Some variety in the Spring

by bikesalive

Last Monday, the day of the latest Bikes Alive action, The Times ran a story about the scandal of TfL telling its experts to ignore cyclists when planning road changes at Kings Cross (see www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3348024.ece) – though unfortunately the paper omitted any mention of the action due there that night. And an interview with a Bikes Aliver was run several times that afternoon on LBC radio (and of course he did plug the action). But despite the mini-flurry of last-minute coverage, turn-out was poor last week.

If you were all saving yourselves for Spring, then there’s good news: we have some cheery plans, as set out below … and note that the first event is our next visit to Kings Cross, on Monday 26 March at 6pm for another one-hour go-slow. For some of the reasons to be there, see below.

FORTHCOMING BIKES ALIVE OUTINGS

1)  Kings Cross action on Monday 26 March

We’ll be back for another peacefully enforced one-hour go-slow on the lethal roads outside Kings Cross station. And note that since the switch from 6pm to a 6.30pm start time hasn’t increased numbers, we’ll be back at 6pm again next week. This has the advantage that the hour’s action takes place while there are still large numbers of people in the area to experience/witness the event, and to be communicated with. Here are some extra reasons to turn out next week…

(a) It’ll be soon after the equinox; BST will have started, making it suddenly brighter at 6pm; it’s Spring! (b) You all need a chance to redeem yourselves after your poor showing last time. (c) Even as you read this, work to remodel the road layout is getting under way at Kings Cross – work which expands the cyclists’ killing zone at the lethal junction by the south-east corner of the station. (d) Leon Daniels, roads supremo at Transport for London (TfL), has yet to make good his promise to send his friend at Bikes Alive news of the alleged (but strangely invisible) in-the-nick-of-time re-think of TfL’s plans for Kings Cross (see the report of the day they let Boris loose in E3, in the last posting here).

Please be sure to help promote this event: you can post information, and/or a link to this site, on any blogs or other websites you’re involved with; you can make sure information about the action is circulated round any bike groups or other networks you’re part of. And if you want to prepare any leaflets, feel free to use the latest Bikes Alive logo, as above.

2)  Small-scale, not-publicised-in-advance, “guerilla” actions

Over the next couple of weeks, a few Bikes Alivers will be undertaking some unannounced (but quite public) actions to help enforce better behaviour by motorists, and to insist on increased safety for cyclists. If you use your imagination, you could no doubt think of things of this ilk which you and other cyclists in your area could do. So what are you waiting for?

If some of these ideas work out well, they’ll be shared with everyone else via this website. Send in any reports of your actions to the usual address – bikesalive@london.com.

3)  Spring cleaning London’s filthy air, Thursday 19 April

Next month, we’re joining with our wonderful friends at Climate Rush in support of their Clean Air Zone initiative. We meet at DEFRA’s head office (17 Smith Square, SW1) at 6pm; then we’re cycling and walking to somewhere which – by the magic of peaceful direct action – we’ll transform into London’s cleanest road, free of traffic fumes. Imagine a road with no cars, no toxic fumes – a safe space for children to play, for cyclists to ride, and for pedestrians to walk.

You’re encouraged to bring your feather-duster, some children’s games, and food for a picnic…

There’s more background on the Climate Rush website at www.climaterush.co.uk/our-campaigns/cleanair/springclean.

LINKS TO DISCUSSION AND REPORTS OF BIKES ALIVE ACTION

The last two of these include pictures of last week’s Bikes Alive event.

groups.google.com/group/uk.rec.cycling/browse_thread/thread/349be9312cda499e
www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2012/mar/cyclists-%E2%80%98ignored%E2%80%99-changes-kings-cross-junction-where-student-deep-lee-died
london.indymedia.org/articles/11869