Blog Roundup: policy bash special

An early roundup this week because the weekend will be taken up with plotting in our secret bunker (actually Kensington Town Hall - who knew?). The preparations have been many and various in blogland and beyond. Manchester Cycling proposed an experiment to set the arguments to rest for once and for all. David Hembrow, following on from Pedestrianise London's post last week, warns us to be careful what we wish for especially when turbo roundabouts are considered. Magnatom lays down a challenge for the bash - how would we transform a section of his commute? More importantly, Estudio27 have been getting the oil and polish out - you can't turn up for an Embassy function without a nice shiny bike.

To remind us what we're aiming for this video from Markenlei sets the scene. And, just to get us in the mood, some good practice in the UK for a change - Ampton Street in Camden, quiet enough to hear birdsong in the rushhour, without being stagnant. War on the Motorist finds much to like on the Caledonian Way. Further afield, Pesaro in Italy has the right approach starting from a network perspective.

The Policy bash is only one option for the activist cyclist, in London at least. You can protest and make your vote count too as Vole O'Speed explains. In Southwark, the the People's Republic of Southwark explains what the 'die-in' is about and why it matters. Having suffered the 'Punishment passes', obscene suggestions and other perils of cycling in London, Rosamundi asks why she puts up with it - sick of the politics of the grand gesture she joins Londoners on Bikes because she just wants politicians to tell her how they'll make cycling safer in London. Talking of 'punishment passes', Wheels, Pedals, Person knows the feeling while when South London Cyclist complains about one he gets told off for 'enticing trouble' at the lights.

But don't think it's just our local politicians who are unresponsive to the needs of cyclists. The Scottish Government is undermining the credibility of its Climate Change Act with its budget bill (although the opposition parties are a little more switched on. In Westminster the minister for roads, having taken 'the slip road into fantasy land' finally meets with the parliamentary cycling group; cycling groups wonder why he bothered. Given his confusion over just how our roads are funded, In a novel move, Transport for London is actually consulting people on its plans for Tottenham Court Road. Here's what the London Cycle Campaign has to say about it - add in your own two pence worth too. Just don't get too optimistic about it having any effect - with pedestrian crossing removals continuing in Greenwich and Hackney, the consultations were the sort where 11 people object and one approves and they go ahead anyway. But never mind all that! London announces a cycling festival! It would take a really hardened cynic to point out that you know your infrastructure is failing when you can only have a family-friendly event by closing miles of roads...

That ought to be enough to bring about a wholesale redesigning of our roads for safer walking and cycling, but as this government seems to need an economic argument. Münchenierung compares bike production vs. car production while the Edinburgh Bike Cooperative is already planning on creating 100 more jobs. And the tourist market is not to be sniffed at, either as Kyrgyzstan plans a 300-mile bike path. It's not just bikes (and it's not just about emissions) - Copenhagen demonstrates the benefit of investing in a greener city. Meanwhile, Waltham Forest is also investing in tarting up its streets ... by re-laying pavements for cars to park on (and yet, there's just no room for bike lanes).

The wonderfully sarcastic Aberdeen Cars finds the CTC is doing their work for them while, with the Association of British Drivers giving evidence to the Road Safety committee ('lower speed limits increase accidents' apparently) it raises the question of whether or not they are in fact a front organisation for radical cyclists trying to discredit decent British drivers; Manchester Cycling takes their evidence to its logical conclusion while As Easy as Riding a Bike rounds up a few of the more headscratching moments from the road safety front. Meanwhile, Aberdeen drivers continue to operate at the cutting edge although Kennington's Tesco delivery men are putting up a spirited attempt to catch up in the creative parking stakes.

Liveable London campaigns for a City of 20 and there's an interesting Spanish proposal in the comments - and it's not just London, cyclists are also calling for 20mph limits in Chester. Meanwhile, Colchester looking to build in its Cycling Town funding with money from developers.

In French, but you can still look at the pretty pictures: London's own bike library. And talking of pretty pictures, Victoria Pendleton is to launch a range of bikes although as the photographers seem a bit more interested in her legs than the bike, it's hard to say what they'll be like. Mudguards, though...

This should be interesting - Miss Sarah is putting her masters thesis (on cycling in a car-continent) up on her blog.

'You're safer (well, healthier) on your bike than on a sofa' Ten lessons from great cycling cities.

And finally, 'Jon Snow bought me a bike' -do you think he'd buy me one too? We'd quite like a rocket propelled one