Cyclists will take part in a family-friendly bike ride as part of a campaign for safer roads in the city.
Kidical Mass, inspired by the Critical Mass bike protest movement, will hit the streets of Brighton and Hove this afternoon to call for roads to be made safer for cyclists.
The ride is marshalled, free to join and open to children, families and people of all ages.
Organised by local cycling organisations Bricyles and the Brighton Bike Hub and supported by the Old Shoreham Road Bike Train, cyclists are expected to travel across the city with bubble blasters, blowing whistles and flying flags.
The ride aims to highlight the need for safer roads, with cycling groups criticising delays to cycling routes in Brighton and Hove along the A259 and Valley Gardens.
Green Party councillor Pete West said: “Road safety provision for people on bicycles and especially for children desperately needs improvements in Brighton and Hove.
“The main reason more people don’t cycle is because they don’t feel safe.
“Our city needs more protected space on our roads for people on bicycles.
“Motorists wouldn’t stand for the sub-standard, piecemeal and confusing mess of cycle tracks were they for their car use, so why should people on bicycles?”
Plans to redesign a seafront cycle lane along the A259 in Hove were approved by councillors in June.
The redesign has proved controversial among some, however, with cycling groups claiming the move is an attempt to scrap the scheme entirely - something the Labour council has strongly denied.
Councillor Trevor Muten, chairman of the council's transport and sustainability committee, said: "It’s great to see the Kidical Mass family-friendly bike ride taking place in the city this weekend.
"It’s really important that children feel safe and confident cycling around the city and that they enjoy it too.
"We are proud to be encouraging and enabling children and their families to cycle more, through our Bikeability cycle training in primary schools and commitment to delivering School Streets schemes across the city.
"Safe cycling infrastructure is hugely important and a crucial part of our plans for active and sustainable travel. We have to get it right and this can take time.
"I wish Bricyles and all those taking part in the bike ride, a very successful and happy cycle."
Participants will be able to join the bike ride at three locations around the city: the south side of Hove Park at 2pm, the north side of The Level also at 2pm, or the Peace Statue in Hove at 2.30pm.
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23807526.brighton-cyclists-stage-ride-campaign-safer-roads/
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