London Green MEP urges support for tomorrow's 'Space for Cycling Big Ride'

London Green MEP Jean Lambert has urged cyclists to support candidates who have pledged improvements to London's cycling infrastructure in this week's council elections.

Speaking ahead of  Satuurday's  'Space for Cycling Big Ride' , she said:

A sustainable transport policy means more facilities for cyclists and pedestrians.

We know that if more people get around the city by bike or on foot it's better for everyone – both in terms of improving London's appalling air quality, and the direct health benefits enjoyed by the people concerned.

I am proud that all the Green Party candidates asked by the London Cycling Campaign support local measures to make cycling safer and easier in their boroughs – and I hope all the suggested measures can be put in place soon.

Meanwhile, I hope many thousands of Londoners get out and support tomorrow's event, which takes place between 11 and 2pm tomorrow across the capital.

Don't miss this great Brent fundraising event

 

This is always a great event in a stunning Willesden Green garden. I recommend it but have to declare an interest: I am chair of the Brent and Harrow Palestine Solidarity  Campaign which will benefit from the fundraising.

Pedalling Politics in Brent - Support for Space for Cycling

Green Party Assembly Member Jenny Jones toured the boorough with Brent Cyclists to see issues for herself

Earlier this week I spoke to Brent Cyclists at a special hustings on the Londond Cycling Campaigns election initiative 'Space to Cycle'.

I told the meeting about my experience of cycle camping in the US. Breakfasting in a diner a truck driver came and sat with me asked if I was the guy on the bike. I confirmed I was the cyclist and he growled, 'We don't call them cyclists here. We call them donors ...organ donors.'

I said that I often remembered that when cycling in Brent, especially when I tried to negotiate the canyon beneath the North Circular Road at Neasden Shopping Centre/Neasden Lane North.

I was pleased to tell the meeting that all Green party candidates in Brent has signed up to the Space for Cycling campaign and backed the six themes (above).. We supported the proposals for the various wards in principle but would want to examine them in more detail of elected.

Greens had been fighting for safe cycling and comprehensive cycle routes in the London Assembly and were frustrated by Boris Johnson's underspend of the cycling fund and the delay in cycling superhighways.

The meeting was attended by Labour, Lib Dem and Green candidates. It was rumoured that the absent Conservatives had been unable to find a place to park their cars.

In fact there was a great deal of cross-party consensus on the main issues. We talked about how to encourage more people to cycle and the importance of work in schools, specific issues around women cyclists including sexual harassment from motorists, and about the differences between the south and north of the borough.

Cycle usage is much more common in the south of Brent with easy access to Central London. In the North the distance into Central london is much greater with the North Circular a physical barrier. Car ownership is much higher in the north with concreted over front gardens serving as parking for often large numbers of cars - 'a car park with house attached'.

I told the meeting that when I was a headteacher and cycled to work and to meetings I was often given the impresson that this was inappropriate to my status - cycling was something poor people did. Turning up at a Conference at the Holiday Inn at Brent Cross I asked reception where I could leave my bike. 'Sir,  it is only our staff who use bicycles.' This stereotype did not seem to exist in south Brent and this was confirmed by the Queen's Park Lib Dem candidate Virginia Bonham-Carter who wanted a cycle path for mothers in the streets around Queen's Park.

Muhammed Butt said that the attitude was linked to cultural issues and reflected that for some people cycling was seen in the context of 'back home' where it was the poor who cycled and the car was a status symbol. He said that members of his own family questioned why he cycled when he could 'use the car'. There was an issue abut changing attitudes as well as improving infrastructure.

On infrastructure several members of the audience expressed disappointment that a chance had been missed in the Wembley Regenration to build cycling into the plans, despite submissions in the early stages by Brent Cyclists and the Green Party.

The full details of proposals for Brent wards can be found HERE

Declaratio of Interest: I am a member of the London Cycling Campaign

Victimisation, bullying, racial and sexual discrimination alleged in Davani case

From the Get West London website LINK Reporter: Hannah Bewley

A FORMER Brent Council manager claims she was discriminated against by superiors and “bullied and undermined” despite her years of experience.

Rosemarie Clarke, 50, resigned in April last year after four years as head of learning and development, and launched an employment tribunal claim against the authority and Cara Davani, now HR director but previously on a temporary contract, for constructive dismissal, racial discrimination, sexual discrimination, victimisation, bullying and harassment and psychiatric injury.

Lawyers for the Christchurch Avenue, Harrow, inhabitent wrote in her claim: “Ms Davani’s conduct made her feel like her managerial prerogative was being continuously and seriously undermined and that her professional integrity was also being undermined.

“The claimant asserts that the respondent treated black, female managers less favourably due to their race.”

Ms Clarke cited several incidents as part of her case, for which hearings began on Monday last week at Watford Employment Tribunal.

Her claim said she and Ms Davani had a disagreement about the termination of a contract of a temporary worker, Ms M, at the council.

Ms Davani instructed Ms Clarke to tell the Ms M her contract had ended while Ms M  was on holiday because there was an issue with her performance.

Ms Clarke attempted to persuade her boss to allow a few days for Ms M to hand over to someone else after her vacation.

The claimant told the tribunal Ms Devani said: “She Ms M didn’t say hello to me in the corridor the other week, which I thought was unprofessional.”

Ms Clarke added: “It was obvious Ms Davani didn’t like [Ms M].”

Ms Clarke’s claim form said: “Despite the claimant being of the view that Ms M had done nothing wrong, Cara Davani was insistent she had to go.”

Ms Clarke also said she received an e-mail from Ms Devani instructing her to contact learning and development expert Dr Yvonne Foster, who had previously worked with Ms Davani.

Ms Clarke said in reply she had adequate staffing levels and claims Ms Davani told her she should “find her [Dr Foster] something to do”.

Ms Clarke said: “I was being pressured to contact Yvonne Foster and offer her a job in my team.”

The claimant said she “wasn’t happy” about being shouted at by Ms Davani during an Investors in People accreditation meeting.

Ms Clarke resigned after being suspended in February over allegations of gross misconduct for alleged failure to follow reasonable management instructions.