Metro Mayor candidates told to “Vote Bike” in 2017 elections
As part of its wider Space for Cycling campaign, Cycling UK today (Wednesday 29 March) launched its Vote Bike tool, so that residents can ask their Metro Mayoral candidates what they will do for cycling if elected.
On 4 May 2017, millions of people across England will have the opportunity to elect politicians to the new position of Metro Mayor. Elections are taking place in six key combined authority conurbations: Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, Liverpool City Region, the West of England, the Tees Valley, and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough.
Cycling UK has devised a set of local-specific asks with local campaign groups, to meet the differing roles and responsibilities of each Mayor. Common to all, will be the power to make strategic decisions over the whole combined authority region, with one key area of policy affected being transport.
Cycling UK’s President, newscaster Jon Snow, has contacted each candidate with these asks, and so far we have heard back from five of them across three of the regions.
Cycling UK has now launched its Vote Bike tool to allow residents in each area to contact their candidates and ask them how they will support cycling if their election campaign is successful.
The asks vary significantly by region:
• In Greater Manchester, Cycling UK and Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign are calling on candidates to prioritise road traffic enforcement that will crack down on dangerous driving
• In the Liverpool City Region, Cycling UK and the Merseyside Cycling Campaign are calling on candidates to work with the Police and Crime Commissioner to crack down on dangerous driving
• In the West Midlands, Cycling UK and the Bike West Midlands Network are calling on candidates to support the West Midlands Cycling Charter
• In the West of England, Cycling and the Bristol Cycling Campaign are calling on candidates to establish MetroCycle on an equal footing with MetroRail and MetroBus
• In the Tees Valley, Cycling UK and the Tees Valley Cycle Campaign are asking all candidates to ensure that any construction projects consider and plan for cycling appropriately
• In Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Cycling UK and Camcycle are calling on all candidates to ensure cycling is fully designed into all new roads projects
Every candidate has also been asked to plan a comprehensive region-wide network of safe Space for Cycling and actively seek the funding to implement it.
Tom Guha, Cycling UK’s Space for Cycling Campaigns Officer, said:
“Creating full networks of Space for Cycling is essential if we are to see the step-change in cycle use needed to combat lethal air pollution and alleviate crippling congestion.
“The inadequacies of the UK Government’s cycling policy have left it to devolved authorities to deliver the national cycling revolution. It is imperative that we – together with local residents – work with all incoming Metro Mayors to create safer, friendlier and healthier communities through cycling.”
Cycling UK President, Jon Snow, said:
“For cycling, this is a major opportunity as it is these local political bodies that look after the bulk of Britain’s roads. To ensure this opportunity is properly utilised, we need local voices making noises – it is after all you they rely on to elect them”.
You can take action at www.cyclinguk.org/votebike17
ENDS
Notes to editors
- Cycling UK, the national cycling charity, inspires and helps people to cycle and keep cycling, whatever kind of cycling they do or would like to do. Over a century’s experience tells us that cycling is more than useful transport; it makes you feel good, gives you a sense of freedom and creates a better environment for everyone. www.cyclinguk.org
- To see what we are asking in full in each region, see:
Greater Manchester: https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/tomguha/vote-bike-greater-manchester
West Midlands: https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/tomguha/vote-bike-west-midlands
West of England: https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/tomguha/vote-bike-west-england
Liverpool City Region: https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/tomguha/vote-bike-liverpool-city-region
Tees Valley: https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/tomguha/vote-bike-tees-valley
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough: https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/tomguha/vote-bike-cambridgeshire-peterbo… - Under the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016, combined authorities are offered a selection of new powers on condition that they agree to be chaired by a directly elected Metro Mayor. For more information on Metro Mayors and their roles and responsibilities, see http://www.centreforcities.org/publication/everything-need-know-metro-m…
- The Space for Cycling campaign is a campaign for better cycle infrastructure, so that anyone feels safe to cycle anywhere. It was created by the London Cycling Campaign in 2014 and has since been taken national by Cycling UK and Cyclenation. For more information on the history of the campaign see https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/campaigns-guide/space-for-cycling-bac…
- The Space for Cycling process calls on local highways councils to:
Plan – Plan a full network of cycle-friendly routes that allow people of all ages and abilities to cycle anywhere for any purpose
Invest – Actively seek the funding to implement the network and invest a minimum of 5-10% of the local transport budget in cycling
Build – Build the network using the most up-to-date high quality design standards - The asks of Metro Mayors are framed around the Space for Cycling process but have been adapted to the different political context presented by Metro Mayors.
- The Vote Bike campaign is a tactical campaign launched by Cycling UK in response to elections.
Press contact information
Cycling UK Press Office
Email: publicity@cyclinguk.org
Telephone: 0844-736-8453
