Elections

Cambridgeshire County Council elections, May 2021: Petersfield

Summary: Cambridgeshire County Council elections, May 2021
Polling date: Thursday 6th May 2021
Division:
Candidates
(by surname):
  • Mark ARGENT  (Liberal Democrat)
  • Richard HOWITT  (Labour Party)
  • Shapour MEFTAH  (Conservative Party)
  • Eddie WILKINSON  (Green Party)

Questions for Petersfield division candidates (6 questions)

Jump to question:  1   2   3   4   5   6 

# Question 1

Safe and responsible use of the roads is a major issue. Our view is that traffic policing, of all groups of road users (cyclists, drivers, etc.), should become a greater police priority, and that this should be evidence-based, namely based on the relative levels of danger presented by each such group. What are your thoughts, and where would your priorities be?

Mark ARGENT
(Liberal Democrat)

I support our Police and Crime Commissioner candidate, Rupert Moss-Eccardt, in his view that policing decisions should be taken as closely as possible to the people affected. Transport policing is a good example of territory where this matters.

I do support effective traffic policing, which is both about dealing with offenders and about education. Sadly, some cyclists as less responsible than others, and this points to the need for education to be part of the approach.

We have to start with the most vulnerable road users – and this means pedestrians, and in particular the most vulnerable/least mobile pedestrians – such as those with mental health conditions, wheelchair users and others with similar characteristics.

We also need to promote closer working between the County Council officers/contractors and Police. As above, the County needs to push to consider the practical implications of standard safety procedures, like not putting bollards in the middle of cycle lanes.

The people we need to focus on on terms of cyclists are those who aren’t currently cycling due to safety.

We also need to accept Police resources are limited and therefore infrastructure measures are in place, such as ensuring good streetlighting as well to reduce the chance of accidents happening because people aren’t seen; giving pedestrians and cyclists physical priority etc.

Richard HOWITT
(Labour Party)

I endorse this statement. I am sensitive to the many demands on our Police, but road safety is about saving lives and that must be a priority.

Shapour MEFTAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Eddie WILKINSON
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 2

Mill Road has long suffered from a very high rate of collisions, poor air quality, narrow pavements, lack of cycle parking, pavement parking, no space for deliveries and lack of parking for disabled people and shoppers. Removal of through-traffic brings the potential to solve all these problems. However, improvements are needed to the current scheme, so that Mill Road can become a far more attractive and safer place for people to shop and visit. Do you support the principle of removing through-traffic, and what changes would you make to better use of the space freed-up from queueing traffic?

Mark ARGENT
(Liberal Democrat)

We support the trial closure of streets such as mill road, but believe the way it was approached was mishandled by the County Council and local Councillors – it has turned into a divisive issue. The framework for analysing the changes developed by Cllr Ian Manning must now be used, to provide a more quantitative assessment of schemes success or failure.

Fundamentally we support the concept, but we must be careful to take as many people with as us possible – just pushing it through regardless of levels of opposition will result in a campaign to reopen it.

Further, assuming we manage to resolve the current devisive nature of the debate and the scheme is made permanent, landscaping should be added to make the road space allocation more attractive with street art and furniture included.

Richard HOWITT
(Labour Party)

I support safe streets for walking and cycling throughout the division. The Labour Party has published our full position on Mill Road on our website at: https://www.cambridgelabour.org.uk/petersfield-news/2021/03/01/mill-road-bridge-county-shatters-residents-trust/

Shapour MEFTAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Eddie WILKINSON
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 3

Would you support the introduction of residential cycle parking in streets, where residents request them? For instance, York Street has no cycle parking, and bikes can block the pavement. Adding a few cycle parking bays in each street, each taking up around a half-car’s width, would improve security without causing problems for drivers.

Mark ARGENT
(Liberal Democrat)

Yes. Previous consultation has shown support for this.

I'd want to be a little careful about the design to avoid the risk of bikes being damaged by vehicles, or cycle bays causing excessive obstruction to traffic.

Richard HOWITT
(Labour Party)

I would support additional bays for cyclists, where there is demand, it is consistent with the needs of pedestrians including disabled people and parents with pushchairs and that there is full consultation with local residents affected.

Shapour MEFTAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Eddie WILKINSON
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 4

What do you think should be done to enable more children to walk and cycle safely to school? How can the county support more school communities to implement School Street schemes?

Mark ARGENT
(Liberal Democrat)

Some of this is around teaching children about safe cycling (to encourage children to cycle).

Some of it would be helped by enforcement of parking restrictions around schools.

Some of it could be helped by public education --- perhaps cross-fertilising with something to discourage drivers from idling their engines when stationary.

Richard HOWITT
(Labour Party)

Yes. I would seek to continue the work of the previous Labour county councillor, Linda Jones, who supported the ‘school streets’ scheme for St Matthews Primary School. I walked with my own children to school and would encourage others to do do.

Shapour MEFTAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Eddie WILKINSON
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 5

LTN 1/20 is the government's new cycling design manual, with a focus on inclusivity and accessibility for all. How would you support our call for the county to affirm that they will use LTN 1/20 (and its successor documents) in all current and future schemes related to cycling?

Mark ARGENT
(Liberal Democrat)

The great value in having something come from central government is that it's much harder for people to say "we don't need to bother" --- so this helpfully tilts the balance in favour of increased cycling, and makes it "part of the process" in thinking about planning and transport, rather than an "extra" that some would want to ignore.

Richard HOWITT
(Labour Party)

Yes. I would support the use of pedestrian and cycle-friendly design guidance in the County Council’s transport policies.

Shapour MEFTAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Eddie WILKINSON
(Green Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.

# Question 6

The gates in Hooper Street and Gwydir Street are a useful means to prevent through-traffic while retaining cycle access, but the volume of cycle traffic now is such that their restriction to one-way operation causes blockages. Would you support their replacement with simpler bollards, as worked successfully (without causing motorbike problems) on Argyle Street?

Mark ARGENT
(Liberal Democrat)

The crucial thing here is consultation. This is most relevant to people living in the immediate area, so my role is to enable a meaningful consultation and/or trial change.

In this instance, it probably makes sense to wait until the Ironworks development is opened and people have moved in and (hopefully) bought bikes.

Richard HOWITT
(Labour Party)

This is a very fair comment and should be considered alongside all the other responses, when the temporary scheme is reviewed.

Shapour MEFTAH
(Conservative Party)
The candidate has not responded to the survey.
Eddie WILKINSON
(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.