The Pope, Tulip Wands and Bike Week, #165

World Bicycle Day delivers

To say it’s been a week of highs and lows for cycling would possibly be an understatement. From Pope Leo XIV blessing the Giro d’Italia, to Brit Simon Yates winning it, to an angry man on a bike proving a very topical point, there’s a lot to unpack. And that’s before we get to the naked bike ride. Oh, and it was World Bicycle Day.

BIG STORIES FOR CYCLING ADVOCACY

OWN WORST ENEMY? Cycling campaigners can be too forceful, effectively scaring officials off delivering safer routes. That’s what a new study has found. Researchers interviewed dozens of councillors and council officers delivering transport schemes. They said debates online can turn ‘toxic’, with one saying ‘cycle campaigners are mostly counterproductive due to their rudeness’. It’s a lesson in campaigning that to achieve results working with those in charge, rather than against them, is more effective by far than shouting. Oh, and emails and letters are much more effective than social media posts.

SPEAKING OF WHICH. One man was jokingly called a ‘clear advocate for cycling’ after angrily yelling at people who were standing on a bike lane he was cycling on. The irony was, they were officially opening the cycle lane, which is fitted with innovative ‘tulip’ shaped wands. The incident has divided opinion, with some highlighting that cycle lanes are for cycling on, not for opening ceremonies. Although making local politicians feel good about building safe infrastructure is a necessary reality in modern politics, as I know well.

CLOTHING OPTIONAL. A bike ride with a stark difference. One man is celebrating surviving a cancer scare and mental health struggles by joining the World Naked Bike Ride in London this month. Stephen Lewis and his partner Shayne Goss are joining the annual attention-grabbing ride to shine a spotlight on mental health after Stephen’s experiences following removal of a tumour beside his eye. The pair are fundraising for CALM, the Campaign Against Living Miserably.

COUNCILS WANT POWERS FOR CYCLE ROUTES. Lib Dem MP, Freddie Mierlo, has asked for legislation allowing councils to buy land for cycle paths more easily under compulsory purchase powers. The issue of landowner permission can hold up path construction for decades. However, minister Matthew Pennycook says Active Travel England is developing guidance to assist councils in delivering active travel routes, making a new law unnecessary.

MONEY AND SUPPORT FOR CYCLING. It was nice to see Minister Lilian Greenwood MP at the Women’s Tour of Britain with some positive words - and a reminder of some cash - for cycling and walking. It wasn’t that long ago that a visit from a Minister to a cycling event would have been totally off the table - it’s good that being supportive of more cycling infrastructure is now more politically palatable.

100 YEARS OLD - AND STILL CYCLING. Geoffrey Bolton is still cycling 10 miles a day - at 100 years old. The retired Royal Air Force Flight sergeant puts his longevity down to regular exercise, i.e. cycling. This delightful story is an inspiration to us all.

OTHER HEADLINES

BIKE WEEK NEXT WEEK. 9-15 June this year is Bike Week, seven days to celebrate all cycling has to offer. Cycling UK, supported by Bikmo, are encouraging people to hold Big Bike Brunches to celebrate, and fundraise. There are Big Bike Revival sessions, where people can re-skill, pick up basic maintenance skills, get bikes checked or join short rides. People are also encouraged to swap short car journeys for cycling.

INTERESTING GRAPH OF THE WEEK:

How we respond to officials can have a big impact; the positive far more than the negative. Source: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03003930.2025.2500932#d1e537

ACTIVE TRAVEL WORD OF THE WEEK:

Toxicity. A word that can be used to describe interactions on social media. People don’t respond well to rudeness; if you’re feeling frustrated at the keyboard, it’s probably far better to take a breath and respond when you’ve cooled off.

Until next time,

Adam

Adam Tranter

CEO, Fusion & Founder, #BikeIsBest