Cycling event that attracted thousands divides the city
A mass bike ride event which closed key Bath streets for seven hours has divided opinion in the city.
There has been spirited debate over the merits of the Sky Ride Bath event on Sunday, which saw an estimated 6,000 people cycling around a five-mile route.
Coverage of the festival of cycling on our website attracted well over 120 comments – ranging from "what a fantastic day" to descriptions of the event as a "shambles".
Complaints focused on the level of road closures and parking restrictions imposed to accommodate the ride, which shut parts of Upper Bristol and Newbridge roads from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Warning signs had been up for more than a month and affected residents had been also been sent letters exactly a month before the ride, which was organised by broadcaster Sky and British Cycling with support from B&NES Council.
But Councillor Andrew Furse (Lib Dem, Kingsmead) said he had received a number of complaints.
He said: "Notification to residents both directly affected and indirectly affected was poor, and numerous comments were passed to me about organising the displaced parking."
He said some of the warning signs were inadequate – especially in Crescent Gardens.
"I was nearly hit by a reversing car using the pavement at this location. There was poor advanced signage as to what to do.
"In addition there was a number of individuals cycling on pavements."
Joe Cussens, who owns The Marlborough Tavern in Marlborough Buildings, and Chequers, at Rivers Street, said the Sky Ride had had a negative effect on his businesses.
He said: "Takings were a lot lower than normal, which presumably was due to people avoiding the city.
"Lunch trade at both places was almost non-existent."
Mr Cussens, who lives in Marlborough Buildings, was also annoyed at the level of parking restrictions, with a towaway regime in force from 7am.
He said: "The Sky Ride was hugely disruptive for residents like myself who could not park outside their homes.
"There were a few signs about the event, but nothing from the council saying what we should do and where we should park.
"It seemed like a huge amount of disruption for a very badly managed event."
Before the Sky Ride started, 30 cars were loaded on to trucks and removed, leaving owners with a £185 bill to get their vehicles back.
One of the motorists affected was Bath Rugby player Luke Watson, who was woken at 7am by the sound of his car alarm sounding as it was loaded on to a truck.
He posted a message on Twitter saying he was not aware that cars had to be moved by 6am.
A B&NES council spokeswoman said the event had been "a huge success".
"We were keen to make sure that local residents were aware of any road closures and parking restrictions ahead of the event and proposed details of the event were circulated to all residents' groups, local councillors, businesses and churches in May.
"Letters were also distributed to every household by June 25.
"AA advance warning signs were put up on the course route six weeks before the event.
"The closure order was also advertised twice in the legal notices section of The Bath Chronicle.
"No-parking signs and copies of the closure order were put up on all parking bays on June 17."
Among those who enjoyed the ride was four-year-old Thomas Sturgess- Durden from Bath, who cycled the whole five miles without stabilisers with his dad Luke.
His mum Alison said: "Thomas had a ball doing it."
Another bike ride will be held in the city on Saturday, organised by Bath Critical Mass, with a two-mile route avoiding main roads and pedestrian areas.
The group wants to stage one on the last Saturday of every month, and the event starts at Kingsmead Square at 1pm.
Organiser Nigel Williams said the event would be on a much smaller scale than the Sky Ride, and should not cause any problems to motorists.
"As well as showing how easy, fun and sociable riding a bike can be, the ride also aims to make people reassess their assumptions about the priorities of cars and bikes on the road, and make car drivers more aware of people on bikes."
For more information about that ride, visit bathcriticalmass.weebly. com, or email nigel_williams@hotmail.co.uk.
To get even more of a flavour of the Sky Ride debate, go to our website www.thisisbath.co.uk.
50 Comments
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by anil, sq
Wednesday, August 04 2010, 10:35PM
“rogerh, guess it would be the same as me moving to Bath. No wish to do so.
Recommend this - http://www.innerlondonramblers.org.uk/walk-brixton-crystal-palace.html
Used to do it regularly when bus services were bad in 'tory' days.
