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Basing your election vote partialy on a party’s active transport policy? Well it’ll perhaps come as no surprise that a CTC survey has placed the Greens at the top of the pile and UKIP bottom.
VoteBike is the CTC’s method of identifying candidates with a pro cycling position, taking into account: ambition for growth, funding, design standards, safety and positive promotion.
As part of the campaign, a total of 22,819 emails have been sent to 3,283 parliamentary candidates in 650 constituencies. So far, nearly a quarter of all candidates have responded (23.4 per cent – 768), and 22.4 per cent of all candidates have come out strongly in favour of cycling (737).
The greatest level of response and by some margin, comes from the offices of the Greens, with a 51 per cent response rate, of which 260 candidates have pledged their full support for cycling.
The next best is from the Lib Dems, who so far have returned 147 full support emails with a 32 per cent response rate.
The Conservative party, by proportion of candidates, have the worst response rate at just six per cent of those contacted. By comparison big rivals Labour have a one in five response rate with 60 candidates backing cycling fully.
Labour’s Michael Dugher, the shadow transport secretary and Barsley East MP recently outlined his vision for cycling under labour in a guest column on BikeBiz – readable here.
Following closely behind the Tories is UKIP with just seven per cent responding, but perhaps more significantly currently holding the top spot for the number of candidates pledging none, or very little, support for cycling. Given some of the tirades against cyclists by candidates in the past, this is hardly a shock.
Only two party leaders, Nick Clegg (Sheffield, Hallam) and Natalie Bennett (Holborn and St Pancras), have at present pledged their support for cycling, though David Cameron’s office (Witney) has assured CTC they are considering their response with urgency.
Roger Geffen, CTC Campaigns and Policy Director said: “Vote Bike builds on CTC’s success in persuading the last Parliament to vote for a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. We now need to know who our allies will be in Westminster to help push for serious investment in cycling, and for the design standards needed to ensure the funds are well spent.
“I’d therefore urge everyone who cycles, or knows someone who does, to use Vote Bike and ask their candidates where they stand.”
With under two weeks until polling day, the CTC is urging its members and supporters to keep up the pressure on candidates particularly those from the parties most likely to be elected.
For a deeper insight into the findings, visit the CTC’s VoteBike page here.
