Graham Wroe supports the Space for Cycling Campaign

I am pleased to support the Space for Cycling campaign and have pledged to do so. I feel very strongly about this because my Grandad was knocked off his bike and killed by a lorry before I was born. It is vital that we encourage people to cycle and walk more and the best way to do this is to ensure the road infrastructure is safe for them. When I went to the Netherlands I was very impressed with their cycle provision, where cycle routes are often completely separated from cars and residential street have low speed limits making them safe for children to play. In the Netherlands nearly everyone had the confidence to cycle.

I welcome and support the proposal to create a protected space for cycling along Prince of Wales Road: a wide arterial route which links the residential areas of Manor and Woodthorpe and runs past Sheffield Park Academy School. The pictures show 3 views of Prince of Wales Road near the junction of Harborough Avenue.  As you can see the central reservation is very wide, giving plenty of room for a separate cycle way.  A safe and pleasant cycle route would also allow people to access the large employers and leisure sites in the lower Don Valley. I will do my best to get it implemented should I be elected as your councillor.

I am pleased to confirm the strong support for cycling by the Green Party. The Guardian gave us 10 out of 10 for our manifesto – see http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2015/apr/16/which-partys-manifesto-is-strongest-on-cycling

Walking and cycling should be safer, more convenient and more enjoyable than driving. Green councillors will do everything they can to

• Support plans for Sheffield’s urban space and highways that support and prioritise walking and cycling, learning from examples from other cities in the UK and overseas
• Fight to ensure that funding for cycling in Sheffield and the Sheffield City Region is maintained and increased
• Hold the council and its partners (eg SYPTE) to account over planning and transport decisions that do not prioritise walking and cycling
• Ensure that the council, working within the Sheffield City region, is ready to bid for Government infrastructure monies for cycling as soon as possible
• Ensure that the council has a programme of professional development for transport planners and highway engineers so they can properly design for cycling
• Encourage the Cycling lead person on the Green City Council group to correspond and meet with local MPs to ensure they are taking action in Parliament on planning and transport policies and practice

Graham Wroe

Green Party candidate for Manor Castle Ward