London to become more “pro-bike”

A coalition of London’s top environment organisations has signed the mayoral candidates up to key action targets which they say would "dramatically improve" the quality of life in London.

The coalition, which includes London Cycling Campaign, Friends of the Earth, the RSPB, the Forum for the Future’s Sustainable Wealth London project, London Wildlife Trust and London Council for the Preservation of Rural England, aims to:

1 Reduce road traffic levels by 15% across London by 2010

2 Help reclaim more than 100,000 empty homes for affordable housing and end the scandal of vulnerable Londoners dying in winter because their homes leak heat

3 Draw up a wildlife action plan to give full protection to London’s wildlife sites

4 Cut waste and create jobs by increasing household waste recycling to 25% by 2005

5 Create 10,000 quality, lasting jobs in new "green" businesses by 2005.

6 Cut London’s output of climate-changing gases by making it more efficient with resources, and cut its carbon emissions by 20% by 2010.

Frank Dobson, the official Labour candidate backs the fourth and sixth targets, and Tory candidate Steve Norris backs the second, third, fifth and sixth.

Ken Livingstone (the unofficial Labour candidate and likliest winner), Green candidate Darren Johnson, Liberal Democrat Susan Kramer and Independent Ram Gidoomal have declared their support for all six.