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The London Cycling Campaign has taken a close look at the manifestos of the major London Mayor candidates and delivered its verdict, stating Boris Johnson and Brian Paddick’s promises are likely to fail to meet the needs of cyclists.
Both current Mayor Johnson and candidate Paddick have not planned policies that do enough to improve safety for existing cyclists or encourage many more new people to cycle, according to LCC, despite getting more people on saddles being something all the candidates claim they want to do.
The Green Party’s Jenny Jones has by far the strongest manifesto for improving conditions for cycling, the campaign said, with Ken Livingstone in second place – considerably ahead of Johnson and Paddick.
With the increased numbers (and perception) of cyclists on the streets of London, cycling policies are proving a kay battleground in a bid for votes in the London Mayoral elections taking place on Thursday May 3rd.
“Boris Johnson’s transport manifesto commitments to cycling are very weak, undermined by an emphasis on keeping motor traffic moving," slammed LCC chief executive Ashok Sinha. “Livingstone’s cycling policies are more encouraging in many ways, but there’s still a major concern that, like Johnson, he won’t prioritise cycling over motor traffic.
“Perhaps having Jenny Jones – who is by far the most impressive candidate for cycling policies – as Livingstone’s cycling advisor, as he’s committed to doing, will change his approach?
“We want Londoners to join our Big Ride on 28 April to tell Johnson and Livingstone they must create safe and inviting space for cycling, prioritising cyclists as they do in Holland.”
The campaingin body has judged Johnson and Paddick to be the weakest of the four candidates when their policies are scored against LCC’s ‘Go Dutch’ demands, which call for continental standards to be applied to future cycling provision. Three out of the four major candidates (the exception being Johnson) draw inspiration from ‘Dutch’ cycling solutions, and Livingstone says he’d adhere to the principles of LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch campaign when designing cycling facilities.
There’s more on LCC’s line-by-line analysis of the four main mayoral candidates’ transport and cycling manifestos here.
The LCC added: "Disappointingly, none of the manifestos makes overall funding commitments for cycling provision, nor do they set targets for increasing the proportion of London journeys taken by bike."
The LCC is looking for cyclists to take part in the Big Ride in Central London in a bid to draw the attention of Mayoral candidates:
