Ealing needs action not words to reduce cycling deaths

Many of us who are cyclists see junctions which are hot spots for injuries often involving cyclists and lorries, due to the blind spots.

Recently I went on a rally to show Ealing Council that they need to do more to reduce fatalities on our roads, following the death of ex-police officer and cyclist Claudia Manera in West Ealing. As Ealing’s Council Leader spoke he was barracked by cyclists demanding action not words. Too right.

The Liberal Democrats believe that the Council and Transport for London (TFL) should make a commitment to action the recommendations of the review relating to Claudia Manera’s death, that is being carried out so that future lives are not lost.

Ealing, like many areas, has an increased number of people cycling, but we are failing against the main Council target, as to the share of residents who cycle in Ealing is lower than planned.

Liberal Democrats believe there should be an action plan (not a strategy) for both pedestrians and cyclists. We need TFL and Ealing to spend more on preventing accidents. What is the cost of a death of a cyclist or pedestrian? Too much!

We need to see the approaches to major and more dangerous junctions made safer so that new cyclists can be encouraged as well as ensuring that existing cyclists can move from their homes to where they need to go more quickly.

Activities that Liberal Democrats’ ward forum have funded and implemented include:

• Expanded cycle racks and hangers so residents without a garden can store their bikes safely.
• Cycle training for children and adults across the area.
• Introduced a 20 mph zone and other measures to reduce the traffic speed at some key junctions where cyclists and pedestrians have accidents.

A cycling equivalent to Park Runs was suggested at a meeting this week. This should be organised and promoted to encourage new cyclists as well as holding events for younger cyclists so a range of cyclists can be motivated.

We need those who block bus and cycle lanes to be fined! On Acton Vale and Acton High Street this happens too often.

More money has been available for road repairs so let’s make sure Ealing receives its share!

I have suggested that all of Ealing’s cycling shops be encouraged to help promote training which Ealing Council offers. One in my area said they would.

We just need to be more ambitious.

Since Sadiq Khan has been elected...

It is only recently since the London Mayoral and Greater London Assembly (GLA) elections but one u-turn, one untruth and one borrowed policy have taken place!

We saw Sadiq Khan elected, but within days we saw him announce that it was going to be difficult to deliver the number of new affordable homes he promised. Being the Mayor of London is a privilege and was never to be easy, but to give up on possibly the most important policy area so soon is very sad for many residents who live in Ealing.

Sadiq Khan then reneged on his fares promise. He said: “Londoners won’t pay a penny more for their travel in 2020 than they do today.” But the truth of his policy has been uncovered recently when it appeared that he will only freeze part of the transport fares, excluding many commuters using travelcards. In the election Liberal Democrats said it was not possible to freeze the fares and so it is obvious that many Londoners have been fobbed off with a policy helping only some of those who were given the impression everyone would benefit.

Policy borrowed: Liberal Democrats welcome the announcement from Transport for London, that a one-hour bus ticket will come into effect in September. Though Sadiq Khan is happy lapping up the glory for the one-hour ticket, it was not his idea. Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Caroline Pidgeon campaigned on the policy since 2009.

Liberal Democrats want to see transport policies that make it easier for people to travel and cheaper for those who work on lower than average wages such as cleaners who have early starts before many of us have woken up.

It was great to see Caroline Pidgeon taking over as Chair of the Transport Committee. She is the most experienced GLA member and she has taken a great interest and solved many local issues in Ealing borough.

London Liberal Democrats will be pushing for more openness in City Hall, where the Mayor works. We have seen that the previous Mayor chose to hide a report which demonstrated that over 400 schools in London are located in areas that exceed EU limits for nitrogen dioxide. The Mayor and the Greater London Assemby need to make sure that they and Ealing Council take action to improve our air quality. Anything else and we are harming our children and the lives of 7 million residents.

The Mayor needs to check his rise in travelcards

We get annoyed at this time of the year when Transport for London, run by Mayor Boris, puts up the price of many travel tickets.

It was good to see Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, welcoming the news that from January 2014 the average regulated train fare will now go up by only 3.1% instead of the planned 4.1%. Certainly Caroline Pigeon and the Liberal Democrats have campaigned for prices to be held down when other household bills are rising.

Councillor Andrew Steed campaigning for better services

For many years London residents who rely on train services, along with many commuters from outer London, have faced incredibly painful  fare rises. At a time when people’s finances are under so much pressure even a rise by the rate of inflation is still hard for people to deal with, but it is at least a step in the right direction.

After this check on regulated train fares the Mayor must now explain why he is boasting about ‘freezing’ fares when in reality on Tuesday he pushed up the price of travelcards by inflation plus 1 per cent from next year. This is disingenuous.

Following Coalition Government intervention, Boris Johnson must now bring down Travelcard fare rises to no more than inflation!