CYCLISTS are calling for there to be fewer street parking spaces for cars around Worcester.

Members of Bike Worcester said they have been inspired by Amsterdam's recent initiative to remove 1,500 street parking spaces every year.

Dan Brothwell from Bike Worcester said removing three street parking spaces on Severn Terrace would make the road easier to use for cyclists in Worcester.

On Severn Terrace, there are three designated parking spaces for cars to use for 45 minutes only.

But removing the parking spaces would allow more road space for cyclists especially when the racecourse is closed according to Mr Brothwell.

Councillor Mike Rouse, cabinet member for Highways and Transport, at Worcestershire County Council, said the council is open to hearing ideas on how to improve cycling in Worcester.

He said the number of cars parked on the roads can be dangerous and frustrating for cyclists.

Mr Brothwell said: "Worcester is littered with street parking.

"Parked cars put you in a position on the road where you are more likely to be conflicting for a space for cars."

There is sufficient space for cyclists and cars to share the road, he added..

But parked cars take up the space cyclists could be using which means cyclists are competing for the same space on the road as cars.

"People can open the car doors on parked cars while you are on your bike.

"Cyclists can be knocked off the bikes all the time.

"It can sometimes cause a nasty injury and I work very hard to avoid that happening.

"It can be frightening.

"People are choosing to park in on-street parking when there are paid car parks and alternative spaces for them."

Mr Brothwell said the initiative is not just taking place in Amsterdam, but elsewhere.

But he fears Worcester is falling behind as the rest of the world becomes more sustainable and bike-friendly.

He said: "This is happening around the world and not in Worcester, we are just falling more and more behind.

"The lack of progress is frightening."

However, he said initiatives like this could make a huge impact in Worcester.

"We just want to throw ideas and things like this can have a huge difference, not just in Worcester but across the country."

Cllr Rouse said: “The County Council is always open to hearing ideas about improvements to cycling provision in Worcestershire.

“This is why we recently set up an Active Travel Stakeholder Group so groups like Bike Worcester have a platform to raise these suggestions and then they can be looked into if appropriate.

"Group members can feed in suggestions at any time, or anyone can work with their local County Councillor to provide suggestions.

“We would of course need to look into the feasibility of any suggestions and, in regards to adding extra bike spaces, discussions would need to be had with our colleagues at the City Council as they are responsible for enforcement.”

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23538752.bike-worcester-call-council-remove-street-parking-worcester/

Much ado about nothing.

Amsterdam is wheeled out yet again as an exemplar of bicycle safety, this
time concentrating on cars parking on the road. Worcester, it is claimed,
is falling behind.

But the factual evidence is that cyclists in Holland have the same rate of
deaths per bn miles as cyclists in the UK, with an average of 200 deaths
and 15bn km ridden each year. All the cycling infra in Holland is doing
nothing for cycling casualties.

As much as Dan Brothwell from Bike Worcester and
Councillor Mike Rouse, cabinet member for Highways and Transport at
Worcestershire County Council, blather on about how wonderful Amsterdam is,
there is no factual evidence that the measures taken there have done
anything at all for cycle safety.

Res ipsa loquitur

Presumably it would be acceptable to Dan Brothwell and Mike Rouse to have
cycle hangars littering the roads instead of car parking spaces.

swldx...@ Councillor Mike Rouse, cabinet member for Highways and Transport,
at Worcestershire County Council gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> CYCLISTS are calling for there to be fewer street parking spaces for
> cars around Worcester.
>
> Members of Bike Worcester said they have been inspired by Amsterdam's
> recent initiative to remove 1,500 street parking spaces every year.
>
> Dan Brothwell from Bike Worcester said removing three street parking
> spaces on Severn Terrace would make the road easier to use for cyclists in Worcester.
>
> On Severn Terrace, there are three designated parking spaces for cars to
> use for 45 minutes only.
>
> But removing the parking spaces would allow more road space for cyclists
> especially when the racecourse is closed according to Mr Brothwell.
>
> Councillor Mike Rouse, cabinet member for Highways and Transport, at
> Worcestershire County Council, said the council is open to hearing ideas
> on how to improve cycling in Worcester.
>
> He said the number of cars parked on the roads can be dangerous and
> frustrating for cyclists.
>
> Mr Brothwell said: "Worcester is littered with street parking.
>
> "Parked cars put you in a position on the road where you are more likely
> to be conflicting for a space for cars."
>
> There is sufficient space for cyclists and cars to share the road, he added.
>
> But parked cars take up the space cyclists could be using which means
> cyclists are competing for the same space on the road as cars.
>
> "People can open the car doors on parked cars while you are on your bike.
>
> "Cyclists can be knocked off the bikes all the time.
>
> "It can sometimes cause a nasty injury and I work very hard to avoid that happening.
>
> "It can be frightening.
>
> "People are choosing to park in on-street parking when there are paid car
> parks and alternative spaces for them."
>
> Mr Brothwell said the initiative is not just taking place in Amsterdam, but elsewhere.
>
> But he fears Worcester is falling behind as the rest of the world becomes
> more sustainable and bike-friendly.
>
> He said: "This is happening around the world and not in Worcester, we are
> just falling more and more behind.
>
> "The lack of progress is frightening."
>
> However, he said initiatives like this could make a huge impact in Worcester.
>
> "We just want to throw ideas and things like this can have a huge
> difference, not just in Worcester but across the country."
>
> Cllr Rouse said: “The County Council is always open to hearing ideas
> about improvements to cycling provision in Worcestershire.
>
> “This is why we recently set up an Active Travel Stakeholder Group so
> groups like Bike Worcester have a platform to raise these suggestions and
> then they can be looked into if appropriate.
>
> "Group members can feed in suggestions at any time, or anyone can work
> with their local County Councillor to provide suggestions.
>
> “We would of course need to look into the feasibility of any suggestions
> and, in regards to adding extra bike spaces, discussions would need to be
> had with our colleagues at the City Council as they are responsible for enforcement.”
>
> https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23538752.bike-worcester-call-council-remove-street-parking-worcester/
>

