Major political parties to present bike policies at Big Cycling Debate

I fully expect the number and severity of bare-faced lies being told by candidates from all "major" parties to reach such a vast quantity that it causes interference to short-wave radio.

It might even be almost funny (if it weren't so tragic) to listen to them trying to out-lie each other.

Can we trust any of our political parties, and the media which gives succour to them, to take cycling and walking seriously? Are the Greens any dfferent? Without PR are we often forced to vote tactically for one of the major parties simply to keep the other out, knowing full well both have extremely poor records in promoting cycling and walking?

In spite of that I hope the debate will signal progress. However, a better format would be to include an equal number of cycling advocates, especially Chris Boardman, to ask searching questions. Otherwise, we will get the usual bland statements without any real commitment.

The Lib-Dems are still a major party when you look at the amount of votes they have got over the years. Thats why they pushed for proportional representation as they would have had numerous MP's.

I like the idea of a well known person to chair the debate, perhaps not CB as he is not totally independant, someone like Dimbleby who cycles a lot and can keep the MP's in line as Question Time proves.

Shame they're not invited as it would be nice if The Green Party could expand slightly on their manifesto statement: 'We will make walking and cycling safer – better for our health and the environment.'.

Is John Humphrys not quite anti-cyclist?

Why no Green Party? They are polling as high as the Lib Dems. They have an MP, MEPs and 2 London Assembly members (one of whom came 3rd in the Mayoral elections in 2012). Is this very old fashioned thinking by the debate organisers?

I vote for Bez to chair the debate.

"Major" political parties - surely you mean some political parties - including the Lib Dems immediately means that it includes smaller parties - and as such, it's just picking and choosing for the sake of the organisers world view.

would it not be that either Carswell nor Reckless as MP's would particularly be pro bike (unlike those MP's attending) and also I doubt many are in UKIP (difficult to cycle when so backwards).

I would have liked someone with a deep knowledge of the issues around everyday cycling, such as Chris Boardman, to chair this and to really interrogate the parties.

I appreciate The Times & Kaya Burgess for pulling this together, but do think they may get an easy ride if the chair does not understand or appreciate the real and key issues

We have to get the cycling bingo card out for this. I wonder how long it will take for the Tory to ask if it about time cyclists start paying "road tax"

It's a shame UKIP weren't invited as their policies would make for light relief.