The Council Strikes Back

I was going to post this yesterday evening but ( events conspired against me )

I pootled off on my bike yesterday, going a significant distance for the first time in months: across Ashton Court to North Street and a bit of shopping, then to Temple Meads via Victoria Park and on up the Bristol-Bath cycle path as far as the far end of the Staple Hill tunnel. Then back: my legs getting slightly rubbery and my pace almost glacial by the time I got to our end of the Long Ashton cycle track. Today, my perineum is offering a degree of protest; I suspect my leg muscles will follow suit tomorrow.

Synchronistically, ramtops pointed me at a post on [_], the Brissle Noo Meeja mailing list, telling of the latest lunacy from Bristol City Council and associated business interests: “The West of England Partnership, composed of local councillors, plan to use [ the Bristol to Bath railway path ] for a rapid transit bus route from Emersons Green to Ashton Vale, one of four in the scheme. The Bath end of the path is under similar threat.” The guided bus route, if it happens, will apparently be alongside rather than replacing the track, but would inevitably make the thing far less pleasant to use and, as Sustrans^[PDF] point out, likely lead to many people returning to their cars instead of walking or cycling.

Presumably they’re counting on cyclists, walkers and ordinary punters using it to walk to the shops in Easton having less clout than the road transport lobby, who would be less than supportive if this sort of thing was tried on, say, Fishponds Road. Anyhow, if you’re remotely as furious about this as I am, there’s an online petition you can sign and, if you’re a sad geek, a Facebook group you can join to offer some registration of your protest.

ETA that Bristol Cycling Campaign have a meeting on this at the Cornubia Pub, Temple St BS1 Easton Community Centre, Kilburn Street (note relocation) on Tuesday 5th February 2008 at 7.30. Come and have a rant about First Bristol City Council.