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Contact your parliamentary candidates and ask them to support cyclingPolling Station (Flickr Creative Commons - Simon Clayson)

Contact your parliamentary candidates and ask them to support cycling

Cycling UK is calling for five per cent of next year’s transport spending to be devoted to cycling and walking
by Alex Bowden
Fri, Nov 22, 2019 16:28
7

Cycling UK is writing to all parliamentary candidates, asking them if they will pledge to support an increase in investment in cycling and walking to at least five per cent of transport spending next year, rising to at least 10 per cent within five years. The charity is encouraging supporters to do the same and has provided a tool so that you can easily do this on its website.

“We need people to ask their candidates to stand up for cycling, walking and a healthier future,” said Cycling UK chief executive, Paul Tuohy. “Don’t delay – take action now and help us identify Parliament’s future champions for greener travel.”

The charity says the level of funding it is asking for is the minimum required for the next Government to meet its targets of doubling cycling journeys in England by 2025, and to achieve similar levels of walking and cycling throughout the UK.

Up until the election, only two per cent of transport spending went towards cycling and walking.

Tuohy explained: “We’re breathing toxic air. Too many people are becoming obese or enduring inactivity related ill-health. Our roads are congested and vehicle emissions are compounding the climate crisis.

“But the good news is that fixing this isn’t rocket science. We just need proper investment in cycling and walking, to enable more people to move around actively, particularly for short journeys.”

cycling uk
General Election 2019
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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7 comments

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OldRidgeback | 5 years ago
2 likes

As important as cycling is, there are more important challenges facing the UK right now.

Avatar
burtthebike replied to OldRidgeback | 5 years ago
1 like

OldRidgeback wrote:

As important as cycling is, there are more important challenges facing the UK right now.

Such as?  Given that cycling helps so many of the basic problems affecting our society: health, obesity, pollution, congestion, community severance, sustainability, climate change etc.

There is nothing that I am aware of that has so much benefit for so little cost, and offers so much benefit for the biggest challenges facing us.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to burtthebike | 5 years ago
1 like

burtthebike wrote:

OldRidgeback wrote:

As important as cycling is, there are more important challenges facing the UK right now.

Such as?  Given that cycling helps so many of the basic problems affecting our society: health, obesity, pollution, congestion, community severance, sustainability, climate change etc.

There is nothing that I am aware of that has so much benefit for so little cost, and offers so much benefit for the biggest challenges facing us.

I also think that looking at a candidate's attitude towards cycling/driving and the future of people health and welfare is a very good litmus test of their general suitability to be voted for. Unfortunately, my view does mean that I've got a very small choice of which way to vote.

Avatar
ConcordeCX replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

hawkinspeter wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

OldRidgeback wrote:

As important as cycling is, there are more important challenges facing the UK right now.

Such as?  Given that cycling helps so many of the basic problems affecting our society: health, obesity, pollution, congestion, community severance, sustainability, climate change etc.

There is nothing that I am aware of that has so much benefit for so little cost, and offers so much benefit for the biggest challenges facing us.

I also think that looking at a candidate's attitude towards cycling/driving and the future of people health and welfare is a very good litmus test of their general suitability to be voted for. Unfortunately, my view does mean that I've got a very small choice of which way to vote.

generally best not to vote based on the personality of party leaders, nor on specific single issues, nor to seek perfection. Rather, vote for the candidate who is most likely to help bring about the closest approximation of the type of society you want to live in.

 

Avatar
vonhelmet | 5 years ago
3 likes

My MP - Chris Green - is on the cross party cycling committee or whatever they're called. All well and good, but I'd rather slam my bollocks in a car door than vote for a Tory.

Avatar
Organon | 5 years ago
0 likes

Sadly cycling is never going to top people's priorities at a Genral Election, especially this one. The best we can do is keep lobbying during the term. This is were Lord Chris Boardman is very useful.

oh, that and the need for a Spine Transplant Unit in Islington.

Avatar
burtthebike | 5 years ago
0 likes

Well, that was easy.  I did modify the message a bit, tightened it up and made more concise, but without changing the meaning, and asking the candidates to reply.  This was so easy that I'm sure all the keyboard warriors on this site have already done it, or will be doing it in the near future.

We need more funding for active travel, whatever our position on taking the lane, speed limits or helmets, surely we can all agree on that?  If we can get a sufficient number of candidates who then get elected to sign up, we have a platform for demanding that they fulfil their promises.  Without it, we just stumble along getting crumbs from the transport budget whenever the minister wants to pretend to be green.

Chapeau to CUK for producing this and taking positive action to finally get the funding active travel needs.

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