London Cycling Campaign now has 50% female board for the first time

The London Cycling Campaign (LCC) now has an equal number of male and female trustees, after four more women were elected to its board at the AGM last week.

The winning five candidates were Rachel Aldred, Suzanne Fogg, David Love, Melanie Grech, and Claire Wren. They join existing trustees Ann Kenrick, Rik Andrew, Mustafa Arif, Alastair Hanton and Tony Levene. Amongst those stepping down was chair for the last four years and founder member Andy Cawdell.

It was the most strongly contested board election in the LCC’s history, with 18 candidates standing for the five available places. Voter turnout was at its highest ever too, due largely to the introduction of electronic voting.

“Last year I complained that I was the only woman standing for the Board," said LCC vice chair Ann Kenrick. "Our work to improve on that has paid dividends, and for the first time year our Board is now 50 per cent women.

“This result clearly demonstrates that the image of cyclists in London being primarily lycra-clad boy racers is completely inaccurate.

“Our new, more balanced Board of trustees will campaign even harder for conditions for cycling to be improved for all Londoners, and to hold the Mayor to account for promising that he would make our streets as safe and inviting for cycling as Holland.”

Commenting on the surge in interest in the LCC, campaigns marketing manager Lucy Cooper added: “We are delighted to see more and more women actively getting involved in LCC’s campaigning, many of whom were at the forefront of our Love London, Go Dutch campaign. Surveys tell us that women especially are concerned that cycling isn’t safe enough in London. We need more women to get involved in campaigning for better conditions for cycling to help make cycling safer for all.”

An emergency motion was passed at the AGM supporting a Day of Action on Friday November 16th to protest against road deaths. The event is being organised jointly by LCC, Living Streets and RoadPeace, and included a vigil at 5pm outside the London College of Communications at one of London’s most dangerous junctions, Elephant & Castle.

The AGM also included a rallying speech from chief exec Ashok Sinha, setting the LCC’s aspirations for the 2014 local elections, while guest speaker Guardian and London Cyclist columnist Zoe Williams entertained the 150-strong crowd at South Bank University with an irreverent look at London cycling manners and tales of her own cycling misdemeanours.