A ‘flash mob’ of cyclists and walkers will take to roads in St David’s today to highlight danger points and press the City and County Council to make it safer and easier to walk and cycle around Exeter. The event is being organised by Exeter Green Party [1], and will include the Party’s Deputy Leader, Amelia Womack, who is visiting the city today [2].
The event, which will begin at the Mill on the Exe, will see cyclists and pedestrians travel along Bonhay Road towards St David’s station and then towards the city centre. Diana Moore, County Council candidate for St David’s and Haven Banks, said:
“Bonhay Road is just one of the notoriously dangerous roads in St David’s where cyclists and pedestrians are squeezed out. Our action highlights the lack of any strategic plan for transforming Exeter into a low pollution, low carbon city, where it is safe and easy to travel by bicycle or on foot. This is particularly worrying, given the planned growth in size of the city.
“Neither the City Council or County Council are implementing their stated commitment to prioritising walking, cycling and public transport. In fact, they are doing the exact opposite, with road building totally overshadowing other transport spending.”
The Green Party have recently signed up to the Exeter Cycling Charter which has been developed by the Exeter Cycling Campaign to demonstrate the benefits of cycling and strong levels of support for creating a more cycle friendly environment. Lynn Wetenhall, transport campaigner with Exeter Green Party, said:
“This charter highlights the many benefits health and environmental benefits of cycling. We now need to see policies and actions that will move us in the right direction. Greens want to see serious priority given to creating safe routes for pedestrians and cyclist and see the whole of Exeter become a 20mph city.
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Notes
[1] Details of event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1879888915558085/ Cyclists and pedestrians invited meet at Mill On the Exe at 12.15 – from there we will head up Bonhay Road where the shared pavement is far too narrow. Then up to St David’s to the deeply confusing and dangerous double roundabout. Then to the Clocktower Roundabout and finishing at Central Station.
[2] Amelia Womack is visiting the city to meet Exeter Green Party’s first councillor on the City Council and other Green Party members. Later she will launch a new Renters’ Charter, which has been produced by Young Green members. Details here: https://exeter.greenparty.org.uk/news/2017/03/16/greens-to-launch-new-renters%E2%80%99-charter-to-support-%E2%80%98generation-rent%E2%80%99/