East Riding Councillors have approved a Motion from Lib Dem Linda Johnson to bid for £485,000 for safer cycling.
The bid has to be submitted by the Council before the deadline of 7 August, to qualify for Government funding. The Motion was passed unanimously.
A delighted Lib Dem Beverley Cllr Linda Johnson, herself a keen cyclist said;
“The £485,000 will help to improve links between our communities and schools, shops and services in North Bridlington; increase cycle space and parking in Beverley; improve the surface on the National Cycle Network 1/66 between Beverley and Cottingham; return some of our cycleways to their intended width and provide the opportunity to trial car-free schemes around some of our schools to increase cycling to school.”
“This is in addition to improving cycle access to Castle Hill Hospital and additional much-needed cycle parking throughout the county. But the crux of the matter is that we need to ensure cyclists not only feel safe but are safe when out cycling and that will require much more investment.”
“The last thing we want is cycles to be consigned to the back of the garage – we want to see cycling become the norm and the bike to be the king of the road.”
She added;
“There’s no doubt that cycling and walking became the most popular forms of exercise during lockdown! But now lockdown is easing and there is more traffic on the road, the number of people out on their bikes has dropped, which is concerning the Liberal Democrat Group on the East Riding of Yorkshire Council.”
“It was great to see so many people out on their bikes during lock-down, with whole families benefitting from the fresh air and exercise. Cycling has become so popular that cycle shops were busy almost from day 1 of lockdown, servicing bikes and selling news ones. There is now a waiting list for new bikes.”
“But cyclists are now feeling unsafe cycling on roads which they share with traffic, which is why we are calling for more dedicated and protected cycle paths.”
The Government has recently published its forward-thinking cycling strategy ‘Gear Change’ and the objective of 50% of all journeys to be taken on cycle or on foot by 2030.
The LibDems are fully supportive of this as cycling and walking are cleaner, greener and healthier than most alternative forms of transport.
