What every local councillor, or prospective local councillor, should be asked

Southwark Cyclists and Soutwark Living Streets have put together the
following questionaire to go out to all councillors, and prospective
councillors, in the borough - about 240.

====================
As a Southwark Councillor, I would commit to:

1. A less car-dominated Southwark, where the need to travel is
diminished by, for example, encouraging local facilities and the use
of new technologies, without threatening economic well-being.

2. Making Southwark ever better for those who walk and cycle, by
implementing urban design that prioritise walking and cycling,
including adequate pedestrian crossings in shopping areas and cycle
contraflows and protected lanes, even at the expense of on-street
parking.

3. Creating, with Transport for London, attractive, flourishing, safe
and beautiful streets and green spaces that respect local history,
where walking and cycling take priority.

4. Ensuring that all public bodies and private organisations
prioritise walking and cycling, and the use of public transport.

5. Using the Council’s planning powers to ensure that all new
developments provide for walking and cycling, including secure cycle
parking for residents, visitors and at least 30% of employees.

6. Promotion of car clubs, thus reducing car and van use and the
financial burden of vehicle ownership.

7. Making the areas around schools safe for walking and cycling and
providing training to all Southwark school children, teachers and
other staff.

8. Working with the Police to reduce death and injury on our roads by
well-enforced 20mph limits on all Southwark roads, including Transport
for London's roads; and removing roadside railings and fixtures that
hinder pedestrian movement and speed up motor traffic.

9. A zero-casualty policy, with a review of every single road death
and serious injury to remove the cause. All Council and contractors’
lorries to be fitted with side-guards, proximity sensors, in-vehicle
speed restrictors and full coverage mirrors.

10. Easy access to walking and cycling advice, help and training for
all Southwark residents, workers, students and organisations.

What I have done and will do to promote walking and cycling (no more
than 100 words):

Southwark Living Streets and Southwark Cyclists, April 2010
====================

And the covering note

====================
April 2010
From Southwark Cyclists and Southwark Living Streets

Dear Candidate for election as a Southwark Councillor,

We are committed to the promotion of sustainable forms of transport.

We are writing to you and other candidates to FIND OUT your views on
this. PLEASE REPLY: “Yes”, “No”, or “No comment” TO EACH OF THE TEN
ITEMS in the attached questionnaire AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR OWN IDEAS
IN A SHORT STATEMENT AT THE END.

We intend to publish the replies which we will have received by April
22 on a website Southwarksurvey.org.uk and to summarise the responses
by a press release.

We have been given your name by your party on an email list of
addresses. We will not use this list for any other purpose. We are
also ensuring that no unpublished information is seen by anyone
directly involved in the election campaign.

As charities we will, of course, abide by the Guidance from the
Charity Commission in relation to elections.

We look forward to receiving your response.

Yours sincerely

Alastair Hanton, Chair, Southwark Living Streets
Barry Mason, Coordinator, Southwark Cyclists
====================

On 30 Mar, 07:40, Tom Crispin
wrote:
Southwark Cyclists and Soutwark Living Streets have put together the
following questionaire to go out to all councillors, and prospective
councillors, in the borough - about 240.

====================
As a Southwark Councillor, I would commit to:

1. A less car-dominated Southwark, where the need to travel is
diminished by, for example, encouraging local facilities and the use
of new technologies, without threatening economic well-being.

The car dominates because people want them. You should listen to the
people as they are the ones who (might) vote for you!

2. Making Southwark ever better for those who walk and cycle, by
implementing urban design that prioritise walking and cycling,
including adequate pedestrian crossings in shopping areas and cycle
contraflows and protected lanes, even at the expense of on-street
parking.

This is a bad idea, The locals will spend their money locally anyway,
but it is the visitors who are really good for business as you can
only extract so much money from a giiven catchment. The use of the car
widens the catchment area. They should not be discouraged just because
they have travelled in their cars.


3. Creating, with Transport for London, attractive, flourishing, safe
and beautiful streets and green spaces that respect local history,
where walking and cycling take priority.

Cycling should not take priority over walking, but to allow cycists
into pedestrian areas discourages walkers. Most cycists don't know how
to behave around walkers unfortunately


4. Ensuring that all public bodies and private organisations
prioritise walking and cycling, and the use of public transport.

Why ?

5. Using the Council’s planning powers to ensure that all new
developments provide for walking and cycling, including secure cycle
parking for residents, visitors and at least 30% of employees.

Bad idea, when the residents of these new builds with reduced parking
facilities have nowhere to park on their own property, they then fill
the spaces in the surrounding streets increasing the burden on
existing residential parking.

6. Promotion of car clubs, thus reducing car and van use and the
financial burden of vehicle ownership.

This is ridiculous. Someone has to own the car so the cost burden
still falls to them, and you cannot give lifts for hire or reward as
it invalidates the insurance - stupid ,stupid , stupid !!!


7. Making the areas around schools safe for walking and cycling and
providing training to all Southwark school children, teachers and
other staff.

