Summary of cycling pledges in the County Council election manifestos

The main parties have published their manifestos for the the upcoming County Council election so we’ve had a trawl through them to see what they have to say about cycling.

Here’s a summary of what they all have to say.

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The Conservative’s manifesto [PDF] contains the following

We are investing in cycling measures with the ambition of being the best cycling county in the country.

This year sees Councils taking leadership of public health roles from the NHS. This is a thread that will run through all that we do from building cycleways to community campaigns to reduce smoking we will be at the forefront of helping our communities live healthy and independent lives.

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We will repair more roads, footpaths and cycleways than ever before. We will find new ways of working to improve efficiency.

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The Liberal Democrats’ manifesto [PDF] contains the following

The Lib Dems would make it easier to get around by bicycle. We would:

• Build the Chisholm Trail, a strategic cycle route that would run from Addenbrooke’s to the Cambridge Science Park, alongside the railway
• Provide more cycle parking in areas of greatest demand.
• Invest in enhancing cycle links around the county.
• Bring junctions that are dangerous for cyclists up to a safe standard.
• Introduce 20mph zones in densely populated residential areas, not including A and B roads, in consultation with local communities, to make travelling safer for all road users.
• Grit more of our cycle routes, among the busiest in the country.

Additionally (via twitter conversation)

In our alt budget we proposed an extra £8m for cycle links (but £4m of that is earmarked for the Chisholm Trail in Cambridge)

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The Labour manifesto [PDF] contains the following

Roads, cycling, pedestrians and road safety

We will ensure that road safety activity targets the poorer parts of the county – where children are four times more likely to suffer serious injuries in road accidents than those who live in the wealthier communities.

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We will push for investment in high-quality strategic cycle routes across the county, more and safer cycle parking, and will campaign to make dangerous junctions safer for cyclists.

We will promote cycling and walking and to work with parents, teachers and school governors to organise walking buses’ and safer routes to schools.

We will demand more investment in the repair and maintenance of roads and pavements.

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The UKIP manifesto [PDF] has no mention of cycling at all.

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The Green Party don’t have a manifesto for the County elections as far as we can tell so these are their policies from their website.

This will be achieved through transport planning based on a hierarchy of modes, with walking, cycling and public transport at the top. We must also integrate transport modes more effectively, allowing people to use sustainable modes of transport for at least part of their journey.

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We will commit to a programme of redesigning residential streets as home zones. Designed with the local community, these will promote use as part of their outdoor living space, increasing space for pedestrians and cyclists, providing better room for parking and restrict vehicle carriageways.

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Safe routes to schools would be given the highest priority by the Green Party, so that most children are able to walk or cycle to school. The Green Party supports the popular and successful walking bus method of accompanying smaller children to and from school and the provision of good quality subsidised public transport for all pupils who do not live within a short distance of their school.

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