Bicycle freedom

Boy riding a bicycle in Liverpool, 1979

Many of my childhood memories are coloured by bicycle adventures. I treasure the experience of speed and freedom that was initiated when I got a brand new bike for Christmas in the early 1960’s. The boy riding his bike around inner city Liverpool breathes life into the derelict landscape. I am reminded of the observations of Liverpool resident John Lennon: “As a kid I had a dream – I wanted to own my own bicycle. When I got he bike I must have been the happiest boy in Liverpool, maybe the world. I lived for that bike. Most kids left their bike in the backyard at night. Not me. I insisted on taking mine indoors and the first night I even kept it in my bed.”

Boy riding a bike on Brick Lane, 1983

In 1983 Brick Lane had a quiet personality compared to its current manifestation as a stylish leisure destination and urban heritage trail. The haberdashery the boy is cycling past has been replaced by a restaurant  and evidence of the rag trade has almost completely disappeared. Brick Lane is a great place to cycle through but I envy the boy in the photograph who didn’t have to contend with heavy traffic and pedestrians with a propensity to walk in the middle of the road.

Three bicycles on Vallance road, 1987

I’ve often thought that the solution to car gridlock and pollution is staring us in the face. We could learn a lot from the cyclists in these photographs. It is likely that the three cyclists on Vallance Road have exchanged their bikes for cars. Bicycling has to be a big part of the future if we are to have cleaner city air and a healthier population. Looking at these photographs I am struck by the absence of cars.