The blog

Over on BikeHub.co.uk I have released the news that the Bicycle Association is to support the national roll-out of London Cycling Campaign’s #space4cycling. This isn’t the first time the industry association has made such calls. Back in the 1928 a predecessor organisation made a similar call.

Why? Because there were more cyclists on the roads than motorists. (Seven years later there were even more; 1935 was a boom year for cycling but it was largely downhill from there). H. R. Watling, director of the British Cycle and Motor-cycle Manufacturers and Traders Union, wrote to The Times:

“In view of the fact that the bicycle is the daily transport of nearly four million people, this vehicle is entitled to is fair share of the road. It is open to doubt whether any other form of road transport – except perhaps tramway cars – make such a valuable quota to the solution of the daily traffic problem. Theoretically, therefore, all other transport should give way to the bicycle.”

And check out why Watling was writing. The Times had called the bicycle “the push-bike” and, it seems, wanted cyclists to ride in the gutter. It’s rather different at The Times today.