Many thanks to all the parliamentary candidates who took part in last night’s Hyde Park ward hustings, as well as the team from St John’s Church for organising such an excellent event.
There were a broad range of questions covering a wide range of issues including: planning and conservation, transport, the candidates’ greatest achievement, tax and balancing the books, homelessness, and problems with Airbnb properties.
HyPER was invited to ask a question, which the committee agreed to be as follows:
The mayor of London has been elected for an historic third term, and at the heart of the Mayor’s transport strategy is the aim for 80% of all trips in London to be made on foot, by cycle or using public transport. On the Hyde Park Estate there have been a number of attempts over the years to facilitate this, but so far little has changed.
What policies would you implement at a National level to see better such results at a local level? And – how would YOU show strong political leadership to encourage these changes?
The answers to this question from the candidates (in order of answer) were as follows:
Rachel Blake (Labour) emphasised the importance of these policies and gave 3 points that she would like Central Government to lead with:
- Clear guidance on the way that highways and planning systems interact, to help with the approaches on consultation.
- Clear guidance on national consultation expectations, to help with trust and confidence in the design of schemes for all residents and communities.
- Support for schools and travel to school schemes, so that school drop and routines are an important part of travel planning.
Edward Lucas (Lib Dem) emphasised the need for active travel and reiterated his long-term commitment as a regular cyclist himself. He said, however, that consultations need to be performed properly and that schemes need to work for everyone, including the frail, less mobile, visually impaired and other citizens who can’t bike or walk long distances. He stated his dislike of “floating bus stops” (where cyclists are kept separate from general motor traffic at bus stops) as they dump passengers into the cycle lane with its fast moving silent and often inconsiderate traffic.
Tarun Ghulati (Reform UK) stated that freedom to travel is as important as freedom of speech, and that many of the recent policies that have restricted motor vehicles should be reversed, including 20mph speed limits, low-traffic neighbourhoods, and the congestion charge. He stated that the only way the economy to grow is to provide much better road capacity for motor vehicles.
Hugo de Burgh (SDP) started by praising the cycle lane within Hyde Park, but expressed frustration at the parallel route on Park Lane. That said, he said he is otherwise fully supportive of cycling facilities, praising the benefits of cycling for everyone and stating that he himself found it an excellent way of getting around London.
Tim Barnes (Conservative) stated that there were many positive benefits for active travel, but that some aspects of it have been poorly managed, in particular parking of rental e-bikes. He stated that there needs to be much better management of such facilities so that they do not cause inconvenience and danger to others.