‘All I want is to be able to cycle safely through Bristol with my young children’

It started innocently enough. I was cycling along the new segregated cycle lane on Mina Road in St Werburgh’s when my path was blocked by a van with its hazard lights on.

So I turned around, took a photograph and tweeted it before continuing my journey up towards Lockleaze.

All I want is to be able to cycle safely through Bristol with my young children. It’s a simple enough request: being able to leave our home knowing that we do not have to risk our lives getting from A to B.

My two daughters and I cycle around one mile to their primary school every morning and every afternoon.

Fortunately, there is a shared path for both cyclists and pedestrians running alongside Hotwell Road so we don’t have to tussle with motor vehicles.

Fully segregated cycle lanes are of course the best and safest option.

Earlier this year, we enjoyed using the pop-up lane along Lewins Mead towards the Bearpit before it was removed because – in the words of mayor Marvin Rees – it “totally messed up” major bus routes.

Bristol City Council look likely not to charge vehicles for entering the city, instead hoping to implement a clean air zone that is reliant on people changing their behaviours.

Yet the rationale behind this seems flawed if van drivers continue to park on cycle lanes with impunity.

The photo that I tweeted does not actually reveal that this section of Mina Road has black and white plastic bollards, known colloquially as ‘wands’, separating the cycle lane from the road – which the van driver has managed to wedge themselves into.

These cycle lanes do not suit everyone. But like the sadly short-lived pop-up lane on Lewins Mead, it is a start and shows what can be achieved when bold decisions are made.

Leafield Environmental, the makers of the wands, officially known as CLS (cycle lane separator) bollards, use a photo of this exact stretch of Mina Road on their website, quoting Mike Brewer from Bristol City Council saying that “the bollards have proven to be extremely robust; despite being sited in a tough environment we haven’t lost one yet.”

CLS bollards on Mina Road in St Werburgh’s are meant to separate bicycles from motor vehicles – photo: Leafield Environmental

“Get a grip man,” former mayoral candidate Paul Saville tweeted in response to my photograph of the van.

With tongue firmly in cheek, he added: “Fuck the working class driver. We will send an angry email and try have him sacked. Also pissed off that tilly may and tarquins rice cake emporium t shirts havent turned up either.”

‘Why can’t you just cycle around the van?’ was a common reply from several people on Twitter.

That is exactly what I did. But cycling with my six-year-old daughter into oncoming traffic is not what I would expect to be forced to do when a segregated cycle lane is in place.

There is a reason why segregated cycle lanes exist and that reason is not for vans to park in them.

“What we see here is the twittering middle classes who’ve done 90% their shopping online and are then offended by van drivers (who have to do 180 drops/day) stopping to drop off their tat,” tweeted @tonyinbristol, who describes himself as “vegan intolerant” in his Twitter profile.

Of course, delivery drivers have an important job to do, especially at this time and during this year.

But I doubt whether drivers would inconsiderately stop like this in the middle of a road. Parking in the middle of a cycle lane, however, seems to be acceptable.

Tony also suggested that I take my children to the Downs if we want to go for a bike ride, perhaps not realising that people – including children – do not just cycle to go for a bike ride.

Everybody in Bristol should be able to travel safely to places across the city, whether we are walking, cycling, driving a car or in a van.

Martin Booth is the Editor of Bristol24/7. Main photo and video: Martin Booth

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