The safests way to do this is to use intensive policing measures to
keep the cycists off the pavements in these areas. People with small
children don't feel safe sharing their pavements with cyclists. The
roads are a quantifiable space and provide a correct and proper place
for wheeled transport to move without endangering pedestrians

8. Working with the Police to reduce death and injury on our roads by
well-enforced 20mph limits on all Southwark roads, including Transport
for London's roads; and removing roadside railings and fixtures that
hinder pedestrian movement and speed up motor traffic.

This will never fly. To do this on major roads will substantiallty
increase congestion at quieter times as it will limit the carrying
capacity of the roads at lower traffic densities.

9. A zero-casualty policy, with a review of every single road death
and serious injury to remove the cause. All Council and contractors’
lorries to be fitted with side-guards, proximity sensors, in-vehicle
speed restrictors and full coverage mirrors.
This should be followed up with comprehensive signage on the lorries
and on the roads telling cyclists to stay well clear of these vehicles
at junctions.


10. Easy access to walking and cycling advice, help and training for
all Southwark residents, workers, students and organisations.

Training is the key, all cyclists should be trained to use the roads
safely so they don't feel any need or desire to use the pavements or
run red lights.

What I have done and will do to promote walking and cycling (no more
than 100 words):

Southwark Living Streets and Southwark Cyclists, April 2010
====================

And the covering note

====================
April 2010
From Southwark Cyclists and Southwark Living Streets

Dear Candidate for election as a Southwark Councillor,

We are committed to the promotion of sustainable forms of transport.

We are writing to you and other candidates to FIND OUT your views on
this. PLEASE REPLY: “Yes”, “No”, or “No comment” TO EACH OF THE TEN
ITEMS in the attached questionnaire AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR OWN IDEAS
IN A SHORT STATEMENT AT THE END.

We intend to publish the replies which we will have received by April
22 on a website Southwarksurvey.org.uk and to summarise the responses
by a press release.

We have been given your name by your party on an email list of
addresses. We will not use this list for any other purpose. We are
also ensuring that no unpublished information is seen by anyone
directly involved in the election campaign.

As charities we will, of course, abide by the Guidance from the
Charity Commission in relation to elections.

We look forward to receiving your response.

Yours sincerely

Alastair Hanton, Chair, Southwark Living Streets
Barry Mason, Coordinator, Southwark Cyclists
====================


Corrected !

On Tue, 30 Mar 2010 07:40:41 +0100, Tom Crispin
wrote:

Southwark Cyclists and Soutwark Living Streets have put together the
following questionaire to go out to all councillors, and prospective
councillors, in the borough - about 240.

====================
As a Southwark Councillor, I would commit
political suicide by signing up to this oppressive scheme.

1. A less car-dominated Southwark, where the need to travel is
diminished by, for example, encouraging local facilities

Local facilities for what?

and the use of new technologies,

Which "new technologies"?

without threatening economic well-being.

Good wholly meaningless waffle, anyone can commit to that as it means
nothing.

2. Making Southwark ever better for those who walk and cycle,

I'm puzzled by this irrelevant grouping of bicycles and pedestrians as
if they are a homogenous group. In fact the biggest deterrent to
walking is often cyclists who treat pedestrians with contempt and
simply as mobile obstacles. You can have an area which is attractive
to pedestrians or one which is attractive to bicyclists, but you can't
have one that they share which is attractive to both. Bicycles and
pedestrians don't mix.

3. Creating, with Transport for London, attractive, flourishing, safe
and beautiful streets and green spaces that respect local history,
where walking and cycling take priority.

Roads were never built, at any stage in history, for bicycles. Why
should the tiny minority of bicyclist suddenly be given priority over
pedestrians? What is so special about this mechanical contrivance
that it should have priority over everything else?

How do you propose goods should be delivered to these "beautiful
streets" (Southwark - beautiful?) or tradesmen should carry out work
within them?

4. Ensuring that all public bodies and private organisations
prioritise walking and cycling, and the use of public transport.

Ah, good socialist stuff. Control the means of movement.

5. Using the Council’s planning powers to ensure that all new
developments provide for walking and cycling, including secure cycle
parking for residents, visitors and at least 30% of employees.

So a company employing a workforce most of whom are disabled or
elderly would be forced to build cycle parking which would never be
used? A residential development for retired people must have bicycle
racks for more people than can even walk?

6. Promotion of car clubs, thus reducing car and van use and the
financial burden of vehicle ownership.

What use is a car club (whatever that is) when you have abolished
parking in item 2?

7. Making the areas around schools safe for walking and cycling and
providing training to all Southwark school children, teachers and
other staff.

Thought we would find an advert for your services somewhere. However
as a step towards compulsory training, testing and licensing of all
bicyclists (in the same way as all motorcyclists) this has potential,
I'm pleased to see you coming around to seeing the need for such a
scheme.

8. Working with the Police to reduce death and injury on our roads by
well-enforced 20mph limits on all Southwark roads, including Transport
for London's roads; and removing roadside railings and fixtures that
hinder pedestrian movement and speed up motor traffic.

I presume you have evidence this would be expected to achieve
something?

