Comment by John Mellor on April 30, 2014 at 10:23

Excellent - let me know where I can get hold of copies of your petition- or provide an online link to it -  and I'll help get signatures.

Comment by karl brown on April 30, 2014 at 13:48

That's a useful link. Perhaps others can check to see if the (page 3) co-signatory to the bid, a Michael Lavender, Leader of the Opposition, is the same Michael Lavender, writing as Leader of the Conservative Group, who is opposing the bid in todays (30th April) Enfield Independent. And as for the Shadow Cabinet Member for the Environment who points out (on bid page 20) that both parties agree on the proposals and gives her own parties "full support" to the proposals, well, I wonder which way should she should be looking now.

Comment by Administrator on April 30, 2014 at 14:35

Here is the letter as published in today's paper:

Comment by John Mellor on April 30, 2014 at 16:23

Just seen this - appreciate the offer to meet - unbiased and open - but I have to work tomorrow and then set-off up North for a few days ... any way it looks like the Tories are the ones who need persuading - doubt that anything this side of the election will be effective. Cheers! JM

Comment by Alan Sitkin on May 1, 2014 at 14:14

Link to London Cycling Campaign (LCC http://lcc.org.uk/), which has supported our efforts in Enfield (inc. by coming to David Burrowes' meeting) and beyond. Between the LCC and other clubs, resident groups (like BPCA and our friend Karl's group in PG), both the Labour and Green parties and many non-affiliated residents, our pro-cycling voices are pretty loud already. Which is a very good thing as the Council's consultation advances over the next few months...

Comment by Geoffrey Kemball-Cook on May 2, 2014 at 10:42

I appreciate all that has been written above. However let's try a little mental exercise. Imagine that up to now, perhaps on an alternate Earth 2, cycling has ruled the streets, with extensive High Street bike parking, dedicated cycle lanes and car use restricted. The High Street would be much more like when the roads were built - pedestrian-friendly with EVERYONE doing ALL their weekly shopping on the High Street. People meet and chat. A community exists. Heathier people. Less traffic fumes.

Now imagine a new traffic scheme which suggests removing all the cycle lanes, all the cycle parking in order to institute full-access to cars, despite the fact that (1) they are so bulky to park that only 5% of people who wish to park and shop can do so; and (2) they are a serious risk to life and limb, particularly to the vulnerable young and elderly.

Such a scheme would be universally reviled, most especially by shopkeepers, who would see an end to their ability to trade. It would rightly be seen as some kind of insanity, for a host of reasons. The only people likely to support it might be car owners who would wish for greater ability to use their expensive toys.

I hope my point is clear. Yes, Earth 2 is an impossible Utopia to creat in one fell swoop, but as we have seen on Earth 1 (our Earth, our Palmers Green), changes occur incrementally. A pedestrianised Palmers Green High Street was gradually converted over many years into the dangerous and unpleasant place it is today, where the real menace to High Street shopkeepers are supermarkets and online shopping. The real message of "Holland" in the phrase "mini-Holland" is that individual incremental steps CAN get you from what we have in Palmers Green to what people enjoy in Amsterdam. Amsterdam in the 1960s was absolutely awful. One step at a time. If you build it they will come - we will buy bicycles and we will cycle to the shops.

Comment by Alan Sitkin on May 2, 2014 at 14:38

Appreciate the cross-party consensus. Geoff. As posted elsewhere, more unites progressives than separates us. Also agree re: incrementalism. We Labour environmentalists are confident cycling can be expanded in a way that works for local businesses. You guys clearly think the same. Good.

PS. We all talk about Holland but Hamburg has very wide pavements with clear demaraations between pedestrian and (permanent) cycling lanes. Cyclists are all in the habit of attaching rolling shopping trolleys to their bike. Good for local retail.

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