{"id":43938,"date":"2021-10-30T23:35:04","date_gmt":"2021-10-30T22:35:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thevoiceoflondon.co.uk\/?p=43938"},"modified":"2021-10-30T23:35:04","modified_gmt":"2021-10-30T22:35:04","slug":"reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Reverse the cuts&#8217;: London&#8217;s cycling instructors demand change"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Following the recent cuts to London&#8217;s budget for cycling instructors, a trade union group gathered in Friday to demand more spending<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Decked out in florescent cycling gear and protest banners shouting \u201cTFL, shame on you\u201d, the group IWGB, The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, took to the streets to highlight the importance of cycle training and to protest TFL reducing cycling instruction by 50%.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-43938 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_7864-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_7864-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43940\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43940'>\n\t\t\t\tThe demonstrators gathering on a wet afternoon in Trafalgar Square.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_7848-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_7848-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43939\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43939'>\n\t\t\t\tDespite the rain, they were cheerful and keen to spread their message.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_7891-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_7891-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43941\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43941'>\n\t\t\t\tSome bikes came kitted out with banners and bluetooth speakers to lift the mood.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_7895-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_7895-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43942\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43942'>\n\t\t\t\tOnce gathered, protestors chanted &#8220;TFL, shame on you&#8221; before setting off.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_7910-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_7910-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43943\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43943'>\n\t\t\t\tCiting workers&#8217; rights, the planet and raising children safely as their main motivations, the group got chatting to passersby to share their message.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_7925-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_7925-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43944\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43944'>\n\t\t\t\tBright flags and megaphones, the group made their feelings about the training cuts very clear to those walking through Trafalgar Square\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_7963-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_7963-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43947\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43947'>\n\t\t\t\tThe protestors setting off from Trafalgar Square to cycle to City Hall.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_7992-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_7992-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43951\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43951'>\n\t\t\t\tAfter riding for an hour in the rain, demonstrators arrived at City Hall.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_7994-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_7994-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43952\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43952'>\n\t\t\t\tThe police escorted the protest on bikes of their own \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_8002-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_8002-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43953\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43953'>\n\t\t\t\tThey gathered outside City Hall, with megaphones to grab the attention of staff inside.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_8004-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_8004-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43954\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43954'>\n\t\t\t\tMarian Draaijer, women&#8217;s rep for IWGB discussing her commitment to the issue.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_8010-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_8010-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43955\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43955'>\n\t\t\t\tAfter an hours cycle to City Hall, the IWGB protestors celebrated the event. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_8021-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_8021-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43956\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43956'>\n\t\t\t\tPhoto: Tia Janowski Chanting about the TFL cuts, the group proudly spoke about the importance of cycle training to passersby. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_8037-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_8037-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43959\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43959'>\n\t\t\t\tThe crowd listened eagerly to their fellow cycling instructors.\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/reverse-the-cuts-londons-cycling-instructors-demand-change\/img_8044-copy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/64\/2021\/10\/IMG_8044-copy-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-43960\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-43960'>\n\t\t\t\tNiall Mulholland, Newham Trades Union Council member, giving a speech about the importance of cycle training for children. \n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Cycling from Trafalgar Square to City Hall, the group passionately spoke about the importance of cycle training to children in London.<\/p>\n<p>This change in funding not only denies children across London access to cycle training but will largely reduce the amount go people choosing cycling as their main mode of transport in London, the group argues.<\/p>\n<p>Mariam Draaijer, a cycling instructor and women\u2019s rep of the instructors union told Voice of London that \u201ca lot of people just don\u2019t have the confidence to start cycling on the roads if they don\u2019t have cycle training.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>From this, she told us that \u201cWith climate change and covid, we don\u2019t want to have all the cars on the roads, not everyone feels comfortable on public transport, so cycling is a really important alternative form of transport, especially in a city like London\u201d.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" style=\"max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sarahchaffey\/video\/7025163801842715910\">\n<section><a title=\"@sarahchaffey\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sarahchaffey\/video\/7025163801842715910?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id7024453219141780997\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@sarahchaffey<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@sarahchaffey\/video\/7025163801842715910?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id7024453219141780997\">Keen cyclists gathered in London on Friday to demand a reversal of funding cuts for cycling instructors<\/a>. <a title=\"londoncycling\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/londoncycling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#Londoncycling<\/a> <a title=\"cycling\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/cycling\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#Cycling<\/a> <a title=\"\u266c original sound - Sarah Chaffey\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7025163540612893446\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u266c original sound &#8211; Sarah Chaffey<\/a><\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>With COP26 happening this Sunday, this weekend was the perfect time for their protest to promote the importance of cycling in London.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/thevoiceoflondon.co.uk\/category\/climate-change\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read more about the environment here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Photographs and words: Tia Janowski | Interviews, subbing and video: Sarah Chaffey\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Following the recent cuts to London&#8217;s budget for cycling instructors, a trade union group gathered in Friday to demand more spending. Decked out in florescent cycling gear and protest banners shouting \u201cTFL, shame on you\u201d,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":476,"featured_media":43956,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,27,30,34,43,82,116],"tags":[3241,3785,3786],"class_list":["post-43938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-activism","category-climate-change","category-cop26","category-cycling","category-environment","category-lifestyle","category-sport","tag-iwgb","tag-london-cycling","tag-london-cycling-cuts"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/476"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43938"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43938\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43956"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.westminster.ac.uk\/thevoiceoflondon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}