The Kidical Mass movement started in the US by cycling advocate and local Safe Routes to Schools programme manager Shane Rhodes who led the first Kidical Mass in April 2008 in Eugene, Oregon. It has become a global movement with rides across Europe being coordinated by @KinderAufsRad. When Bath organisers, of which I am not one, contacted the police, the only way it could go ahead legally was if it was registered as a protest with the police. It is however a celebration of cycling and a very much holds a mirror up to the council’s past transport decisions highlighting that the only way kids can cycle on Bath’s roads is surrounded by a shield of parents. It is telling that usually the police turn up on cycles and help run the celebration.
It is very disappointing to see the councillor point out that the main organiser has attended the Journey to Net Zero Transport Forum, but failed to highlight that this was not as a representative of Kidical Mass.
Kidical Mass is a global movement celebrating the joy and freedom children get from cycling and the way society has designed out child travel independence with parents terrified their kids will end up hurt or worse on Bath’s roads.
Kidical Mass is not political, it is a cry for help from kids and the council needs to engage, listen, and take action.
Response to the Kidical Mass press release:
Bath and North East Somerset Council’s vision for cycling, along with other forms of sustainable transport, is ambitious and wide-ranging, and set out in our strategy document Journey to Net Zero.
Given the constraints on local government, which cannot promote events of a political nature, we regret that the council was unable to promote the Kidical Mass event as part of our forthcoming Climate and Nature festival.
The Kidical Mass events are registered with the Police as a protest, as opposed to being registered with the Council as an event (requiring a licence, road closure application, and insurance). Other events being promoted as part of the festival that are taking place on council land are registered as events.
Council officers have had many conversations with the organisers about registering the Kidical Mass ride as an event, but to date, no agreement…
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