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.