I thought this was a hoax at first...

rothbook · June 2007

Roads to be cleared for cyclists
Traffic will be banned from several central London roads for an event which aims to persuade more people to cycle around the capital.
London Freewheel will encourage thousands to cycle a 14km (8.7 mile) traffic-free route on 23 September.

Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "I hope people will find that cycling regularly in London is easier than they thought."

It is estimated that 40% of Londoners have access to a bike but only 5% use one regularly.

The route will pass several London landmarks including the London Eye, Victoria Embankment, Westminster, St Paul's Cathedral and the Mall.

Riders will be led onto the route by experienced cyclists from six "hubs" across the capital. Participants will also be able to have their bikes checked by experts.

Stunt displays

The Sunday event will culminate in a festival at St James's Park for riders, including bike stunt displays, a cycling circus and information on cycling in London.

The number of cyclists on London's major roads is estimated to have grown by about 80% over the past seven years, but Transport for London wants to increase it further.

Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq was the first person to sign up for the free event.

She said: "Cycling is fun, gets you fit and is a great way to travel around London. I hope this event encourages more people to take to two wheels."

Meanwhile two lorries have been parked in Trafalgar Square, central London, for a road safety event on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The aim is to highlight the dangers posed by lorries to cyclists and pedestrians by demonstrating how limited a lorry driver's vision is.

Metropolitan Police figures show that nine cyclists were killed in London in 2006 in accidents involving lorries.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/e ... 241104.stm

CometGirl · June 2007

I DO hope they have permission for such a procession to take place, a la CM....

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by rothbook

Mayor Ken Livingstone said: "I hope people will find that cycling regularly in London is easier than they thought."

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

"..............provided the cyclists have passed their tests, have licences, insurance and are their cycles are fitted with number plates."

rothbook · June 2007

He dropped all that garbage.

Regulator · June 2007

I think this is an excellent idea. I'll volunteer to help out.

___________________________
Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!

rothbook · June 2007

You'd need a step ladder to bugger elephants, regulator.

I've got one you can have, my real ladder left home when I was a nipper, sniff.

Anonymous · June 2007

this is a great idea, but can we have it in every city on a Saturday[}:)]

Non Omnis Moriar

Tourist Tony · June 2007

How about every day?

If I had a stalker, I would hug it and kiss it and call it George...or Dick

Dudu · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by NumbNuts

this is a great idea, but can we have it in every city on a Saturday[}:)]

Non Omnis Moriar
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They already do in Paris, but on Sundays (and I once nearly missed a train connection because of it [:0]).

*** Have you got rock salmon?
No, but we've got soul ***

halfords wizzkid · June 2007

That'll wee the car/lorry/bus/coach drivers full of imigrants off!!!!!! but who gives a flying f**k????

Bring it on every damn day!!

http://s190.photobucket.com/albums/z241/ashh2_album/

spen666 · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by halfords wizzkid

That'll wee the car/lorry/bus/coach drivers full of imigrants off!!!!!! but who gives a flying f**k????

Bring it on every damn day!!
...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">It won't cos they will just ignore the ban and PC Police won't dare do anything about it iin case they are accused of being racist- so they will arrest the cyclists for putting them in such a position

22nd March can't come soon enough, neither can 26th May 2007

Carbon Footprint what Carbon Footprint?

Jeremy Parker · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Tourist Tony

How about every day?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Well, it's clear enough every day for me to zip into town. I grant you that if you were in a car you would have more jams than I do, but that's not my problem

Jeremy Parker

Jeremy Parker · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dudu

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by NumbNuts

this is a great idea, but can we have it in every city on a Saturday[}:)]

Non Omnis Moriar
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They already do in Paris, but on Sundays (and I once nearly missed a train connection because of it [:0]).
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

It's Sunday in London, too, on the Mall

Jeremy Parker

rothbook · June 2007

Anyone know the actual route please?

ScumOfTheRoad · June 2007

Rothbook, the route was covered on the local London TV news last night.

The event has been in planning for a few months - I guess that it sounded like a rumour to you as there hasn't been much information around. Sorry - that makes me sound like an insider, I just am an LCC member and there has been talk of this.

Anyway - the route.
It starts on the south side of the river near Tower Bridge (ie. the new City Hall and More London area). I might have this wrong.
Crosses over to the Embankment on the north side, then goes up for a loop around Green Park, ie. that will be the Mall, past Buckingham Palace and down Birdcage Walk.

rothbook · June 2007

There was a small piece in the Evading Standard last night- a distant photo of about 8 cyclists outside City Hall.

This is all good stuff, if people are wavering about cycle commuting this may finally persuade them.

There's a lot of bikes in sheds out there.

Archcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by rothbook
This is all good stuff, if people are wavering about cycle commuting this may finally persuade them.

There's a lot of bikes in sheds out there.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Will it though? I mean, there's a lot of difference between cycling in a jamboree on a Sunday, with closed roads, and doing the same route, the next day, with all the traffic back... I wonder how many people will do this in the same way they do the L2B or any local sponsored ride - "it's bit of fun, but you don't expect me to carry on doing it in traffic do you, it's far too dangerous/I need to wear a suit/carry a bag..."

Maybe that's unduly negative. The thing that might make the difference for some won't be the ride, it'll be getting chatting to people who do it everyday, and finding out the real benefits etc...

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

ScumOfTheRoad · June 2007

I've just found this is called the Hovis London Freewheel.
Do we get free marmalade sandwiches?
http://www.londonfreewheel.com/

Click on "Event Details" for the route.
Start point is on Tooley Street at Tower Bridge, so I was right.

rothbook · June 2007

All that may well be true but this ride provides a brilliant opportunity to reinforce a positive image for cyclists, break down the preconception that cycling is marginalised and a select pasttime, make the roads safer since the more cyclists there are the safer the roads become, join in with other like-minded cyclists, and stare at Konnie Huq's arse.

BBC London news interviewed a black cabbie who sucked his teeth and said:

"Cycling, um, all very well but there's a time and a place and I dunno if london is the place!"

Dumbass.

Archcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by rothbook
and stare at Konnie Huq's arse.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ah, the truth will out...[;)]

If I had a baby elephant, it could help me clean the car. If I had a car.

Tourist Tony · June 2007

Don't you want me any more, Rothy?
Oops--wrong roth....

If I had a stalker, I would hug it and kiss it and call it George...or Dick

rothbook · June 2007

Konnie Huq- famous cockney rhyming slang:

http://tinyurl.com/2k85gn

I thought this was a hoax at first...

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