Active Travel England - Boardman
Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
We are at a critical stage with Active Travel England and the very positive government initiatives to encourage cycling and walking. But the change in government leadership is going to be disastrous I feel. Andrew Gilligan, Boris's cycling czar at the GLC and later at the DfT has been sacked. Gilligan was behind the government's support for cycling and walking, I have met him on several occasions and he also impressed me as someone who was really up to the job.
More freedom to developers is on the cards. It is bad enough now as we find negotiating for better walking and cycling routes on car dependent major development areas. Cycle use dropped about 20% from 2020 to 2021 and we know the reason - the motorists are forcing cyclists off the roads, not just when they drive but when they utter anti cycling sentiments to all and sundry.
ATE has put a good team together and in theory have the tools but our politicians, national and local, and the highway engineers, again national and local, are a hard bunch to take on.
More freedom to developers is on the cards. It is bad enough now as we find negotiating for better walking and cycling routes on car dependent major development areas. Cycle use dropped about 20% from 2020 to 2021 and we know the reason - the motorists are forcing cyclists off the roads, not just when they drive but when they utter anti cycling sentiments to all and sundry.
ATE has put a good team together and in theory have the tools but our politicians, national and local, and the highway engineers, again national and local, are a hard bunch to take on.
Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
Yes, very worrying.ChrisButch wrote: ↑11 Oct 2022, 11:55am Definitely not off-topic was a piece in the Guardian a couple of days ago about the 'pro-growth' planning system reforms now likely. One of them was the slimming down of the 'statutory consultee' involvement in planning applications. And the specific example quoted was, guess what, ATE. This before it's even started. What a surprise.
But at least Boardman is in post, has got his team going (as above), and knows his way around the system.
Jonathan
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Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
The other thing here is that the current government isn’t likely to be in power for long?
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Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
Maybe, but you can't start/stop/restart a quango any more easily than you can a supertanker.ratherbeintobago wrote: ↑14 Oct 2022, 8:42am The other thing here is that the current government isn’t likely to be in power for long?
Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
Yes. And if they fire Boardman, Deegan and co, or undermine them so they quit, they are unlikely to return even if ATE is restored.ChrisButch wrote: ↑14 Oct 2022, 10:41amMaybe, but you can't start/stop/restart a quango any more easily than you can a supertanker.ratherbeintobago wrote: ↑14 Oct 2022, 8:42am The other thing here is that the current government isn’t likely to be in power for long?
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
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Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
Given they’re about to give Kwarteng the boot I think there are bigger more urgent problems than messing with ATE.
Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
Cycling UK page with support for writing to your MP about active travel and the imminent budget:
https://action.cyclinguk.org/page/11505 ... BC0tw_JmZQ
Please consider doing this.
Thanks
Jonathan
https://action.cyclinguk.org/page/11505 ... BC0tw_JmZQ
Please consider doing this.
Thanks
Jonathan
Active Travel
"Doncaster to offer bikes on prescription to boost health":Jdsk wrote: ↑25 Aug 2022, 12:50pm From another thread:I don't think that the term social prescribing is widely used elsewhere, but the general concept is pretty common.https://www.transportxtra.com/publicati ... rtid=71884Is this provided in any other country?Prescriptions for walking, cycling and wheeling will be offered by GPs in 11 local authority areas in a Government trial. The councils will get a total of £12.7m, which will fund adult cycling training, free bike loans and walking groups.
The Wikipedia article mentions Ireland and the Netherlands:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_prescribing
NB the tiny amount of money for these trials.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-s ... 4mmb4XwNmY
https://www.cyclinguk.org/community-out ... Hi9u5_Hj9w
Jonathan
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Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
Manchester doing a consultation: https://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/2000 ... engagement
Active Travel
New Sustrans paper:
"Helping people through the cost of living crisis and growing our economy. The role of walking, wheeling and cycling."
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/media/11397 ... 8HugaJIHY0
Jonathan
"Helping people through the cost of living crisis and growing our economy. The role of walking, wheeling and cycling."
https://www.sustrans.org.uk/media/11397 ... 8HugaJIHY0
Jonathan
Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
they seem to have appointed Chris Whitty among others to some advisory panel https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir- ... sory-panel
Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
Excellent. Thanks for posting.awavey wrote: ↑22 Oct 2022, 10:58am they seem to have appointed Chris Whitty among others to some advisory panel https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir- ... sory-panel
There are many problems where a public health approach offers the best way out of what seems insoluble. Recreational drugs is probably the most well-known. This might well be another...
Jonathan
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Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
The other three appointments are intriguing. Not least because 'The Office of Rail and Road', whose chair also joins, is a body which hitherto has passed me by.awavey wrote: ↑22 Oct 2022, 10:58am they seem to have appointed Chris Whitty among others to some advisory panel https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sir- ... sory-panel
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Re: Active Travel England - Boardman
Arup have done a lot of AT building work I think, and Andy Street has done a lot in B’ham (more than Burnham has achieved?)