Elections

2015 General Election: South Cambridgeshire: South Cambridgeshire

Summary: 2015 General Election for the South Cambrididgeshire constituency
Polling date: Thursday 7th May 2015
Constituency: South Cambridgeshire
Candidates
(by surname):
  • Heidi Suzanne ALLEN  (Conservative Party)
  • Daniel GREEF  (Labour Party)
  • Sebastian Gerald Molesworth KINDERSLEY  (Liberal Democrat)
  • Marion Ann MASON  (UK Independence Party)
  • Simon Peter SAGGERS  (Green Party)

Questions for South Cambridgeshire constituency candidates (8 questions)

Jump to question:  1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8 

# 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?

Heidi Suzanne ALLEN
(Conservative Party)

I do support the guide - for South Cambs it's critical we link key commuter routes. To ease congestion on our over burdened roads, we need to join the City with villages, villages with transport connections and also with employment and retail locations. Too many of our villages are cut off.

Daniel GREEF
(Labour Party)

I do fully support this guide. It was a very good read.
I'm a big fan of traditional street layouts over cul-de-sac housing developments. I agree that these are much better for the community and would really encourage cyclist to use the roads/cycle paths. I would like to see Northstowe develop in this way so that that it becomes a community focused development and to show people that cycling is a very viable option.

Sebastian Gerald Molesworth KINDERSLEY
(Liberal Democrat)

I fully support the Guide. From a South Cambs perspective the principle regarding major roads between urban areas is the key - assuming it includes villages! We really need to grasp that not only do cyclists want to get into Cambridge but they also want to get from village to village - from home to work, or home to school.

Marion Ann MASON
(UK Independence Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Simon Peter SAGGERS
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 2

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?

Heidi Suzanne ALLEN
(Conservative Party)

Being honest, I don't cycle though my father would think nothing of cycling from Leeds to Manchester and back in a day! Cycling is of course great for health, but I do wonder if it will be possible to get the older members of our communities back in the saddle.

Daniel GREEF
(Labour Party)

I am a keen cyclist and have partaken in many long distance bike rides each summer around the Cambridge/Suffolk and Norfolk countryside. Two summers ago I cycled from Norwich to Kings Lynn. It was a wonderful way to see the countryside and was a personal achievement. I worry however that younger cyclitsts would not be able to cycle around South Cambs for fear of the narrowness of some roads. Gt Shelford to Sawston is a good example of the cycle path and a busy road meeting with only 10cm gap and no barrier. 170 children use this route each day, I don't think this is safe and have publicly said so.

Sebastian Gerald Molesworth KINDERSLEY
(Liberal Democrat)

Just me, I'm afraid. My cycling experience is average. Obviously different ages deliver different concerns - which is why safety on cycle ways and properly built and safe cycle routs are so important.

Marion Ann MASON
(UK Independence Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Simon Peter SAGGERS
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 3

What would you do to improve the number of children cycling to school nationally?

Heidi Suzanne ALLEN
(Conservative Party)

Increase the number of cycle routes as per question 1 and ensure crossing points are safe.

Daniel GREEF
(Labour Party)

Invest in decent cycle paths that link up villages with schools. Encouragement is important but without safety there is no point. Secondly we need to make sure crossings are safe and that children are taught cycling proficiency. I remember being taught this at primary school, it made me much safer cycling to school each day.

Sebastian Gerald Molesworth KINDERSLEY
(Liberal Democrat)

I think there's a lot that can be done as long as it gets children off roads altho I suspect most don't cycle on safety grounds. Some of the measures I've been involved in over the years include 20mph zones, new safe crossings, combined use cyclepaths to new developments, insistence on proper covered cycle racks near the school entrance and so on.

Marion Ann MASON
(UK Independence Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Simon Peter SAGGERS
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 4

Do you support the Prime Minister's statement that cycle provision should be designed in to all new road schemes from the beginning? How would you support this?

Heidi Suzanne ALLEN
(Conservative Party)

Yes - especially relevant in Cambs. As an MP I would be heavily involved in the detail of all major planning applications eg Northstowe. We need to get them right - need better transport links than eg Cambourne.

Daniel GREEF
(Labour Party)

I hate to say I agree with the PM but this is a very good idea. Councils should implement these within applications. As long as this was implemented safely then I fully support it.

