The Coalition Government’s “localism agenda” sounds like democracy in action: local decisions being made by local people. But, for roads other than motorways, it could spell disaster, with a steady decline in spending on non-strategic highways, which are the great […]
Continue ReadingThis is an advert for bicycle insurance contained on a cyclists’ map of New York State, from 1895. The “bike” is in inverted commas because bike is the relatively new word for bicycle. Most bicyclists of the day rode “wheels”, […]
Continue ReadingJudge Simon Tonking of Stafford Crown Court has today written to The Times urging for cyclists to be banned from riding on many A-roads. Sounds sensible, doesn’t it? What kind of crazy bicycle riders want to ride on quasi-motorways? (Er, […]
Continue ReadingOver on iPayRoadTax.com I dig down into the views of Richard Wellings, the Head of Transport at the libertarian think-tank the Institute of Economic Affairs. Dr Wellings – his PhD is in transport and environmental policy – had tweeted his […]
Continue ReadingThe slow spread of motorcars after the 1896 London to Brighton Emanicipation Run (an event organised by a bicycle builder) wasn’t universally welcomed. Automobilists were “motor fiends”, opined the satirical magazine Punch in 1907, and the motorcar was “an ingenious […]
Continue ReadingThe Wadebridge People is not The Thunderer and Andrew Gordon is never in any danger of winning a Pulitzer so I’m not losing any sleep over the editorial above but as a historian of roads one phrase jumped out at […]
Continue ReadingHovis, the bread company, is making good use of its brand ambassador and Olympic gold medallist, Victoria Pendleton. She’s been working with Hovis since 2010 and is now fronting a campaign to get more people on bikes via a series […]
Continue ReadingA generation after the gradual dissolution of the turnpike system, which had partially paid for the upkeep of thousands of British roads, cyclists voluntarily put their hands in their pockets to help pay for the finer metalling they craved. The […]
Continue ReadingMichael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, yesterday cut the ribbon on a new 20mph ‘slow zone’, one of thirteen to be in place in the city by the end of next year. Tellingly, he said: “Our roads are not […]
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In three short paragraphs this hitherto unknown Sunday Times reader displays arrogance, ignorance, and historical inaccuracy. But George Knight’s views are mainstream beliefs. Many, if not most, motorists have a similar outlook on what should be on the roads, who […]
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