Cyclists Dismount

This, in its own small way, sums up what is wrong with Wakefield MDC's transport decision making.

May I state categorically, once again that neither I, nor the vast majority of cyclists endorse, reckless, threatening or, most of all dangerous cycling, under any circumstances; it hurts far too much.

Secondly, it is pertinent that in countries with manifestly safer, more inclusive and more efficient transport systems, (The Netherlands being the most obvious example), cyclists are welcome on precincts. They realise that somebody doing their shopping on a bike is very much more preferable to the same person taking their car on the road, precinct or not, and that cyclists are mainly sensible.

So. In early 2016 I noticed the notice in the top photo had been placed at the bottom of Gillygate instructing cyclists to dismount. That might be very well if cars were not permitted to drive well beyond that notice at all times, and allowed through the precinct 66% of the time. Imagine replacing the sign with "No Coloureds"; it is, in effect, the same thing, excluding a portion of society access to a place where a different portion hold sway. A major difference is coloured and non-coloured people are of equal benefit to society, the same equivalence does not hold true for motor vehicles and bicycles (i.e. motor vehicles impose a massive cost on society, whereas cyclists are statistically insignificant).

Another feather in the cap of Wakefield Met's anti-sustainable transport policy, but what is especially sickening, is that the local cycle user group and civic society seem proud to be 'partners' , to 'work with' (choose whatever euphemism you like) with these officials who continue to make incredibly bad decisions regarding society in general, but more significantly decisions which impinge negatively on the specific demography these groups are meant to represent (cyclists and the people of Pontefract).