ON OCTOBER 14, Greenpeace Berkshire Local Group hosted an online event to discuss the improvements needed to local transport and the role that investing in zero-carbon public transport, walking and cycling has to play in a Green Recovery from the pandemic.
This event was generously supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
There were 24 participants, including Leendert Van Hoogenhuijze, a representative from The Reading Cycle Campaign, and Jamie Whitham, the Green Party councillor for Reading.
Hoogenhuijze discussed how he felt current cycling routes in Reading are often confusing and inaccessible. He said that the council have not consulted with Reading Cycle Campaign, or other experts, when designing cycle schemes.
Whitham called for more electric charging points for households with cars that do not have their own driveways and for 20mph speed limits in residential areas.
Jane Owen, co-host of the event, from Sandhurst, said ‘We held this event to call on the UK Government to invest £10 billion more every year to transform public transport, walking and cycling and re-direct the £27 billion they’ve committed to new road building. Here in Berkshire we need a linked cycle network across Reading and the Berkshire county, creating safe and accessible routes for cycling.”
The Government is expected to spend many billions on new infrastructure to boost the economy as a result of the Covid crisis, including £27 billion on roads. Transport is the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, so building more roads only adds to this problem and will encourage more people to buy cars, and drive more miles.
Recent polling carried out by YouGov asked people in South East England to choose their top two from a range of seven proposed transport improvements. New roads were the least popular choice, featuring in just 6% of residents’ picks for what they’d like to see.
In contrast, 53% want existing roads to be better maintained, 38% want less traffic on the roads, and 36% want cheaper bus and train tickets.
When asked if they’d support or oppose low traffic neighbourhoods, 57% of people in the South East were in support of the measures, designed to reduce traffic in certain streets, improve air quality and encourage walking and cycling, and just 17% oppose.
Mr Van Hoogenhuijze said: “Cycling is not a silver bullet but it’s hard to imagine a clean, safe and low carbon Reading where cycling does not play a major role.
“That means we need to work on the assumption that in 10 years’ time cycling will be a major form of transportation the majority of our residents are happy and comfortably using on a regular basis.”
Ms Owen added: “We ask our MP, (Reading East’s) Matt Rodda, to push for greener, accessible transport across Berkshire, and to join us in calling on the Chancellor to reverse his commitment to road-building in favour of zero-carbon public transport and active travel.
