Community Festivals, Campaigning and Councillors
Around 60 people joined Kidical Mass Reading’s Spring Ride on a beautiful day at the University of Reading’s Community Festival.
We love the university campus which has many bike paths that are completely separate from traffic — we recommend it to any family with young children looking for a place for a weekend ride.
On the surrounding roads we were particularly pleased with the drop curb coming out of the university onto the Shinfield Road bike lane. We asked the Council to add this after some of our smallest riders found the turn difficult last year.
In other changes which have come from Kidical Mass’s campaigning in Reading, the boom barrier blocking cars at the bottom of Chestnut Walk by the Abbey Ruins has been shortened to allow a bike to pass by (see picture), creating a lovely traffic free route into town along the river.
Everyone who joins our rides helps amplify our voice when asking for these changes — we are especially grateful to the marshals who help keep our smallest riders safe on the roads.
We were really glad that four Councillors came along for the Spring Ride to see firsthand what children need to be safe on a bike. Thank you to Will Cross (Labour), Louise Keene and Kat McCann (Greens) and Al Neal (Lib Dems and longtime friend of Kidical Mass).
We were also delighted to be joined by many of our skating friends associated with the Bike Hub — Kidical Mass is for everyone using wheel-based alternatives to cars! If you’re interested in taking up skating, please contact Late Skates.
We will be running more family friendly rides on Sunday 7 June and also from Reading Cycle Festival on Sunday 13 September — we’d love to see you there!
Visit https://kidicalmassreading.co.uk for full details.
Hilary Smart
