Brent Cyclists, the local
group of the London Cycling Campaign, are organising a public election
hustings for candidates in the Brent Council elections, to take place
at:
7pm on Wednesday 14 May at CVS Brent, 5 Rutherford Way, Wembley HA9 0BP
cycling.
London Cycling Campaign has been running a capital-wide campaign in the run-up to these elections, under the slogan “Space for Cycling”.
Local campaigners have identified one change to the streets in every
ward which would make their area better for cycling, and in the hustings
Brent Cyclists will be asking candidates to respond to their local ward
demands for Brent, and to the wider policy area of improving conditions
for cycling and walking. The hustings will be open to the public, and
it is hoped to have representatives from all the main parties there, as
well as independent candidates.
Brent Cyclists Co-ordinator David Arditti said:
Our campaign is about making our streets more pleasant places for everyone. We need better streets in order to liberate the suppressed demand for cycling; most people say they would cycle if there was protected space for cycling, but the cycle lanes in Brent are very poor and give little protection, and the minor roads are generally hostile rat-runs full of parked and moving cars.The policies that we need are a combination of providing dedicated, protected space on main roads, removing through-traffic from minor roads, and providing routes through parks and open spaces. These policies would allow children to get to school by bike, allow the elderly and disabled to use electric bikes and powered wheelchairs easily, and everyone else to do the short journeys for which the bike is the most efficient option, in comfort and safety. Or town centres and shopping areas would also be improved and be helped to thrive by creating better cycle access. There is funding from the Mayor of London available, and now is the time for our local politicians to take a lead on providing for cycling.
The public can support our campaign, by emailing their council candidates through www.space4cycling.org