Blackheath village and surounding areas are worth a visit if you haven't been already. It's 17 mins from charing cross on a southern train. More at: http://hubpages.com/hub/Best-place-to-live-in-London”
by rogerh, Bath
Wednesday, August 04 2010, 12:08AM
“I'm sure your fantasy London is wonderful, Anil, but I've lived in the real one and have no wish to move back.”
by Not Anil, Bath
Tuesday, August 03 2010, 10:29AM
“If only everywhere was as "sophisticated" as our capital city and we absolutely had to rely on wheeled transport to get anywhere safely?
But then I couldn't say that I'm able walk through my beautiful small city, to do anything I need or want to do, on one side of Bath or the other in around 10 minutes. Not just easy to say, easier than cycling in traffic, very easy for everyone to do. No need for faux sophistication here.”
by anil, sq
Tuesday, August 03 2010, 12:14AM
“"....No-one in their right mind would look to London as an example of how to do anything, at least not since the days of Frank Pick. (Anyway, a similar scheme is planned for Bath.)"
Glad to hear about the planned scheme for Bath, rogerh. Yes, guess you're right. When you don't look at somewhere like London on how to provide means for people to travel, you get a place like bath. But that's easy for me to say from my brand new suburban train - a service that runs every 6 minutes - and drops me off a few steps from a fully-automated barclays bike hire point.... - http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/11701.aspx#section-4”
by James, Bath
Sunday, August 01 2010, 7:27PM
“"One of the motorists affected was Bath Rugby player Luke Watson, who was woken at 7am by the sound of his car alarm sounding as it was loaded on to a truck.
He posted a message on Twitter saying he was not aware that cars had to be moved by 6am" Must be a bit worrying for Bath Rugby to have some one so unobservant - he's going to miss lots of passes and tackles if he can't see hundreds of day-glo signs that have been up for a month or more. And as for allowing him to drive, perhaps time Avon & Somekit police asked him to do an eye test.”
by Dave, Bath
Saturday, July 31 2010, 9:52PM
“Just thought I'd check in and say that today I went up to the Mendips and had a good old rant around on a borrowed full-susser doing all the excellent trails in Rowberrow Warren. Some pretty sketchy moments! Top marks to the chaps from Badass Bikes in Burrington Combe for all the work they put in on the trails. We got lost and found a cave too, which was pretty cool. There's wild blueberries up on Beacon Batch at the moment as well, top tasty.
There isn't a point to this or anything, sorry. It's not relevant at all I know, but I thought y'all might like a break from all the nitpicking and earnest posturing. Also, I feel the need to somehow assert I have some kind of life, you know after what's been said and that. It's not much, and it's still bikes, but hey.
Peace all. X”
by danny, bahcycle barf
Saturday, July 31 2010, 6:34PM
“1932 31 7 2010
WHO is going to remove the large metal barriers still left along NEWBRIDGE HILL?
They have been there nearly a week.
Also WHO is going to remove the, now redundant, signs attached by plastic strips to all the lamp-posts, bus-stops etc along the route?
Perhaps the organisers can finish their job properly before they start spending their Murdoch silver.”
by rogerh, Bath
Saturday, July 31 2010, 12:52PM
“Under the same Act it is (still) an offence to fly a kite in the street, make or use any slide upon ice or snow, carry a ladder on the footway, sing any profane or obscene ballad, beat a carpet before eight o'clock in the morning or keep an unfenced pigsty 'to the front of any street'.
Town Police Clauses Act 1847”
by rogerh, Bath
Saturday, July 31 2010, 12:33PM
“Incidentally, street closures are authorised by Section 21 of the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 which, of course, predates both the motor car and the bicycle.
"The commissioners may from time to time make orders for the route to be observed by all carts, carriages, horses, and persons, and for preventing obstruction of streets, within the limits of the special Act, in all times of public processions, rejoicings, or illuminations, and in any case when the streets are thronged or liable to be obstructed, and may also give directions to the constables for keeping order and preventing any obstruction of the streets in the neighbourhood of theatres and other places of public resort; and every wilful breach of any such order shall be deemed a separate offence against this Act, and every person committing any such offence shall be liable to a penalty..."
(I thought it was interesting, anyway.)”
by JC, Bath
Friday, July 30 2010, 8:05PM
“Wasn't that free cycle idea trialled elsewhere, but soon abandoned because too many bikes went missing?
And Anil, you second post was un-necessary. Especially in a thread where tolerance and avoiding stero-types is very much the theme.”