From small acorns..

We had a small Pedal Power Kennington ride today with four pupils (three regulars, one new). We cycled over Waterloo Bridge to Covent Garden, for the Apple store, market and street entertainers. Then over to the law courts and chambers (unfortunately Ede and Ravenscroft were shut so we couldn't ask to try on a judge's wig). Returning via Blackfriars Bridge, one moment we were hemmed in by taxis, cars and vans, the next we were a small group amidst the thousand plus cyclists attending the LCC Flashride. The children were gobsmacked. I suspect there'll be more attending the next ride!

Why don't these pupils cycle to school?

A few days ago I spoke to 120 year 7 pupils at a local secondary school to promote a forthcoming Pedal Power Kennington 'Dr Bike' session there, with an optional after-school ride. Most of the pupils said they had bikes and there was enthusiasm for the events. I subsequently talked to a class from year 8. Letters were given to all 240 year 7 and 8 pupils to take home.

Yesterday I arrived with a mechanic at the school to undertake the Dr Bike on a warm autumnal day. There were 9 bikes, from the whole school, in the bike racks - how many might one find on a day with no cycling events?

Mind you, the school is a hundred yards or so from TfL's local collision centre, the Vauxhall Gyratory, and slap bang on the 'Berlin Wall', as Val Shawcross described Kennington Lane at Monday's Kennington Association AGM.
The Berlin Wall being the inner ring-road around the Congestion Zone from Vauxhall Gyratory to Elephant and Castle.

Photos like this demonstrate that the Mayor and TfL need to pull their respective fingers out to improve conditions for active travel, which is why I'll be on Blackfriars Bridge this evening at 6pm.

Who drives over Blackfriars Bridge?

There are people who argue that the only motor traffic in central London is 'essential', that there is no possible way they can use a form of transport friendly to other people and the environment.

Of course, if splendidly convenient, safe car parking is provided in abundance then use of the car is even more likely to become 'essential'.

Tucked away in discrete coutryards behind Unilever House at the Blackfriars Bridge junction, where LCC are flashriding tomorrow night, are the lawyer's chambers of Inner Temple. Here are a couple of pictures, looking one way:

 and looking the other:

An additional reason (should one still be needed) why I'll be on Blackfriars Bridge tomorrow evening from 5.45.

London Cyclists show TfL the future of Blackfriars

London Cycling Campaign has produced fantastic images and animations showing how the junction at the northside of Blackfriars Bridge can be dramatically improved for pedestrians and cyclists. If you cycle in London (or want to but daren't) you absolutely should check these out.

Please join the Blackfriars Bridge flashride this Wednesday to push the Mayor and TfL into action. The ride meets at 5.45pm by Doggett's pub on the southside.
It's also well worth while checking out this Cyclists in the City blogpost.

Join the Blackfriars Bridge protest 12/10/12 5.45pm

London's bridges remain appalling for cyclists. The police and security services can't stop ice-cream sellers in Westminster Bridge's cycle lane and it has grim approaches either end. Waterloo Bridge has free parking in its cycle lane of an evening. Chelsea Bridge has just been Superhighwayed unbelieveably awfully. Lambeth Bridge has grim approaches either end and feels nothing like the Greenway it's meant to be.

Please click the link to find out more about this important action and take part in the ride.
http://lcc.org.uk/pages/blackfriars

Motor traffic banned from Waterloo Bridge

 Waterloo Bridge was a pleasure to cycle across today - quiet, unpolluted, spacious. For a moment I thought that TfL were making amends for their disgraceful behaviour on Blackfriars Bridge, but it transpired that no credit was due to TfL - a fire in Aldwych was the cause.

Act NOW for pleasant cycling on London's bridges

There's an important debate and vote on retaining the 20mph limit on Blackfriars Bridge, rather than making the limit 30mph as currently planned by TfL,  in the London Assembly next week, on Friday 8 June 2011, when Assembly members will vote on a formal motion.

Please go the link below now and sign the petition. The page gives the background
http://new.lcc.org.uk/articles/show-your-support-for-the-london-assemblys-motion-to-retain-20mph-on-blackfriars


The bridges are key to making London a pleasant place to walk and cycle around.

Pleasant pedalling over Blackfriars Bridge

 The Blackfriars Bridge Flashride, organised within 24 hours, and highlighting the need for pleasant conditions for cyclists and pedestrians rather than motorways, attracted several hundred cyclists today:

 

It was nice to see some youngsters on the Bridge for a change:

Blackfriars Bridge Flashride - first of the Bridgeheads

This Friday morning (tomorrow!) London Cycling Campaign report there'll be a  Flashride over Blackfriars Bridge - meet at 8.30am by Doggett's Pub on the southside of the bridge.

London's bridges are going to be core to the future of cycling in London. Currently they're dismal to approach and ride across.

Under Boris's regimeTfL are mucking around at the edges rather than dealing wholeheartedly with the motor traffic sick centre of London.

It's time for pedestrians and cyclists alike to reject motorway style urban planning for the Capital's core and force a move towards non-polluting, slow, quiet, clean and healthy travel.

It's time to mobilise! See you tomorrow. First Blackfriars then Waterloo, Westminster, Lambeth and Vauxhall.

Read more about Blackfriars here