9. A zero-casualty policy, with a review of every single road death
and serious injury to remove the cause.

Why only serious injuries? Cyclist are responsible for hundreds of
minor injuries to pedestrians and the behaviour of some riding at
speed in pedestrian areas has frightened elderly and people with
disabilities away from them. Shouldn't this also be addressed?

All Council and contractors’
lorries to be fitted with side-guards, proximity sensors, in-vehicle
speed restrictors and full coverage mirrors.

Why not start with big signs on them telling bicyclists to keep clear
and explicitly prohibiting bicyclists from ever overtaking them on
their left? That would immediately reduce the accident rate at very
little cost.

10. Easy access to walking and cycling advice, help and training for
all Southwark residents, workers, students and organisations.

A "walking advice worker"?

ashley filmer wrote:
The safests way to do this is to use intensive policing measures to
keep the cycists off the pavements in these areas. People with small
children don't feel safe sharing their pavements with cyclists.

I don't feel safe sharing the road with small children!

--
www.slowbicyclemovement.org - enjoy the ride

On 30 Mar, 19:15, Phil W Lee phil(at)lee-family(dot)me(dot)uk wrote:
ashley filmer considered Tue, 30 Mar 2010
01:01:33 -0700 (PDT) the perfect time to write:

some rabid pro petrol head agenda

Don't have much concept of the real costs of motoring, do you?

Please feel free to fill in the gaps !

On Mar 30, 7:40*am, Tom Crispin
wrote:
Southwark Cyclists and Soutwark Living Streets have put together the
following questionaire to go out to all councillors, and prospective
councillors, in the borough - about 240.

====================
As a Southwark Councillor, I would commit to:

1. A less car-dominated Southwark, where the need to travel is
diminished by, for example, encouraging local facilities and the use
of new technologies, without threatening economic well-being.

2. Making Southwark ever better for those who walk and cycle, by
implementing urban design that prioritise walking and cycling,
including adequate pedestrian crossings in shopping areas and cycle
contraflows and protected lanes, even at the expense of on-street
parking.

3. Creating, with Transport for London, attractive, flourishing, safe
and beautiful streets and green spaces that respect local history,
where walking and cycling take priority.

4. Ensuring that all public bodies and private organisations
prioritise walking and cycling, and the use of public transport.

5. Using the Council’s planning powers to ensure that all new
developments provide for walking and cycling, including secure cycle
parking for residents, visitors and at least 30% of employees.

6. Promotion of car clubs, thus reducing car and van use and the
financial burden of vehicle ownership.

7. Making the areas around schools safe for walking and cycling and
providing training to all Southwark school children, teachers and
other staff.

8. Working with the Police to reduce death and injury on our roads by
well-enforced 20mph limits on all Southwark roads, including Transport
for London's roads; and removing roadside railings and fixtures that
hinder pedestrian movement and speed up motor traffic.

9. A zero-casualty policy, with a review of every single road death
and serious injury to remove the cause. All Council and contractors’
lorries to be fitted with side-guards, proximity sensors, in-vehicle
speed restrictors and full coverage mirrors.

10. Easy access to walking and cycling advice, help and training for
all Southwark residents, workers, students and organisations.

What I have done and will do to promote walking and cycling (no more
than 100 words):

Southwark Living Streets and Southwark Cyclists, April 2010
====================

And the covering note

====================
April 2010
From Southwark Cyclists and Southwark Living Streets

Dear Candidate for election as a Southwark Councillor,

We are committed to the promotion of sustainable forms of transport.

We are writing to you and other candidates to FIND OUT your views on
this. PLEASE REPLY: “Yes”, “No”, or “No comment” TO EACH OF THE TEN
ITEMS in the attached questionnaire AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR OWN IDEAS
IN A SHORT STATEMENT AT THE END.

We intend to publish the replies which we will have received by April
22 on a website Southwarksurvey.org.uk and to summarise the responses
by a press release.

We have been given your name by your party on an email list of
addresses. We will not use this list for any other purpose. We are
also ensuring that no unpublished information is seen by anyone
directly involved in the election campaign.

As charities we will, of course, abide by the Guidance from the
Charity Commission in relation to elections.

We look forward to receiving your response.

Yours sincerely

Alastair Hanton, Chair, Southwark Living Streets
Barry Mason, Coordinator, Southwark Cyclists
====================

What, no questions about kinetic energy?

Marie

Tom Crispin wrote:
Southwark Cyclists and Soutwark Living Streets have put together the
following questionaire to go out to all councillors, and prospective
councillors, in the borough - about 240.

SNIP BOLLOX

That is absolutely disgusting. A selfish pressure group attempting to
blackmail people into bowing to their insane demands.

Have you ****wits considered the cost and who will be footing the bill? Of
course not, cyclists are sponging freeloaders who expect someone else to
pay.

Have you considered the effect on local tradesmen & shop owners? Of course
not.

Have you considered what the majority want? Of course not.

You should be ****ing well ashamed of yourselves. You are lower than pond
scum.


--
Dave - the small piece of 14th century armour used to protect the armpit.