Sustrans "reminder" about Connect 2
Sustrans "reminder" about Connect 2
Just received an email from Sustrans asking for my mobile number to “remind” me to vote for their Connect 2 Project in the so-called People’s Lottery £50m Giveaway. I’m not an advocate of purpose-built cycling facilities (or indeed of distributing public money by such populist methods), and am half tempted to ignore it (or even vote for the Eden Project!) but something tells me it’s churlish to refuse to back a high-profile cyclist-and pedestrian-focused project. I’d like to know what other people think.
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mhara
I agree. It's Sustrans Connect2 for me - and that's after I've been to the Eden Project two weks ago.
After Sustrans have used the £50M everyone will be entitled to free use of whichever of the 79 nationwide links they live nearest to, or holiday close by to.
If Eden get the money everyone will
a) have to travel all the way to Cornwall to see where their votes' gone (Hi MickF, I know you're a lot closer than most)
b) have to pay to get in.
No chance Eden - my vote's for Connect2.
After Sustrans have used the £50M everyone will be entitled to free use of whichever of the 79 nationwide links they live nearest to, or holiday close by to.
If Eden get the money everyone will
a) have to travel all the way to Cornwall to see where their votes' gone (Hi MickF, I know you're a lot closer than most)
b) have to pay to get in.
No chance Eden - my vote's for Connect2.
I like the Sustrans idea of connecting two areas which are presently seperated by some sort of obstacle and the connection being for non-motor traffic only.
This will be occuring in lots of different places across the UK. In our area the school is seperated from the town by a river and a dual carriageway, If sustrans win the grant they will build a safe cycle/footpath to the school.
What I dont like is how the awarding body want us to fight over the grant money like dogs at the master's table! Some of the other projects are worthwhile too and they will probably waste as much money in this gameshow method of distribution as one or more of the projects.
This will be occuring in lots of different places across the UK. In our area the school is seperated from the town by a river and a dual carriageway, If sustrans win the grant they will build a safe cycle/footpath to the school.
What I dont like is how the awarding body want us to fight over the grant money like dogs at the master's table! Some of the other projects are worthwhile too and they will probably waste as much money in this gameshow method of distribution as one or more of the projects.
I agree with meic, the whole tv vote thing is very undignified. I'll be supporting the Sustrans bid for many of the reasons folk have already expressed. However, it is surely wrong that £51m of public money (the lottery is a voluntary tax after all) is allocated by a tv vote with all the bias and irregularities that go with it. It is also wrong that core infrastructure projects are funded by the lottery and not the highways budget.
Good point Mhara, about the Eden project. I'm pretty sure I will vote for Connect 2 - I just wanted to air the misgivings first.
Another slight irritation is that a Sustrans officer I know is urging everyone to vote five times (you can get away with this from the same phone, apparently). Presumably all the competing schemes are doing this, but it's slightly galling that in addition to participating in the whole distasteful TV vote, people will feel need to cheat. I will only be voting once, but of course the that vote is devalued if other people use all five...
Another slight irritation is that a Sustrans officer I know is urging everyone to vote five times (you can get away with this from the same phone, apparently). Presumably all the competing schemes are doing this, but it's slightly galling that in addition to participating in the whole distasteful TV vote, people will feel need to cheat. I will only be voting once, but of course the that vote is devalued if other people use all five...
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mhara
glueman wrote:Anyone care to elaborate in a sentence or two? Avoiding any parts of the mag that involve campaigning, Sustrans or funding for technical and touring articles, this stuff passes me by.
Is it important?
It's only important if you enjoy the occasional off-road route that gets you from a to b much faster than sticking on-road.
Connect2 intends to do just that - help connect up cycle routes to places and in doing so shorten cycle-time journeys. Oh, and they'd be motor-traffic free routes too I beleive.
79 projects located all over the country.
The two here in Devon I can say for certain will make a big difference. Assuming the same all round the country then Connect2 is a great proposal. Gets my vote - and yes, I too deplore the stupid way we have to vote for good organisations to get all or nothing for their pains.
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wellingtonrock
- Posts: 45
- Joined: 22 May 2007, 2:14pm
- Location: worthing, west sussex
Sustrans and 'the people's' Muy Dinero
Well, I agree with comments above about the tawdry nature of the TV involvement, and wonder how much ITV and the telephone providers will skim from us poor punters.
But I also agree with Mhara. National infrastructure or regional tourist trap? No contest. It's gotta be Sustrans.
(And I'll confess to an interest. I commute across the Adur River. The current footbridge is pedestrian only, so it's get off and walk or risk a ticket. The replacement would be wonderful!)
You have to register to vote online, so they're at least attempting to manage the botnets (Not that they give a da*n who wins if they can't get something from it.)
So... Vote!
cheers
denis
But I also agree with Mhara. National infrastructure or regional tourist trap? No contest. It's gotta be Sustrans.
(And I'll confess to an interest. I commute across the Adur River. The current footbridge is pedestrian only, so it's get off and walk or risk a ticket. The replacement would be wonderful!)
You have to register to vote online, so they're at least attempting to manage the botnets (Not that they give a da*n who wins if they can't get something from it.)
So... Vote!
cheers
denis
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Ben Lovejoy
- Posts: 1170
- Joined: 26 Oct 2007, 9:47pm
- Location: London/Essex
- Contact:
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megilleland
- Posts: 293
- Joined: 11 Aug 2007, 7:49pm
- Location: Hereford
Opportunity to get a share of £50 million handout. Only one project out of four will be chosen for Lottery funding by popular vote. So it's vital that as many people as possible spread the word and VOTE for Sustrans Connect2 in the competition.
ITV1 are screening the causes this week, commencing at 11.05pm each evening Monday to Friday. Sustrans Connect2 is featured on Tuesday 4th December 2007 at 11.05pm.
Its not only cyclepaths, which most people seem to be against. Here in Hereford, successful voting could provide Lottery funding for a bridge for walkers and cyclists across the River Wye at Rotherwas in Hereford, under the Sustrans Connect2 project. Other parts of the country will also benefit with their schemes.
For more information on the Rotherwas bridge, please go to:
http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/sche ... .php?id=92
see photos here:
ITV1 are screening the causes this week, commencing at 11.05pm each evening Monday to Friday. Sustrans Connect2 is featured on Tuesday 4th December 2007 at 11.05pm.
Its not only cyclepaths, which most people seem to be against. Here in Hereford, successful voting could provide Lottery funding for a bridge for walkers and cyclists across the River Wye at Rotherwas in Hereford, under the Sustrans Connect2 project. Other parts of the country will also benefit with their schemes.
For more information on the Rotherwas bridge, please go to:
http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/sche ... .php?id=92
see photos here:
