Last Friday saw a dozen people attend for the inaugural Glossop Critical Mass. Glossop had seen nothing like it – all kinds of cyclists, including a mobile sound system, with people coming from as far afield as Manchester and Trafford (cycling all the way to Glossop and back from it!) to attend. Plus some friends from Glossop Kinder Velo.
We certainly attracted a lot of attention – along with a van load of police and a motorcycle policeman. We’re clearly doing something right.
And the press attention has followed in its wake – today’s Manchester Evening News gave away a half page article and photo, along with a page on their website. The latter is attracting a fair amount of debate (with predictable comments from petrolheads), so please feel free to join in.
The organisers, Road Alert Glossop, are keen to repeat the event in the not too distant future, although next month’s clock changes mean Friday evenings will be out until 2008.
We are told that video-pixies were present to film some of the proceedings, and that a film will follow soon…
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PROTESTORS got on their bikes during the rush hour to campaign against the controversial Mottram – Tintwistle bypass.
They set off from Glossop railway station to cycle to Tintwistle at Friday teatime on a four-mile route organised by the Road Alert Glossop group.
The stunt was intended to highlight the fact that bikes and people should be catered for on roads, not just cars and traffic, and raise awareness of Swallows Wood, which is threatened by the proposed 3.5-mile bypass.
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“It went really well,” said organiser Jonathan Atkinson.
“We got about 20 people out. One guy brought a sound system on a little trailer with him! We had people from Glossop Cycling club and people from Stalybridge and Manchester as well.
“There was a five year old on the back of a bike and the oldest person there was in his 70s I’d say.”
Cars beeped their horns in support of the cyclists and the campaigners ended their wheeled protest with a well-deserved drink at Tintwistle’s Bulls Head pub.
Jonathan added: “We had a police escort, as well, which really helped us.
“There was an article in the Guardian saying more money should be spent on cycle lanes to save the government thousands in health care and congestion costs, so we really do need to do something.”
The public inquiry into the bypass was set to resume yesterday (Wednesday) after it was dramatically halted when the Highways Agency admitted it had got its figures wrong.
For more information on the group you can visit http://www.myspace.com/roadalert
(from the Glossop Advertiser)