Elections

2015 South Cambridgeshire District Council election: Balsham

Summary: 2015 elections to South Cambridgeshire District Council
Polling date: Thursday 7th May 2015
Ward:
Candidates
(by surname):
  • John BATCHELOR  (Liberal Democrat)
  • Imogen BUXTON  (Labour Party)
  • Ellie CRANE  (Green Party)
  • Richard TURNER  (Conservative Party)

Questions for Balsham ward candidates (4 questions)

Jump to question:  1   2   3   4 

# Question 1

Cambridge Cycling Campaign has created a guide to cycling best-practice called Making Space For Cycling, endorsed by all national cycling organisations. Do you fully support this guide, and if so, what one principle in it do you think could most effectively be applied in your ward?

John BATCHELOR
(Liberal Democrat)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Imogen BUXTON
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Ellie CRANE
(Green Party)

Yes, I support this guide. Walking and cycling, along with disabled access to transport, are the Green Party's top transport priorities. We would ensure that pedestrians and cyclists get their fare share of road space and would spend at least £30 per head on them over every year of the Parliament. Funding should be allocated flexibly to make safe, convenient routes that address the needs of pedestrians and cyclists while reducing any risk of conflict between them.

Balsham is a largely rural ward, so the sections of the document that are aimed at urban environments are less relevant. A big issue for cyclists in the area is the fast and relatively narrow country roads that connect our villages. I think the ‘people need space’ principle is very relevant: there is a need for good quality off-road cycle routes in our area to allow cyclists to get from A to B without having to share roads with fast traffic. This could involve building new cycle paths, and in some cases improving the signage and surfacing of existing bridleways.

Richard TURNER
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 2

What measures would you like to see to improve the safety of children getting to school?

John BATCHELOR
(Liberal Democrat)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Imogen BUXTON
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Ellie CRANE
(Green Party)

The Green Party wants to see a step change in road safety. The aim is a road transport system that results in zero deaths or serious injuries, to be achieved by systematically reducing sources of danger on the roads.

We would:
• Bring down speed limits, in particular to 20 mph in residential areas; enforce speed limits with speed cameras and policing.
• Change the culture of road justice and civil compensation with a road danger reduction approach. A greater duty of care should be expected of drivers in reducing injury and intimidation of vulnerable road users. Motor vehicle drivers should be presumed liable for injuries to pedestrians and cyclists. If the casualty has contributed to the collision, compensation may be reduced, but not when the victim is a child, elderly (70+) or impaired.
• Reduce the alcohol limit for drivers to as close to zero as is practicable.
• Require newly manufactured lorries to be equipped with best practice technology (already in use in several countries) to make sure that drivers are fully aware of the presence of all pedestrians and cyclists. Lorries already in use must be retro-fitted with the same equipment and lorries not so equipped will not be allowed into our towns and cities.
• Reduce lorry activity and road freight volume by improving rail freight services, reducing the number of empty or partially loaded trips, and using cargo bikes for last-mile deliveries to replace some white van trips.

The Green Party will support an Active Travel Bill for England. For example, we would:
• Help schools and workplaces to support active travel to and from work, and encourage local authorities to assist this by linking their public health and transport functions.
• Ensure that all planning decisions have to take into account the active travel and public transport implications.
• Reduce the amount of cars on the road: make public transport more convenient by integrating ticketing with smart regional ticketing systems such as the London Oyster card; introduce road-pricing schemes such as the London congestion charge and road-user tolls for heavy lorries.
• Begin consultation with a view to developing a framework for the progressive elimination of diesel exhaust emissions. A major cause of air pollution is emissions from diesel vehicles (cars, buses and trains). Children's (and adults') health can be harmed by air pollution and cyclists can encounter particularly high levels of exposure.
• Eliminate pavement parking. Ensure that parking policies in residential areas deliver a high-quality street environment and reduce the numbers of those who are clogging up residential streets as part of a commuter trip or other activities not related to a visit to an address in that street.

We will make sure that rural areas like Balsham are not neglected when transport budgets and planning for our cities and city regions are under discussion.

Richard TURNER
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 3

What experience do you and your family have of cycling? Do you have any different concerns about younger or older family members cycling than you do yourself?

John BATCHELOR
(Liberal Democrat)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Imogen BUXTON
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Ellie CRANE
(Green Party)

I and my partner are regular cyclists, using our bikes for short distance trips (up to about 5 miles) into Cambridge and between villages. I do not have any children and my older family members do not cycle.

Richard TURNER
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 4

The 2011 census shows that South Cambridgeshire has the highest levels of cycle commuting of any non-urban area, including substantial cycling into Cambridge city: how would you rate the current conditions for cycling from your ward into Cambridge, and how could it be improved?

John BATCHELOR
(Liberal Democrat)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Imogen BUXTON
(Labour Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Ellie CRANE
(Green Party)

Balsham is approximately 10 miles out of Cambridge, which is beyond the reach of many 'casual' cyclists. As previously mentioned, the main issue is unsafe country roads. While there are bridleway routes etc, these need to be better connected and signposted to make them convenient for cyclists to use.

Richard TURNER
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

Camcycle is a non-partisan body. All candidates are given an equal opportunity to submit their views. Information published by Camcycle (Cambridge Cycling Campaign), The Bike Depot, 140 Cowley Road, Cambridge, CB4 0DL.