Monday, June 1, 2015

Rosalind Readhead on a mission in the city of London (less cars and more bikes)

Laura Laker at the Road.cc blog has this article on Rosalind Readhead's "deliberately provocative" campaign for political office:
     Rosalind Readhead, who founded Ban Private Cars in London in September, says her campaign is deliberately provocative because she feels politicians aren't taking bold enough decisions to tackle pollution, congestion and health problems [emphasis added] in the capital.
     She said London is dragging its heels on reining in the private car. Her manifesto includes raising residents' parking permits to pay for "world class cycling infrastructure" and turning car parks over to affordable housing.
     "I think the aim to get at least 40-50% of people cycling in London is something we have to do, for the pollution, for the congestion, for the health of children and people in general, but because the car issue is so taboo politicians just won't go there, and if they won't go there I feel like I have to. I hope it will open the debate out," she told Road.cc.
Readhead says while the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, restricted private cars in Paris during air pollution spikes despite pressure from national politicians, at the same time London was "dragging its heels".