Sebastian Gerald Molesworth KINDERSLEY
(Liberal Democrat)

Completely agree. I'd support it by making sure that officers and developers were made aware of it, ensured that it was in the relevant local Plans and that applications that didn't address the issue properly were refused.

Marion Ann MASON
(UK Independence Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Simon Peter SAGGERS
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 5

The Netherlands spends over £20 head on cycling annually. Should we try to match this, or should we be spending much more to catch up?

Heidi Suzanne ALLEN
(Conservative Party)

Since 2010 spend per head has increased from £2 to £6. Target is to reach £10, I suspect £20 nationally is ambitious in the current economic climate. However Cambs has already received additional funds in the form of the £500m City Deal - some of which will be spent on cycling projects.

Daniel GREEF
(Labour Party)

I agree that we should match it. There is an economic, health and social argument for encouraging cycling. If £20 per head spending were to enable a paradigm shift then this would be well worth the investment.

Sebastian Gerald Molesworth KINDERSLEY
(Liberal Democrat)

I think it would be great to match it - any more would be fantastic but assuming we can ensure all new developments are properly delivered (which itself is a big ask) retrofitting cycle provision is difficult and of course expensive. However, we do need to balance the limited pot which has many calls on it.

Marion Ann MASON
(UK Independence Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Simon Peter SAGGERS
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 6

HGVs pose a disproportionate risk to people on bikes due to size and restricted visibility. What would you do to reduce the danger posed by these vehicles?

Heidi Suzanne ALLEN
(Conservative Party)

Work with local HGV firms to ensure their drivers are following the right route - not the route their satnav sends them, They need to stay away from narrow village roads.

Daniel GREEF
(Labour Party)

I have been working with parents in Whittlesford concerned about HGVs driving past their primary school at drop off and pick up times. The depot and I came to an arrangement that they wouldn’t drive down during these times. I think this shows how co-operation with companies around road access can be achieved. In particular having certain roads closed to HGV traffic between certain times.

Sebastian Gerald Molesworth KINDERSLEY
(Liberal Democrat)

I think driver education would be a big help. I think the signs that you see more and more on lorries warning cyclists that they could be in danger are a useful reminder that it's not a safe environment. Segregation is the ideal here but we need to face the reality of the road network.

Marion Ann MASON
(UK Independence Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Simon Peter SAGGERS
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 7

National Cycle City Ambition funding has been focused on only a few areas nationwide. Do you think that it is better to focus funding on a few places as examples of what can be achieved, or do you think funding should be spread more evenly across the country?

Heidi Suzanne ALLEN
(Conservative Party)

Certainly focusing spend on areas such as Cambs has allowed us to be a trail blazing example for others to follow. Given limited funds however, I'd rather see it spread more evenly so that all areas can benefit from the economic and health benefits. Prosperity and good practice needs to be shared.

Daniel GREEF
(Labour Party)

I worry that spending across the whole country would dilute the impact of this initiative. Much better to build up some places where commuting can safely become cycling and then to roll out programmes in other localities. Cambridge and its surrounding villages would be a perfect example of this.

Sebastian Gerald Molesworth KINDERSLEY
(Liberal Democrat)

I'd like to see both, actually. If Cambridge and South Cambs could be used as a demonstration area that would be great - showing other parts of the UK what can be achieved and showing the benefits that flow from increased cycling. Obviously if I had to choose I'd want this area to get the cash!

Marion Ann MASON
(UK Independence Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Simon Peter SAGGERS
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 8

One of the major benefits of people cycling is decreased costs to healthcare budgets. Do you think money for building cycle routes should also come from health budgets ?

Heidi Suzanne ALLEN
(Conservative Party)

No - it should be separately funded as it is also linked to transport. The health budget is stretched enough already.

Daniel GREEF
(Labour Party)

No. Health care should be protected and there to provide the best treatment when we all need it. Taking pressure off health budgets makes the NHS better for all of us and means it can continue to provide high quality health care for everyone. Cycling is a very important aspect of how to make people healthier and I would like to see the NHS promote it more.

Sebastian Gerald Molesworth KINDERSLEY
(Liberal Democrat)

I think probably not. Healthcare budgets are reduced now almost to addressing the immediate issues only rather than planning for prevention for obvious reasons. Building cycle infrastructure is expensive and so needs to be funded properly - City Deal, S106, CIL etc rather than tapping into seriously stressed healthcare budgets. Happy to be convinced otherwise tho.

Marion Ann MASON
(UK Independence Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Simon Peter SAGGERS
(Green 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.