Political Parties Targeting Cyclists

The Government's Minister for Cycling and the Shadow Support Secretary have lent their support for British Cycling's plans to turn the UK into a safe cycling nation able to rival European cycling hot spots Holland and Denmark.

With a general election just around the corner in 2015 and cycling accident claims and deaths reportedly on the rise, there has been calls for strong political leadership from within the cycling industry to make the UK's roads and cycling routes safer.

Speaking at the launch of British Cycling’s #ChooseCycling manifesto, Minister for Cycling Robert Goodwill gave a rousing defence of the Conservatives cycling initiatives and thanked British Cycling's Chris Boardman for his tireless commitment and support for cycling in this country.

He said: “You might have heard the suggestion that we are blocking efforts by the EU to improve safety. That is not quite right. We have recently launched the Industrial HGV Task Force in London.

“We have issued a document to start a discussion on improving highways maintenance funding, including cycling and walking. We asked whether around £50 million a year should be held back to encourage better cycleway and footpath maintenance.”

Goodwill also announced that work will shortly commence on a number of cycle proofing schemes and confirmed that work would start on that day to cycle proof the A30 in Ashford.

Meanwhile, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Mary Creagh, who, after talking about her own experiences of riding her bike with her children, set out what the next Labour government would do to encourage cycling and reduce cycling accidents and personal injury.

Creagh said: “We would encourage dedicated separate safe cycling routes. We would also introduce a new Cycle Safety Assessment to cycle-proof new road schemes. Road engineers will have to include cycling at the design stage, not as an afterthought.

“Your manifesto calls for more political leadership. A Labour government would restore national targets to cut deaths and serious injuries. Alongside this we would set clear goals to increase the numbers of people cycling.”

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