For sheer efficiency, simplicity and the freedom it provides, the humble bicycle may be humankind’s greatest invention. More recently, the electric bike has enabled thousands of people to step out of their cars, or off the bus at rush hour, to get around the city. But, like everything, it comes with trade-offs.
Walking in parts of central London all too often requires total concentration and reserves of flexibility to slide past the thousands of rented e-bikes, strewn upright or dumped on their sides along miles of pavements. Annoying for pedestrians, actively dangerous for people with disabilities and those with buggies.
This is another example of where the technology has accelerated far beyond the regulation, and it cannot go on. Providers such as Lime, which reportedly has more than 12,000 bikes in London, must get their house in order. That means working with local authorities which want e-bikes and e-scooters to be parked in designated bays. The Wild West era of dockless e-bike users leaving their bikes anywhere must come to an end.
A city of bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters is one that is cleaner, healthier and easier to get around. But it must benefit all Londoners.
Knife clampdown
There is no reason to carry a so-called “zombie” knife other than to threaten or inflict harm on someone else. These instruments of terror have been involved in some of the most horrific murders in the capital. So why is it taking so long to get them off the streets?
Ministers say they are clamping down on these knives with new legislation. They were first added to the Government’s list of prohibited offensive weapons in 2016, but a loophole which allowed such weapons to remain legal simply by removing “images or words suggesting it is used for violence” still needs to be closed before the knives can effectively be considered banned.
From the intelligence-led use of stop-and-search to tightening legislation to remove any possible loophole, we must leave no stone unturned to drive these weapons from our streets as part of our all out efforts to end the scourge of knife violence.
Record-breaker Raye
What a year for Raye. The singer-songwriter from south London took on her label, escaped her record deal and went on to pick up a Mercury Prize nomination for her debut album My 21st Century Blues.
And now, the Brit School alumni is breaking records, scooping a remarkable seven nominations across all categories at this year’s Brit Awards. The talent in this city knows no end.
