British Cycling Backpedals On Advice For People Not To Cycle On Day Of Queen’s Funeral

Following an outcry on social media, British Cycling has deleted advice on its website suggesting that people should not ride bicycles “during the Queen’s funeral.”

The advice was seemingly not limited to the parts of London where the State Funeral procession will be held on Monday 19 September.

British Cycling has been contacted for this article.

The organization “strongly recommended” that all cyclists around the U.K. should avoid riding during the Queen’s funeral and procession.

“As a mark of respect to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II … British Cycling strongly recommends that anybody out riding their bike on the day of the State Funeral does so outside of the timings of the funeral service and associated processions,” stated the original advice, since removed.

Despite the deletion, some media outlets reported on British Cycling’s original stance leading some cyclists to worry that they could be faced with hostility on Monday for simply riding their cycles.

For instance, many of the Twitter comments on a news story from Sky News were abusive towards cyclists, an outcome those who signed-off on British Cycling’s advice should have foretold.

Queen Elizabeth II was the patron of Cycling UK, a charity formerly known as the Cyclists’ Touring Club, since her accession in 1952.