Although West Berkshire Spokes is a politically neutral organisation, we thought that it would be interesting on the run up to Thursday’s election to have a look at what our local candidates and parties are promising with respect to cycling.
Our starting point was CTC’s ‘Vote Bike‘ website, which we used to ask each of our candidates to state how they would respond to the five core challenges of:
- Ambition: Increasing levels of cycling to 10% of trips by 2025 and 25% by 2050.
- Funding: Committing to an average government spend of at least £10 per person per year on cycling.
- Design standards: Creating consistently high design standards for cycling in all highway and traffic schemes, new developments and planned road maintenance.
- Safety: Measures to improve cycle safety by strengthening road traffic law and its enforcement and revising the Highway Code.
- Positive promotion: Supporting positive promotion of cycling, including cycle skills training, for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
At the time of writing, only Jonny Roberts, the Labour Candidate had responded, so we moved on to search the websites for each of the candidates and their local parties for what they have to say about cycling. Here’s what we found:
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Candidates may well have views on cycling that have not been captured here, so if you would like to find our more, then we suggest that you contact your candidates directly.
Addendum: Since posting, we have been contacted by Peter Norman who says:
“I have been a strong proponent on cycling for many years and would point to our Sandleford campaign where I have pushed not just for dedicated cycle routes (as opposed to shared routes such as a long Monks Lane) but that these routes should be protected routes that prevent cars from parking in them (such as happens at the bottom of Andover Road). Without these measures the bulk of the population will steer clear of cycling as the mode of choice for getting to and from work. But rest assured whether at local or parliamentary level I will push cycling to the fore.”
Following on from the success of last year, Spokes has organised another programme of social bike rides on various Saturdays throughout the spring, summer and autumn of 2015. With distances ranging from 12 to 67 miles, there is something for everyone. All rides start and finish in West Mills, Newbury. Riders meet near the war memorial between Lloyd’s Bank and St Nicolas Church. To find out more and to book your place for any of the rides, please visit our page on the 
Happy New Year! Maybe, like us, you are already thinking about your New Year’s Resolutions. If so, then why not resolve to get on your bike with Spokes in 2015.