General Moan

[G3CWI]

Today I spoke to a local Councillor. He was keen to tell me about his pet scheme that includes a shared path for pedestrians and cycles. The path is 3m wide with 1m for cycles and 2m for pedestrians. He did not sound too pleased at my comments. We then got onto the local 20s Plenty Campaign. Councillors will have to vote on this shortly. He said he did not think it was suitable for residential areas but might work for any street in the town centre that was cobbled - or was in the past. He told me that even repainting the inadequate cycle lanes on a local road would not happen as it was too big a job. He said he was very pro-cycling. Feeling very fed up with local Government.

 

[annedonnelly]

So he doesn't think that 20mph limits are reasonable in residential areas? I guess he doesn't have children or elderly relatives or walk anywhere himself.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Today I spoke to a local Councillor. He was keen to tell me about his pet scheme that includes a shared path for pedestrians and cycles. The path is 3m wide with 1m for cycles and 2m for pedestrians. He did not sound too pleased at my comments. We then got onto the local 20s Plenty Campaign. Councillors will have to vote on this shortly. He said he did not think it was suitable for residential areas but might work for any street in the town centre that was cobbled - or was in the past. He told me that even repainting the inadequate cycle lanes on a local road would not happen as it was too big a job. He said he was very pro-cycling. Feeling very fed up with local Government.

Clearly the man's an idiot...it's often seen an essential requirement for being a local councilor....

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Feeling very fed up with local Government.

Just the local lot then?

 

[G3CWI]

Just the local lot then?

Good point.

 

[Hacienda71]

Cheshire East are a complete nightmare. In my professional life I have acted in a public inquiry as an expert witness where CE were participants. They were found to be lying, supressing public information and their officers breached professional guidelines. The result of this was a huge bill that the tax payer will have picked up with no discipline taken agasinst those involved in the wrong doing. I think that the commercial mismanagement of the council is so entrenched that we are having to rely on a broken organisation. I look back on the days of Cheshire County and Macc Borough with rose tinted specs and they were by no means perfect.
Simple things like filling potholes, repainting lines and arrows on the road are not happening. I suspect that whilst they will pay lip service to the cycling lobby little will happen. Didn't they appoint a lady to promote cycling?
I do however applaud you for at least trying to get a positive change.

 

[mjr]

He said he was very pro-cycling.

He lied or maybe he's misinformed. Send him a copy of the current guidance, LTN 1/20, and if Conservative, a copy of the Gear Change policy document.

Does he hold any power? If not, could he introduce you to the council's active travel champion and/or cabinet councillor for transport?

It can be a slow job to identify the correct people to lobby in local government because only the great or criminal get much press coverage and reshuffles often happen often.

 

[G3CWI]

Didn't they appoint a lady to promote cycling?

They have a Councillor who is the Cycling and Walking Champion. Her main activity appears to be retweeting things on twitter. So far not impressed.

I enjoyed Cheshire East's cycling promo video. Not only is it not in Cheshire East, I'm not even convinced it's in the UK:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69IH38hpB5Y

 

[Drago]

A 1 metre wide cycle lane? I'll have some of whatwver hes been smoking please.

 

[fossyant]

Cheshire East are a complete nightmare. In my professional life I have acted in a public inquiry as an expert witness where CE were participants. They were found to be lying, supressing public information and their officers breached professional guidelines. The result of this was a huge bill that the tax payer will have picked up with no discipline taken agasinst those involved in the wrong doing. I think that the commercial mismanagement of the council is so entrenched that we are having to rely on a broken organisation. I look back on the days of Cheshire County and Macc Borough with rose tinted specs and they were by no means perfect.
Simple things like filling potholes, repainting lines and arrows on the road are not happening. I suspect that whilst they will pay lip service to the cycling lobby little will happen. Didn't they appoint a lady to promote cycling?
I do however applaud you for at least trying to get a positive change.

I'll echo what is said here. Flipping nightmare Council despite some money behind them, and I live nearby. I haven't met one council that won't wrangle out of stuff, but Cheshire East roads are a nightmare. I used to memorise the pot holes (think the F1 drivers sitting there memorising corners)

 

[Hacienda71]

They have a Councillor who is the Cycling and Walking Champion. Her main activity appears to be retweeting things on twitter. So far not impressed.

I enjoyed Cheshire East's cycling promo video. Not only is it not in Cheshire East, I'm not even convinced it's in the UK:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69IH38hpB5Y

That is hilarious. Definitely not Cheshire East