Promoting Cycling and Reducing Congestion

At December's meeting of the full council, Lib Dems secured some support for making Epsom and Ewell a more cycle friendly borough.

Cllr Anna Jones spoke in support of her Motion to make 2010 the Year of the Bike. She highlighted the frustrations of the Lib Dem group of councillors at the lack of leadership being shown by the ruling group on the council to tackle the problems of congestion. Both the centres of Epsom and Ewell suffer badly and the ruling group has failed to improve air quality in both places.

Cllr Jones wants to promote cycling as an alternative means of transport and feels the council can lead the way and encourage schools, businesses and other organisations to embrace this cheap and healthy form of transport.

"There is no money to widen roads and little investment in public transport" says Cllr Jones "cycling and walking are the two obvious forms of getting around that solve two problems in one - reducing congestion and improving fitness levels".

Cllr Jones and other Lib Dem councillors have been making the case for cyclists for many years and have asked for better signage, more cycle racks and stronger enforcement of illegal parking which makes roads dangerous for cyclists. One of the concerns to be addressed is the perceived danger of cycling - but it has been proven that the more cyclists there are, the safer the roads are for cyclists. Cllr Jones wants the council to help set up training for inexperienced or lapsed cyclists.

The Motion as it stood failed to get the support of the ruling Residents' Party, but is being pushed onward for debate at the council's Leisure Committee where it could be tagged on to activities planned during 2012 (Olympics year).

"I am still hopeful that the council will show some initiative in the matter and intend to be fully involved when the matter is debated, yet again, at the spring meeting of the Leisure Committee" concluded Cllr Jones.