Vocal but Deluded

Back in the spring the Evening Post was persuaded to abandon it's traditional, rabid anti-cycling views in order to give a clear run for the council's Cycling City bid. The editorial change of heart was no doubt influenced by having badly misjudged the public mood earlier when they backed plans to convert the Bristol & Bath Railway Path into a route for Bus Rapid Transport, plans that provoked such unprecedented public opposition that the Post was forced eventually to side with the people.

For a while it appeared as if the Post might be a reformed character, willing to look objectively at the issues and even to give positive coverage to proposals to promote cycling. But once the Cycling City funding was in the bag the cracks began to appear in the pro-cycling facade as the Post's baser instincts began to assert themselves. Recent comments by 'Cycling Champion' Terry Cook have led to some provocative headlines, notably Thursday's 'Let's make Bristol city centre bike-only', based on an off the cuff idea voiced by the hapless Cook that has no official backing whatsoever.



Finally the facade fell away with Thursday's "On your bike" editorial comment, according to which "we need to stop pandering to the vocal but deluded cycling lobby". Who is this 'vocal but deluded cycling lobby'? Terry Cook perhaps? The Evening Post itself just a few months ago? If so the comment might have some justification, but as far as the wider 'cycling lobby' is concerned it is far from the mark. For a start most cyclists are rather taciturn and often sceptical of plans such as those put forward under the Cycling City banner.

So it seems that the Evening Post has reverted to type, so to speak, and we now see the resumption of trench warfare as a valiant band of pro-cycling commentators slug it out with the anti-cycling brigade in the letters and comments columns of the Post. If you can spare a few minutes during the day why not have a bit of fun and join in?