Strong support for cycling investment from Northern Ireland Assembly candidates

With just two weeks until the election on 5 May, a joint campaign by Cycling UK (formerly CTC), NI Greenways and Sustrans has received a ringing endorsement from Assembly candidates who back at least a £10 per head investment in cycling.

So far Election Cycle 2016 has seen Jon Snow, Channel 4 Presenter and Cycling UK President, write to all the Northern Ireland election candidates on behalf of the groups asking three questions on cycling and active travel in a major pre-election survey.

One third of candidates have replied with their responses now visible on the 
campaign website, 

I therefore urge all MLA candidates to respond to our three simple questions and let the electorate know you support the vision of a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous Northern Ireland.”
Jon Snow, Cycling UK President

There is still time for Assembly hopefuls to respond and you, the voting public, are asked to contact candidates, with details provided on the website, to ask them to pledge their support for active travel.

Cycling’s benefits in terms of health, environmental and economic benefits are well known. The questions focus not just on cycling in urban areas but rural with the development of traffic-free greenways where there is huge potential for tourism and regeneration.

Cycling UK President, Jon Snow, said: “Cycling’s benefits in terms of health, environmental and economic benefits are well known. I therefore urge all MLA candidates to respond to our three simple questions and let the electorate know you support the vision of a cleaner, healthier and more prosperous Northern Ireland.”

Gordon Clarke, Sustrans Northern Ireland Director said: “We are pleased to see so many candidates standing in this May’s election being supportive of active travel and sustainable transport.

“We know that cycling is an easy way to incorporate exercise into our daily life, it is emissions free and for every pound invested in cycling, the economy gets five back.”

The questions are:

1. Investment. Do you support funding for cycling in Northern Ireland of at least £10 per head of population, so as to encourage safer cycling conditions and see more people start cycling?
2. Greenways. Do you support the development of traffic-free greenways across the country to boost rural regeneration and tourism?
3. Legislation. Do you support the introduction of an Active Travel Act to incorporate cycling and walking provision into land-use planning and new developments?

ENDS