--
Spike

On 23/05/2023 12:44 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> CHAVS are calling for there to be fewer street parking spaces for cars around Worcester.
> Members of Chav-Bike Worcester said they have been inspired by Amsterdam's recent initiative to remove 1,500 street parking spaces every year.
> Dan Brothwell from Chav-Bike Worcester said removing three street parking spaces on Severn Terrace would make the road easier to use for chavs-on-bikes in Worcester.
> On Severn Terrace, there are three designated parking spaces for cars to use for 45 minutes only.
> But removing the parking spaces would allow more road space for chavs-on-bikes[,] especially when the racecourse is closed[,] according to Mr Brothwell.
> Councillor Mike Rouse, cabinet member for Highways and Transport, at Worcestershire County Council, said the council is open to hearing ideas on how to improve chav-cycling in Worcester.

How about getting chav-cyclists to obey traffic law?

That would improve things at no cost.
>
> He said the number of cars parked on the roads can be dangerous and frustrating for chav-cyclists.
> Mr Brothwell said: "Worcester is littered with street parking.
> "Parked cars put you in a position on the road where you are more likely to be conflicting for a space for cars."
> There is sufficient space for chavs-on-bikes and cars to share the road, he added.
> But parked cars take up the space chavs could be using which means those chavs are competing for the same space on the road as cars.

Everyone "competes" with each other for road space.
>
> "People can open the car doors on parked cars while you are on your chav-bike.

Translation: "A few people open car doors on parked cars [fancy cars
having car-doors!] while you are on your chav-bike".

> "Chavs-on-bikes can be knocked off the chav-bikes all the time.

And?
>
> "It can sometimes cause a nasty injury and I work very hard to avoid that happening.
> "It can be frightening.

Like thunder and lightning?

Or water more generally, especially when combined with soap, as far as
chavs on bikes are concerned.
>
> "People are choosing to park in on-street parking when there are paid car parks and alternative spaces for them."

That's because multi-story facilities are time-consuming and inconvenient.

> Mr Brothwell said the initiative is not just taking place in Amsterdam, but elsewhere.
> But he fears Worcester is falling behind as the rest of the world becomes more sustainable and chav-bike-friendly.
> He said: "This is happening around the world and not in Worcester, we are just falling more and more behind.
> "The lack of progress is frightening."

Thunder and lightning again?

It doesn't take much to frighten Brothwell, does it?

> However, he said initiatives like this could make a huge impact in Worcester.
> "We just want to throw ideas and things like this can have a huge difference, not just in Worcester but across the country."

Delusions of national mgrandeur, or just of adequacy?

> Cllr Rouse said: “The County Council is always open to hearing ideas about improvements to chav-cycling provision in Worcestershire.
> “This is why we recently set up an Active Travel Stakeholder Group so groups like Chav-Bike Worcester have a platform to raise these suggestions and then they can be looked into if appropriate.
> "Group members can feed in suggestions at any time, or anyone can work with their local County Councillor to provide suggestions.
> “We would of course need to look into the feasibility of any suggestions and, in regards to adding extra chav-bike spaces, discussions would need to be had with our colleagues at the City Council as they are responsible for enforcement.”
>
> https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23538752.bike-worcester-call-council-remove-street-parking-worcester/

"ROAD TAX" (sic) myth comment--------------
=================================
↪ in reply to Anteluvian
i-cycle 54 mins ago
User ID: 476186
Don’t have to. VED on sustainable vehicles is £0.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> "ROAD TAX" (sic) myth comment--------------
> =================================
>
> ↪ in reply to Anteluvian
> i-cycle 54 mins ago
> User ID: 476186
> Don’t have to. VED on sustainable vehicles is £0.

