Bicycles as Advertising Hoardings

Want to get close to this map?  Think again

Cambridge City Council has a published policy on Illegal Advertising but is seemingly reluctant to enforce its own rules.  Aside from fly-posting which is commonplace (and about which the Council claims to have zero tolerance) there are now numerous bikes placed across the city centre which act as fixed advertising hoardings.

Many of these bikes are not in a road-worthy condition and have been parked so as to gain the retailer maximum exposure - regardless of the needs of those who need to use the pavement.  Bike polite, anyone?

Cycle advertisement fly-parking is taking place on some of the busiest shopping streets in the city often utilising railings, signposts or other street furniture.  Here they impede the space for pedestrians, prams, wheelchairs etc, contribute to a more cluttered street-scape and are liable to give all cyclists a bad name. 

With its stylish blue chain and sprayed white tyres this cafe owner won't be cycling anywhere soon, but he / she has certainly upped the ante on current Cambridge bicycle advertising.  And they've had the decency to park against a proper bike rack.  But do we really want this form of unauthorised advertising around our city streets?  Mr T thinks not.