable safe, reasonably pleasant routes for relatively inexperienced riders like primary school children who shouldn't be expected to mix it with fast and/or heavy traffic...


Well that is certainly what the big misters in charge of the roads would have you believe.

They have been trying force us off the roads long before their open hostility to cycling became politically incorrect. Originally, back in the 1930s they were quite open about this and assumed that we would be required by law to use the farcilities. Fortunately, our government was rather less authoritarian than the regimes on the continent at the time. Since the war they have engaged in a sustained misinformation campaign to try to persuade us that segregation is for our benefit - though they still attempt to delegitimise our presence on the roads each time the highway code is reviewed.

The trouble for them is that some motorists have also fallen this propaganda - so have started agitating against segregation. Hence, we now see the absurd situation of a cycle campaign group patiently explaining to motorists the fact that segregation is intended for their benefit. Indeed going to great lengths to measure just how much faster the traffic is as a result.
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pjclinch
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Re: Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

Post by pjclinch »

https://twitter.com/RantyHighwayman/status/731799079227953152?s=19 shows a young girl happily cycling along a busy London street.

If you really think that would happen without a segregated lane there then I'd make sure Kool-aid deliveries aren't being held up in the customs fiasco.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
Stevek76
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Re: Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

Post by Stevek76 »

Puts some pressure on RBKCs upcoming meeting to 'reconsider' the decision to remove the lanes.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transpo ... 21949.html
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MikeF
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Re: Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

Post by MikeF »

RBKC have an active travel plan so the problem is solved. No need to do anything now - just like other councils. And "For the avoidance of doubt, the Council does not accept that it is under a duty to consult in reaching a fresh decision and will not be carrying out such consultation."
"It takes a genius to spot the obvious" - my old physics master.
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thirdcrank
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Re: Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

Post by thirdcrank »

RE: The Ranty Highwayman. I like to think I coined the use of the word 'highwaymen' for these people about 25 years ago. Not very imaginative so other minds may have thought alike.
Mistik-ka
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Re: Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

Post by Mistik-ka »

Pete Owens wrote:…Hence, we now see the absurd situation of a cycle campaign group patiently explaining to motorists the fact that segregation is intended for their benefit. Indeed going to great lengths to measure just how much faster the traffic is as a result.

I keep telling motons "Every time I ride my bike instead of driving a car it leaves more petrol for you." (Frighteningly, some of them seem to see merit in my argument.) :(
Stevek76
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Re: Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

Post by Stevek76 »

Rather predictable, particularly once the report was published ahead of the meeting.

TfL may well make moves to take control of the road, it will be interesting to see whether the conservative government is will side with the conservative council or with TfL.
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mjr
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Re: Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

Post by mjr »

Stevek76 wrote:Rather predictable, particularly once the report was published ahead of the meeting.

TfL may well make moves to take control of the road, it will be interesting to see whether the conservative government is will side with the conservative council or with TfL.

The process of that is discussed in Streets Ahead: Will Norman https://shows.acast.com/streets-ahead/e ... ill-norman

See also https://mobile.twitter.com/BritishCycli ... 09289?s=09
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ChrisButch
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Re: Kensington & Chelsea Cycle Lane Removal - Controversy

Post by ChrisButch »

Unlikely that owt will be done on possible TfL takeover until after the Mayoral election.
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