Star date: 25th October 2014

OVER 100 BIKES ROAR THROUGH SALFORD TO PROTEST AGAINST `INSANE' ROAD CHANGES

Lembit Opik joined a mass motorcycle protest in Salford today, as 120 bikes, trikes  and scooters took to the road in a convoy that went from Agecroft to MediaCityUK, to Pendleton and Salford Civic Centre.

Organised by Salford Motorcycle Action Group, the motorised demonstration was against what Opik called "insane changes to planning which actually make the roads more dangerous, not safe, for cyclists and for bikers". These include `killer armadillos'...

Full details here...

From its starting point at the Henry Boddington pub in Agecroft and all along its Salford route, car horns beeped, people pointed and the cameras came out as a spectacular convoy of 120 bikes, trikes and scooters roared through the city to protest against Salford Council's cycle safety schemes, which organisers state are dangerous for both cyclists and motorcyclists.

"We're here to protest against some of the ludicrous road modifications that are being implemented in the Salford area in the name of safety for cyclists; but even the cyclists don't want them and they're going to end up being very hazardous to motorcyclists, users of powered two wheelers and single track vehicles" said Tony Cox, North West regional rep for the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG)

"There are numerous different schemes they are putting in place but one of the most deadly is what we class as the `killer armadillos', which are small plastic humps on the side of the road" he explained "They're very difficult to see and if you clip one with the front wheel of your motorcycle you're either going to be forced straight into the kerb or out into the middle of the road. They're treacherous and not a lot of thought has gone into them.

"We've tried to reason and discuss with Urban Vision, which is implementing these schemes, and we just seem to be getting fobbed off, so it's time we hit the streets, show a bit of action, and then we might start to get noticed" he added "It's a good turnout today and we hope that the authorities will start to listen to us. If not we'll just do it again and again. And this isn't just going to be contained within the Salford and Manchester area - if it's successful these schemes are going to be rolled out all over the country so we're trying to nip it in the bud."

One of the reasons the motorcyclists might be getting fobbed off by Urban Vision is that it is handling the £2million contract to sort the cycle projects. Indeed, when Salford MAG campaigner, Blayz, attended the one and only consultation on the Irlams scheme back in August he was told as much...

"When I asked Urban Vision on what basis they were doing this scheme they said, firstly, that they had been given £2million out of a £20million budget for cycle lanes in the city..." he told the Salford Star (see previous article – click here).

Today, Blayz joined the convoy which roared around the controversial roundabout at Irlams O'Th' Height which is earmarked for one of the cycle-led reorganisations. From there the bikers passed Hazel Blears' office on Langworthy Road (a nod to her passion for motorbikes) and headed to MediaCityUK, before massing past the `killer armadillos' already in place on Liverpool Street, and then on to Salford Civic Centre in Swinton in a direct challenge to Salford City Council.

"It's my passion to help give motorcyclists the voice they deserve in Salford and the North West" said Lembit Opik, Director of Communications and Public Affairs for MAG, who also joined the ride.

"Essentially we're concerned with some insane changes to road planning which actually make the roads more dangerous, not safe, for cyclists and for bikers" he explained "We're peaceful, clear minded, but determined and we're not going to tolerate having the roads made worse for us than everyone else. So this is a clear calm but very firm message to the Salford road planners – `You need to start taking account of us too'..."