"30 years ago, GLC video promised 1,000 miles of safe cycle network in London. Don't let this fail to happen all over again"

Link to 'Cyclists in the City'

"I was 10 years old when the Greater London Council filmed 'Cycling for London' in 1984. It is a fascinating video. It shows cycle schemes across central London that I have used every week since I moved here; cycle schemes that - for the most part - are still exactly the same as they were 30 years ago.

"The film also shows people in normal clothes on bikes, no helmets and little hi-viz in action. Tellingly, it shows scenes with lots of children pedalling about the place - something that is non-existent in central London these days.

"And the film shares a tonne of language with the language we still use today. It criticises urban street design where:

"Pedestrians were funnelled underground; cyclists were ignored altogether and often forced to compete with fast-moving traffic."

"The same could be said of most UK towns and cities today. The GLC representatives promise that:

"We won't just be advising cyclists to wear bright clothes at night; we'll be dealing with safety problems on the roads and creating 1,000 miles of safe cycle routes."

"Similar sorts of promises are making the rounds these days as well."