VED on sustainable vehicles is £0…at the moment…

--
Spike

i-cycle 23rd May 1:41 pm
User ID: 476186
Like most cyclists I bet he pays for his car, but chooses to use a bike for more of his shorter journeys. He therefore causes less pollution and congestion. As he’s also fitter he’s likely to be more productive at work get a better job, then pay more income tax whilst also costing the taxpayer far less in NHS, social care and welfare benefits. Perhaps cyclists should therefore get a tax refund because they’re less of a tax burden?

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> i-cycle 23rd May 1:41 pm
> User ID: 476186
> Like most cyclists I bet he pays for his car, but chooses to use a bike
> for more of his shorter journeys. He therefore causes less pollution and
> congestion. As he’s also fitter he’s likely to be more productive at work
> get a better job, then pay more income tax whilst also costing the
> taxpayer far less in NHS, social care and welfare benefits. Perhaps
> cyclists should therefore get a tax refund because they’re less of a tax burden?

Piling supposition upon supposition is an easy way to get the answer you
want.

IRL it doesn’t work like that: the cycle-mad Dutch die of the same diseases
in the same proportions as the lardarse UK.

--
Spike

What for? VED is based on CO2 emissions, road tax was replaced many years ago. Wear and tear on the roads maybe a fiver then.

Why even a fiver? Every mile I cycle is a mile I'm not driving.

On 25/05/2023 05:48 am, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> i-cycle 23rd May 1:41 pm
> User ID: 476186
> Like most chavs I bet he pays for his car, but chooses to use a chav-bike for more of his shorter journeys. He therefore causes less pollution and congestion. As he’s also fitter he’s likely to be more productive at work get a better job, then pay more income tax whilst also costing the taxpayer far less in NHS, social care and welfare benefits. Perhaps chavs-on-bikes should therefore get a tax refund because they’re less of a tax burden?

FIFY.

No charge.

On 25/05/2023 09:52 am, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> What for? VED is based on CO2 emissions, road tax was replaced many years ago. Wear and tear on the roads maybe a fiver then.
>
> Why even a fiver? Every mile I cycle is a mile I'm not driving.

So is every minute when you are doing something else.

So stay in bed.

And while you're at it, stop breathing.

On Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 9:52:10 AM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> What for? VED is based on CO2 emissions, road tax was replaced many years ago. Wear and tear on the roads maybe a fiver then.
>
> Why even a fiver? Every mile I cycle is a mile I'm not driving.

And making potholes with your wankpanzer.

On 25/05/2023 09:58 am, swldx...@gmail.com...

....pretending not to answer Spike, said:

> On Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 9:52:10 AM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

>> What for? VED is based on CO2 emissions, road tax was replaced many years ago. Wear and tear on the roads maybe a fiver then.
>
>> Why even a fiver? Every mile I cycle is a mile I'm not driving.
>
> And making potholes with your wankpanzer.

Had you lost count?

You are accusing *yourself*, you idiot! :-)

Your car is Swedish (and without operational windscreen wipers), isn't it?

On Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 9:58:35 AM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 9:52:10 AM UTC+1, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
> > What for? VED is based on CO2 emissions, road tax was replaced many years ago. Wear and tear on the roads maybe a fiver then.
> >
> > Why even a fiver? Every mile I cycle is a mile I'm not driving.
> And making potholes with your wankpanzer.

An Exeter man decided to take matters into his own hands after becoming fed up with waiting for Devon County Council (DCC) to fill in a 'dangerous' pothole. Paul Jackson, who lives in Whipton Village Road, used two bags of concrete to fill in a pothole outside his home last Wednesday, May 17.

It was around 15 to 20cm deep and had been there for 'several weeks' and had been reported to the council. Just an hour after filling in the pothole, Paul says he was shocked to see a team from the council digging out the concrete he had laid and repairing the hole themselves.

He added that some other potholes in the local area have also since been repaired. The work has been welcomed by Whipton residents who have reported damage being caused to their cars by the potholes.

Paul said: "It shouldn’t be down to us to fill in our own potholes. At what point does it become a safety concern for cyclists, motorbikes and damage to vehicles? The council/ highways are a joke.

"The pothole had damaged someone’s car and had been reported by many people to the council. It was just a really bad pothole and was like it for weeks.

"I’d had enough of driving into it and I’d read people claiming on damages to their cars on the Whipton Community Group Facebook page so thought I’d sort it out before a cyclist or motorbike went through it. I used a couple of bags of cement to fill it over.