I walked past some of the new HourBike hire bikes in the scheme that was going to be part funded by the multi million pound Cycling City project in Bristol.
The bikes were only put out for public use in the last year. On the bikes (under 20 I would guess for whole city to use!) I noticed several bike components on each bike are starting to rust very noticeably, though not in a dangerous way. Not a good advert is it and its not going to encourage anyone who might hire to view them as 'safe' even if mechanically they are quite sound.
The City council have also put up a load of expensive looking 'bike city' banners in the city centre and spread big 'consultation' signs around using up money that could have gone to training classes for kids and adults. One of the proposed improvements is dropping the curb on a school cycle lane that has been there for over 10 years and should have been fixed when it was first built. Hardly a dazzling way to impress.
The Ashton Court trails are supposed to get some money I think - any sign of it there yet?
And why are the new hire bikes for London being painted in stupidly dark blue paint when inexperienced riders and tourists need to be noticeable to traffic?
Sorry, just got frustrated after walking through the city centre, combined with xmas bordom!
Agree the money could be being better spent. It is indeed a shame that they've spent too much on management / consultants / PR / shite 'pavement' cycle schemes and very little else - they are offering free training but as I understand there's been little take up.
The HourBike scheme is well intentioned but piecemeal and so will never be a success - contrast with Paris Velo scheme. Massive investment, new 'on road' parking and routes.
Give them some credit though, I blasted them in one of my flickr posts about schemes in South Glos and they came out to a site meeting with me to look again at the issues (signalising the M32 / Hambrook junction)
Have you ever read any of the anti-cycling cr@p on the Evening Post site? To counter the growing number of people cycling there seems to be a growing 'anti' brigade. I can't see the Cycle City scheme changing the overwhelming 'car culture' in Bristol.