BBC look east imminently

[mjr]

Pavement cycling item coming up imminently. 1830 bulletin on Cambridge edition. Should be visible on freesat even nationally, on a channel number somewhere above 800, or on freeview from the Sandy Heath transmitter network.

Headline clip showing what looked like a policeman being very patronising to a teenager isn't encouraging. I wish they took pavement parking of motor vehicles as seriously.

 

[mjr]

Northampton police are fining pavement cyclists. No warnings.

Bedford street wardens are shouting at cyclists, although the pedestrian zone sign shown on TV was no motor vehicles, not no cycling.

Cambridgeshire police commissioner "Dim" Bright was given the oxygen of publicity for his bike bashing views again, but at least camcycle's Robin got a comment for balance... balance that was missing about Northampton and Bedford, which are both fairly horrible car sick towns.

 

[Drago]

Northampton police are fining pavement cyclists.

Really?

 

[mjr]

That's what it said. They had the fixed penalty notice pad out, complete with stickers for car windows! It should appear at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rpwxj shortly.

 

[outlash]

Must be a slow news day....

 

[mjr]

Apparently it started last week http://www.northants.police.uk/?_escaped_fragment_=/News/26066#!/News/26066 - good old BBC Look East West, for all your latest news...

Nothing really said about the shockingly poor state of the two town centres for cycling, how Northampton's crackdown is in a gap in the cycle route map, or Bedford's waste of cycle safety money on a turbo roundabout for motorists - good old BBC Look East West, for all your in-depth reporting...

 

[Drago]

I've checked with my man on the inside - that's one single community team in an area where there has been several years of complaints by residents, and despite several years of signs, publicity and pleading no one has taken any notice, so having tried all else they no have no other option but to now crack the whip. Their policy as a force is still one of a verbal warning for the first infraction.

You really don't want to fill any gaps in your map with routes through Northampton - apart from the scenery really being quite pleasant away from the town its much safer in both road use and crime terms to avoid the place altogether. Even Hitler had plans that the invasion would exclude the place.

 

[outlash]

Actually Bedford isn't that bad for cycling, far better than Cambridge. The fact that Bedford is a bit of a tip is neither here nor there...

 

[TheDoctor]

Bedford has a not-unpleasant cycle track to Sandy, from where it's a very nice ride to St Ives and thence on to Cambridge.
Bedford may also have other attractions, for all I know. Or care.

 

[mjr]

Bedford has a not-unpleasant cycle track to Sandy, from where it's a very nice ride to St Ives and thence on to Cambridge.

That's the cycle track that, if you follow it west towards Cranfield, goes under a really low bridge in Bedford... 6ft or thereabouts. Says lots about how Bedford borough bash bikes IMO.

I like Northampton but I did fail to cycle there in many years living nearby. Milton Keynes redways were much more attractive.

 

[outlash]

Bedford has a not-unpleasant cycle track to Sandy, from where it's a very nice ride to St Ives and thence on to Cambridge.

Would that be the NCN 51?

That's the cycle track that, if you follow it west towards Cranfield, goes under a really low bridge in Bedford... 6ft or thereabouts. Says lots about how Bedford borough bash bikes IMO.

You haven't been down Coppermill Lane in Hackney then... I fail to see how Bedford Borough 'bash bikes' as you put it just because there's a low-ish bridge on a particular path.

 

[TheDoctor]

Would that be the NCN 51?

Probably. It used to be the railway line, back in the day, and goes along by the river and past Norman Camp.
Which sounds like a dodgy pantomime character, but anyhow...

 

[outlash]

Danish Camp at Willington maybe? Sounds a little less paedo-ish...

 

[mjr]

If it was a one off, then it wouldn't be so bad but there's not much good about cycling in Bedford that I've seen yet. It's almost the vehicularist's utopia, isn't it?

 

[Fab Foodie]

If it was a one off, then it wouldn't be so bad but there's not much good about cycling in Bedford that I've seen yet. It's almost the vehicularist's utopia, isn't it?

There isn't much good about Bedford full stop.