Support national safer cycling petition

Oh dear last week I had a tricky situation - I've used the same number on my combination lock since I was a wee lad - of course now I have a sooooper doooper strong lock - well it gave up last week when I was locked on a fence outside the Canal Centre - no amount of twisting and turning and retrying unlocked it - I borrowed massive bolt cutters but they were broken - in the end Travis Perkins came to the rescue with a hack saw - still don't know why the lock failed.....anyhow it means a new lock is needed....anyway I am clearly still traumatised by this....but onto what I was meaning to write about....

The Times is running a campaign to make cities fit for cycling - it includes calls for 20 mph in residential areas.  They have launched an 8-point manifesto, and it is hard to argue against any of their aims - I think it should be supported by all.  Sign petition at: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/contact/

Meanwhile after years of lobbying for simple changes to traffic sign regulations, CTC, The UK's National Cyclists' Organisation with 68,000 members, welcomed last year that the Government has finally agreed to a relaxation of certain rules. This includes for example permitting an ‘except cyclists’ plate to be used in conjunction with a ‘no entry’ sign, a trial permitting cycling over zebra crossings, as well as an advanced green light phase for cyclists and the means to bypass standard traffic signals. The changes should make streets safer and road engineering cheaper.

Local authorities will now have the freedom to allow two-way cycling on quiet one-way streets with a simple sign change. This has long been common practice in Europe and is a safe, sensible approach to improving cycle access whilst reducing street clutter. The move to give greater local flexibility over signing may help make it easier for authorities to allow cycling where current regulations create a stumbling block. Green County councillor Sarah Lunnon is in the process of finding out how Gloucestershire intend to act.