| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Conservatives need strong pro-cycling measures | |
| Posted by: | Cllr Sam Hearn | |
| Date/Time: | 28/05/21 17:21:00 |
| This has been interesting thread to read. As the Transport Spokesperson for the Conservative Group of Councillors on Hounslow Council I would like to draw residents’ attention to our Cycling Policy issued in 2019. I am happy to supply anyone with a copy. We are not anti-bike or anti-car we are for a balanced approach to London's transport ills and specifically those of this borough. We do not promise a magic solution because nobody can but we do promise schemes that can be discussed publicly and achieve a wide measure of support. We will never be dogmatically in favour of or against any cycleway or an LTN - we always assess them on their merits. For example, will they improve air quality and make all forms of traffic flow more freely, and will they make life easier for local businesses to succeed. One gentleman has so little faith in his powers of persuasion or the obvious merits of the LTNs being imposed on us that he writes, "Surely LTN's will simply be voted out by the vast majority of car owners, so no change. If what we really need is use of cars to be considerably reduced LTN's must be implemented with little or no consultation." Does he not realise as it says in the article at the top of this thread, many cars owners are also cyclists. This desire to force people out of their cars is really a counsel of despair and would establish the precedent for further heavy handed action by the State. In other countries the State has (for perfectly sound reasons) introduced measures to compulsorily limit population growth - do we want that?. There are those that argue if we all adopted a vegan or vegetarian diet that the world would be a better place - should the State therefore ban the sale of meat? In the article quoted at the head of this thread that the same gentleman has clearly not read its says that "It is vital that communities are properly consulted when introducing safe cycling infrastructure and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs). All too often last year, Labour councils introduced temporary cycle lanes and LTNs overnight with minimal or no consultation. There has to be decent consultation with local residents to ensure schemes are implemented in the best possible way by considering everyone’s needs." By genuinely consulting local people you end up with better schemes and better supported schemes. The alternative approach of imposing measures produces resentment,anger and social division. The State does not always know best and the Local Authority does sometimes get things wrong and has to amend or reverse decisions. This is a fact of life. Get over it, and stop trying to defend poorly designed and poorly implemented schemes. |