Boris Johnson cycles in London E20. At least he didn’t go to Barnard Castle
Boris Johnson has been spotted cycling in the Olympic Park, aka London E20 (Walford Square doesn’t actually exist). Its 7 miles from Downing St and it has provoked media and social media commentary about the Government’s lockdown exercise rules (not law).
According to these you are not meant to drive to exercise but walk, jog or cycle from your home and return there. No doubt the rule was drafted by someone with a large house in a leafy space.
It can work. In Tottenham a short walk can take me to the Marsh or to the Wetlands(RSPB)- the largest urban example in Western Europe. No need to drive anywhere (I don’t drive like many Londoners btw).
In Cardiff a walk from my house takes me around terraced city streets where I have to perpetually dodge other people. There is a nice park 10 minutes-walk away which because of the preceding sentence is usually busy..
So if Johnson did cycle to E20 I don’t think this is an issue. Perhaps clarification to rules can be made and the police advised to stop wasting their time pursuing people (I’m not talking about people who drive to different cities as a few appear to). They can then devote effort to investigating workplaces where people could and should be working from home (with support) but arent thanks to employers flouting COVID rules
Whether he did actually cycle is another matter. When he was Mayor of London he was known as the cycling Mayor and was sometimes spotted cycling from City Hall to his then Angel Islington house. However as Sonia Purnell’s biography Just Boris reveals scrutiny of his expense claims revealed thousands of pounds spent on taxi fares mostly for short journeys in London.
One suspects driving may have been involved. At least he didn’t go to Barnard Castle for his exercise.
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