Tories don't do so well in Cambridge these days, and while they're still pretty big on the County Council they are, for the most part, about as popular as herpes in Cambridge. But this isn't about party loyalty - this is about what their candidates have said in response to the Camcycle eleciton survey.
So lets see who answered... Kings Hedges, nope. Arbury, Nope. West Chesterton, East Chesterton... Seriously you guys? No one?
Right lets go through alphabetically... AHA! Newnham. Thats one... And Queen Ediths, thats two... OK, thats enough to actually respond to.
Looks like the Tories know they're on to a hiding to nothing across most of Cambridge and just can't be arsed.
So Julius Carrington in Newnham wholeheartedly supports Space for Cycling - which is good, and gets that real segregation should be away from motorised transport and pedestrians. Brilliant.
Getting kids to school?
I can only speak from experience when my eldest son began cycling on his own to is primary school. I think parents and schools can play an important role to provide help, support and advice. We had Outspoken recommended to us and he took part in their excellent training so I would like to see cycle training freely available across the City's schools. I also insisted that he did "time in the saddle" and before he was allowed out and about solo we took trips across the city, ensuring he could handle some of the City's cycling challenges. I think many more parents would let their children cycle to school if they felt it was safer. If children could get at least 80% of their route via a separate cycle path I think that would have a big impact. Dame Sally Davies CMO points out that children who cycle to school are fitter and concentrate better, so we need to make it safe and get them out of cars! As for secondary school in Sept he has strict instructions to keep clear of the county's second worst cycling junction by the Royal Cambridge Hotel!
Well, ok. I'd put more emphasis on infrastructure and less on training, but I don't particularly disagree.
Whats your experience riding and concerns for you and older/younger folk riding?
Growing up in Cambridge we couldn't afford a car and I can remember our family of 6 traveling round the city likes ducks in a row. My 83 year old father still cycles daily but I worry that drivers seem to be less not more considerate of cyclist and it will be an accident not old age that will gets him in the end. I am lucky enough to have a road bike and mountain bike when I want to hide from 3 scream kids but my favorite is an original Dawes Galaxy plus wicker basket which is hands down the perfect Cambridge bike. My biggest concern is that one or all will be stolen at any point! As mentioned my eldest cycles to school and my two little one are still building their confidence but I would not repeat my childhood ducks in a row due to the increased level of traffic, narrow cycling space on road and limited cycling space off road. My wife is a worried cyclist so she will be signing up for Outspoken and will also be doing the family cross Cambridge cycling challenge !
Well I can't edorse the Dawes love (reliable, dependable, lots of other words ending in 'ible) but otherwise, yeah, I get all of that.
And the rest of the questions? Well, bluntly, from a cycling perspective this might be the best candidate we've seen in Cambridge, at least from these responses. His responses to the Smarter Travel survey are also fine.
So how about DEB Manas in Queen Ediths?
Does she support Space for Cycling? Well, yes, in her(his?) ward. She wants cycle routes, she rides around a bit... And thats it. Thats all she's answered.
Well on the whole we've got a mixed message from the Tories. One candidate is awesome. One is, well, ok. And none of the others answered. Can we say that the Tories are worth voting for on cycling issues from this? No. We can say that one Tory is good on cycling.
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