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Thank you for your letter about Spokes and my attitudes to cycling. I congratulate Spokes for the excellent work they are doing to promote cycling, not just in East Kent but also to a wider audience. My response to your specific questions are listed below:
1. I would be delighted to work to introduce a 20 mph speed limit in residential areas after a proper risk analysis for each stretch of road. Some roads are wide and may already have cycle lanes so obviating the need to lower the speed limit. Others are clearly dangerous to cyclists and other road users and should have a lower speed limit imposed.
2. Yes, I would campaign strongly to introduce more dedicated cycle and pedestrian routes especially those that link schools.
3. Yes, I will push for Ashford to adopt a Cycling Strategy and, if agreed, push hard for its implementation.
4. I firmly believe that all new developments should have pedestrian and cycling routes built in to the infrastructure as it develops. This should be a legal obligation on all developers.
5. The provision of free cycle training for adults, although desirable, would be a lower priority on scarce public funds than many other activities.
6. I would pursue cycling strategies through community forums (in my case Willesborough) as well as formal meetings of the Borough Council.
7. I certainly believe that cycling should be part of an integrated transport structure and will do my best to pursue this goal.
Best wishes to your campaign
Andrew Mortimer
Cyclescape