2010 Antibicycle Awards: Rolls Royce.

We have a new nomination for our anti-bicycle awards, Rolls-Royce, as submitted by "RB". This is the sign at their new car park.

Now, readers may think? So what? It's a car park, of course bicycles should be banned. Nothing odd there and clearly something we agree with. Why is this special?

What we like here is the message. It tells any of their staff who cycle to work in the North Fringe, along the A38, on or near the A4174 ring road, that bicycles are not welcome in this part of the city. It tells them that Rolls-Royce, manufacturer of fine engines for civilian and military aircraft isn't doesn't care about the CO2 footprint of the manufacturing process, as if you are making jet engines the car traffic is background noise. Literally. And anyone who is going all fluffy and trying to make their commute a bit greener is an enemy of this part of the North Fringe industrial community. Not only do they slow down us tax-paying, income-earning commuters as they pootle down Filton Avenue, getting in the way in the first clear gap and a chance to put your foot down, they even get in the way in the car parks. But not here. We like this.

If we can't ban bicycles from our city, at least some of our bigger employers can do what they can to discourage their own staff from cycling, so reducing congestion in the North Fringe area, which is the S. Gloucester commuter destination covered in the cycling city project.

That is two nominations from S. Gloucs, none yet from Bristol. On that topic, please can cyclists stop submitting copies of the Muller Road toucan crossing, part of the Farm Pub to North Fringe route. Work only starts there on Monday, not eligible until 2011. We do have an alternate nomination though, the Gloucester Road/Zetland road junction. Subtle but lovely. Wait and see.