Camden Islington & West End - News Reviews Listings

UPDATED EVERY
FRIDAY
Last Update:
Friday 4th November, 2005

PUBLICATION

Everyone’s entitled to Catherine Etoe’s opinion

SECTIONS

NAVIGATION

We should get on our bikes and ride

CROSS country athletes will tramp across Hampstead Heath in the London Championships later this month.
And for six weeks this winter we’ll be able to skate on Parliament Hill when a temporary ice-rink is set up.
Both great ideas and perfect uses of a public space. And that’s not just my opinion – there’s barely been a peep of opposition to either.
So why is there never so much vision shown when it comes to another valuable use of such public spaces – allowing people to cycle in them?
A pal of mine was stopped for riding in Regent’s Park the other day. It was early in the morning on a path as wide as Camden Road.
I know I’ll be shouted down, but I think that’s ridiculous.
I’m as familiar as the next person with the dangers of cyclists riding in the same space as pedestrians.
But does everyone have to suffer because a minority skip through red lights and ride on the pavements?
Can’t we come up with some kind of compromise when it’s first thing in the morning, the paths are deserted yet traffic on the roads is at its most hectic and dangerous?
I heard sports minister Richard Caborn speak this week and he was rattling on about how 70 per cent of children aren’t active in sport after they have left school.
Surely making such a simple and cheap mode of exercise so much less difficult to do in this congested city of ours has to be a good thing?

Bordeaux's merits are worth keeping

IF supermarket wines seem less attractive, where should we look for our wines?
FULL STORY

We should get on our bikes and ride

CROSS country athletes will tramp across Hampstead Heath in the London Championships later this month.
FULL STORY

top