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Preparations are going well for our flash ride to Parliament on Wednesday, where we hope to focus the minds of MPs on the eve of the cycle safe debate and encourage them to really take cycling seriously.
In 1996 Parliament published their national cycle action plan. It was full of bold intentions as to how it would quadruple national cycle levels and bring about a 10% cycling rate by the year 2012. This year. When the Government saw how awfully it was failing in its aims it was quietly shelved and replaced with Cycling England in 2005, which promptly evaporated in the bonfire of the quangos when the Coalition Government came to power.
Now cycling is thrown the occasional bone in the form of the Local Sustainable Travel Fund whilst certain MPs go around with a somewhat tabloid view of people on bikes. The last time someone tried to talk about cycling at any level in Parliament it was Andrea Leadsom trying to introduce her absurd dangerous cycling bill. Meanwhile, on the streets the carnage continues week after week and we are supposed to be grateful.
The purpose of our ride is to focus the minds of our MPs - and indeed the minds of the cycle campaigners who will be briefing them - to ensure that the mistakes of 1996 are not repeated again. Our cycle campaigns and indeed Cycling England tried to do what they could dealing with the table scraps and paucity of imagination they were offered, but now times have changed. We can not allow another 16 years to pass before the Government acts. Neither can we allow the death toll to continue to rise as the years pass. With the internet now making best practise global, we can see for ourselves how more successful countries are going about inviting cycling at every level (not, indeed, just with segregation but it certainly plays a part) It is time for our MPs to step up; they must think big and act now. If Britain really is getting back on its bike, the Government must work hard to do all it can to keep them safe.
Wednesday ride to Parliament, what can you do?
Write to your MP and urge them to sign the EDM and attend the debate: Cyclists in the City is keeping a log of those who have responded and those who have not.
Facebook:
Do you have Facebook friends who maybe don't yet know about the ride? You can now let them know all about it and invite them using the Facebook invitation here.
Twitter:
Let your followers know you're coming to the ride - the more who do, the more other people will feel comfortable coming along too. I'll be tweeting "I'm going on Wednesday's #cyclesafe ride to Parliament http://ibikelondon.blogspot.com/2012/02/time-is-right-join-me-for-ride-to.html Join me!"
Forums:
Are you a member of a cycling forum like LFGSS (where they are already talking about it) or Bike Radar or one of the many others? Don't forget to help spread the word there too. Every little helps!
Share |
In 1996 Parliament published their national cycle action plan. It was full of bold intentions as to how it would quadruple national cycle levels and bring about a 10% cycling rate by the year 2012. This year. When the Government saw how awfully it was failing in its aims it was quietly shelved and replaced with Cycling England in 2005, which promptly evaporated in the bonfire of the quangos when the Coalition Government came to power.
Now cycling is thrown the occasional bone in the form of the Local Sustainable Travel Fund whilst certain MPs go around with a somewhat tabloid view of people on bikes. The last time someone tried to talk about cycling at any level in Parliament it was Andrea Leadsom trying to introduce her absurd dangerous cycling bill. Meanwhile, on the streets the carnage continues week after week and we are supposed to be grateful.
The purpose of our ride is to focus the minds of our MPs - and indeed the minds of the cycle campaigners who will be briefing them - to ensure that the mistakes of 1996 are not repeated again. Our cycle campaigns and indeed Cycling England tried to do what they could dealing with the table scraps and paucity of imagination they were offered, but now times have changed. We can not allow another 16 years to pass before the Government acts. Neither can we allow the death toll to continue to rise as the years pass. With the internet now making best practise global, we can see for ourselves how more successful countries are going about inviting cycling at every level (not, indeed, just with segregation but it certainly plays a part) It is time for our MPs to step up; they must think big and act now. If Britain really is getting back on its bike, the Government must work hard to do all it can to keep them safe.
Wednesday ride to Parliament, what can you do?
Write to your MP and urge them to sign the EDM and attend the debate: Cyclists in the City is keeping a log of those who have responded and those who have not.
Facebook:
Do you have Facebook friends who maybe don't yet know about the ride? You can now let them know all about it and invite them using the Facebook invitation here.
Twitter:
Let your followers know you're coming to the ride - the more who do, the more other people will feel comfortable coming along too. I'll be tweeting "I'm going on Wednesday's #cyclesafe ride to Parliament http://ibikelondon.blogspot.com/2012/02/time-is-right-join-me-for-ride-to.html Join me!"
Forums:
Are you a member of a cycling forum like LFGSS (where they are already talking about it) or Bike Radar or one of the many others? Don't forget to help spread the word there too. Every little helps!
Share |
2 comments:
I guess this is today? Good luck! I hope all goes well.
It was good meeting you last night. I look forward to seeing your video and you photos of the event too. Your photos of the indoor cycling were great!
Mark,
Last night's ride to Parliament was brilliant. Does anyone have an estimate of how many attended?
At the Duke of York Memorial, you were down near the Mall. These photographs, a bit blurry but give an idea of how many were there.
http://i39.tinypic.com/29xzx3p.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/2moe35z.jpg
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