Call For An End To The 'Hate Campaign' Over CS9

Clash between pro and anti cycle super highway groups

Critics of Cycle Superhighway 9, the proposed segregated cycle track through Chiswick, are claiming that they are unable to express their views freely without being "publicly vilified and accused of being anti-cycling." They say that they believe some of the attacks on them amount to hate speech.

The co-owner of Outsider Tart on Chiswick High Road, David Lesniak has written to the head of the main London cycling group calling on him to reproach any members involved in intimidating language against RedesignCS9 which represents some traders in Hammersmith and Chiswick. He said he and his partner had been called 'murderers' and their business had been threatened with boycott.

The Hounslow Cycling Group, has described his claims as "outrageous"- read their statement in full below.

The RedesignCS9 group (slogan, Ditch It Or Switch It) accused pro-cyclists of mounting an online campaign on to attack the Chiswick bakery. The measures included calling for a boycott of the business, alleging, it had 'food hygiene' problems, and using a mock up of a Mobikes hub outside their shop to share a video showing a missile 'blowing up the business'.

RedesignCS9 has called on the Mayor of London, TfL, the Cycling and Walking Commissioner Will Norman, local MP Ruth Cadbury, and all councillors and candidates representing the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green parties to join together to write an open letter encouraging a better standard of civic discourse and to eliminate hate speech, hate crime and threats of violence.

Broadcaster and pro-cycling campaigner Jeremy Vine tweeted, "Weird stuff going on in my neighbourhood. People vote 60-40 for a safe cycle path down the high street. The group who don't want it now complain the pro-path people 'have been on a training course' to use 'psychological warfare' against them."

We asked Hounslow Cycling Group for comment. They said: "Hounslow Cycling Campaign finds it outrageous that the owner of Outsider Tart is making such a ridiculous overblown response to a simple and unfunny "joke" posted on the ChiswickW4 Forum, made by a member of the public with no affiliation to us or any other cycling group (and who has since publicly apologised).

"If the owners of Outsider Tart, who also leads Redesign CS9, does indeed feel that this is a hate crime, we suggest he stop posting it on twitter himself, takes it up with the ChiswickW4 website directly, and stops making inaccurate accusations.

"We would of course welcome a more courteous discourse and have throughout found it deplorable that the cycle lanes should arouse such strong emotions (starting with accusations from the local priest that the cycle lanes were similar to the bombing of the Luftwaffe).

"Luckily 60% of respondents to the consultation are in favour of CS9."

The CS9 has caused division and strong emotions in the Chiswick community. You can read what our readers say on our forum, and also follow our continuing coverage (see links to previous stories above).

March 20, 2018