Brighton, Hove and District Cycling Group, or Bricycles, was disgusted by the "south of the River Thames" bike ban by train companies.

The London to Brighton bike ride used to be a fantastic example of integrated bike-train transport until the train companies decided to withdraw their services in 2004.

This year, Southern and Thameslink banned all bikes on trains in the whole of their region, south of the Thames, on the day of the London to Brighton bike ride.

This was also the hottest day of the year, with temperatures above 28 degrees.

After being refused entry to Brighton Station, cyclists made their way to Hove Lawns to look for the chartered coaches and lorries.

Even the following morning, cyclists were not allowed through the ticket barriers until 9am.

Coverage in The Argus indicates, perversely, this bike event is being used as a justification for developing unpopular park-and-ride sites in places such as Patcham, where residents do not want major new car parks and increased traffic.

How about congestion charging instead, or people simply using their cars less?

The London to Brighton bike ride is the largest bike ride in Europe but it never even got a mention on the BBC local TV news.

Bricycles will complain to the train companies and local MPs about the rail ban, as we did last year. We hope readers will too.

-Becky Reynolds, Local Right to Ride Representative, Brighton and Hove