At our most recent Annual meeting, we set out our 2022 campaign priorities going into the local elections. 2024 is now about making sure we get Mayor and Cabinet to deliver on what was promised. In the coming weeks we will be writing to the Mayor of Lewisham and all ward councillors, highlighting what we think needs to be done in light of the climate emergency the council has declared and the catastrophic situation we as a society face.
Our main focus this year is in conjunction with the London Cycling Campaign’s Climate Safe Streets Campaign, on the back of the reports released over the two years. You can find here.
Our longer term campaign objectives have been clearly and excellently set out visually on this map. If you want a schematic version, this gives you some idea of why we want the Lewisham Spine Cycleway to be brought forward.
The map is pretty comprehensive, we believe, although isn’t an exhaustive list. There are undoubtedly a few things we don’t cover in the map that we would love to add. However, we have to be realistic when setting out what we can deal with as a volunteer run group. Everybody who gives up their time to work with us have full and busy personal, family and work lives as well. So, although we regret leaving a few things off the list, we believe this map sets out a good framework for campaigning and helps those new to the group to understand our priorities. We review these on an ongoing basis.
Even if it doesn’t cover everything, the map covers an awful lot. And, you may have noticed, our council has a long way to go before it begins to reach even its own targets set in the boroughs cycling strategy back in 2017. Let alone everything on our map.
So, as we approach 2 years on from the elections in 2022, we have pulled out some of the key priorities from the map, which we believe it would be reasonable to expect any council to deliver in one term, especially one which has declared a climate emergency, has declared a commitment to increasing active travel and desperately needs to sort out the unacceptable levels of congestion, road danger and noise and air pollution its residents currently suffer. Enabling those who want to cycle to do so is one strand in any policy to tackle these issues.
The key pledges we are asking the council to commit to are available here, summarised below as follows.
- 1. Safe Cycle Routes
Target: Build 10km of protected cycle lanes on key main roads
How? Bring forward plans for Lewisham Spine route on Deptford Church Street and Brookmilll Road, as well as other areas in the borough identified below.
- 2. Liveable Neighbourhoods Target: Enable shift to active travel and enhance the public realm
How? More School streets, much more secure cycle parking (300 additional Cycle Hangers), modal filters and two-way cycling on one-way streets (20 conversions).
- 3. Dedicated Active Travel Fund
Target: Commit consistent funds to enabling active travel
How? Allocate a defined proportion of Highways budget, including parking revenues, plus contributions from S106, CIL and NCIL Borough-wide funds to a dedicated active travel fund. Additional to TfL LIP funding which is not currently assured. Enable an ongoing pipeline of active travel schemes. Eliminate historic stop/start in these activities.
Want to find out more? email us on lewishamcyclists@gmail.com and come to one of our meetings, you can find out when they’re held on the calendar.