"Cyclists think they can do whatever they want": Viral video shows moment driver uses bike lane to queue-jump gridlocked traffic; Wout van Aert's "calculated risk" for classics; DJ Dom Whiting announces first cycling event of 2024 + more on the live blog

A member of Kidical Mass Reading, Hilary Smart, has expressed concerns about cycling links to a newly built school in Caversham. The Henley Standard reports the academy will open in September and will have 1,500 pupils attending it, however Ms Smart has raised worries about cycling routes to the new facility on Richfield Avenue.

"The council is building a new school by Rivermead and putting in cycling infrastructure along Richfield Avenue but it does not intend to do any work to connect this new bike lane to the cycling route over Caversham Bridge," she said.

"Therefore, if the kids have any sense, they won't be going along Richfield Avenue using the new paths built with the funding, they'll cut straight down to the river. This means that the children who do cycle will have to navigate either a blind corner on Caversham Bridge and narrow unfenced paths by the river or the awful roundabout by the Crowne Plaza.

"We believe that if they joined up the bike lanes many more children would want to cycle to school. This would help them build independence and healthy habits and reduce car traffic over the bridge at drop-offs. Many secondary school children are mature enough to cycle to school independently. We are failing if the lack of safe infrastructure is the thing that stands in the way of them developing environmentally friendly and healthy habits."

> Spectator who threw cup of drink at Marianne Vos at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad to be questioned by police

Plenty of discussion about this today...

> Government considering doubling e-bike motor power but retaining 15mph limit

We've already included Cycling UK's statement on the live blog this afternoon, the charity saying the idea to double the maximum power of e-bikes to 500 watts would pose a "huge safety risk to pedestrians and others who cycle".

London's walking and cycling commissioner Will Norman called the idea "madness".

"Doubling the power of e-bikes? Making e-bikes full-throttle like motorbikes? This is madness! Why is government doing this? It'll increase risk of collisions and battery fires. They really should focus on legislation to sort out dockless e-bike parking," he said.

The Guardian's deputy political editor Peter Walker pointed out one of the arguments for the change, suggesting that the Department for Transport "could have been lobbied by big logistics firms wanting to move into bike freight". Safe cycling campaigner Ruth Mayorcas said if this is the case then legislation and enforcement around cycle lanes would be required also.

Here are some of your thoughts...

squired: "Personally, I'd increase the cut-off limit to 20mph to align better with the widespread implementation of 20mph roads before considering a 500w motor. If the motor power was increased and the cut-off remained as-is it would just encourage more extensive de-restricting of bikes. If the assist was increased to 20mph I think that would be more than sufficient for the vast majority of people and any increase in power would just be saved for hills."

ride2smile: "I've skim read the consultation document. Looking at it from the perspective of who would benefit most I'd say delivery type organisations. That has the capacity to greatly increase the use of cycle lanes for commercial use and also increase the size / weight of cycles using cycle lanes. I can see pros and cons. Online shopping has driven an increase in delivery drivers, more traffic on the roads and an increase in vans parking anywhere. Higher-powered pedalecs utilised for deliveries could do the same. Flip side is that if commercial organisations see a benefit they may lobby for more cycling infrastructure."

essexian: "Madness if this goes ahead and one more step towards the need for a cycling licence for all riders. 250w is sufficient. If you want more power, get a motorbike."

In reaction to a consultation launched today by the Department for Transport on changing e-cycle regulations to double their maximum power from 250 watts to 500 watts and remove the pedal requirement, Cycling UK's director of external affairs, Sarah McMonagle said in a statement provided to road.cc:

These proposals present a huge safety risk to pedestrians and others who cycle. The dramatically increased power would mean faster acceleration and much heavier bikes, which we're really concerned about.

E-cycles with no pedal requirement would also reduce the health benefits of e-cycling – in essence, they would blur the line between e-bikes and electric motorbikes.

The government has stated that the proposed changes would make e-cycles more attractive, yet the most commonly cited reason for people not cycling is that they don't feel safe. E-cycles are also prohibitively expensive for many people. We fully agree with the government's goal to get more people to enjoy the benefits of e-cycles, but believe the way to do that effectively is to invest in high quality infrastructure and provide financial assistance for those who need it.

Trechos da @parisroubaix hoje pic.twitter.com/5kk0Xsasid

— O País Do Ciclismo (@opaisdociclismo) February 29, 2024

Just a couple of Israel-Premier Tech lads going for a swim during their recon of the cobbles.

People of Southampton (and surrounding areas), the DJ behind Drum & Bass On The Bike, Dom Whiting, is coming back to your city this weekend.

> Drum & Bass On The Bike creator is still trying to make sense of it all

Setting off from Guildhall Square at 2pm on Sunday, the event marks a return to Southampton two years on from his last bicycle rave in the city. We sent road.cc Simon along to the London ride last summer to find out what it's all about and, in his words, "Should ​the DJ Dom Whiting ever visit a city near you for one of his Drum & Bass on the Bike rides, my advice is that you shouldn't pass up the chance to pop along..."

This was the scene in Bristol [below], when Whiting returned last April...

"Mind-blowing"... "massive"... "crazy"... "immense"... just a few of the reviews of Dom Whiting's Drum & Bass on the Bike rides, attracting a crowd of hundreds, estimated to be as many as a thousand by some.

Let's hope for more of the same come Sunday...