Local elections – ask candidates about cycling

Depending on where you live, you might have elections coming up for councils, mayors, and police and crime commissioners. These elections are a key opportunity to influence decisions about transport and cycling infrastructure in your area.

In the run-up to an election, you might receive campaign leaflets through your door, and transport issues may be one of the topics covered. You might also have candidates or party volunteers knocking on your door to ask for your support.

Whatever your political views, we’d encourage you to ask them what their plans are to improve cycling in your area, and especially for children. 

The more people ask about this, the more the political parties will realise it’s an issue that people care about.  

Here at Cycle Sprog HQ, we are keen campaigners for active travel provision for everyone, and particularly for children.

We have written about this in the past, check out our article on why kids cycling to school shouldn’t be rocket science. 

This is actually a good starting point for anyone who’s curious to know what we could do to get more kids cycling to school. 

Asking candidates for their view on cycling may also help you decide who to vote for.

School streets

A School Street is a road outside a school with a temporary restriction on motorised traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times. The restriction applies to school traffic and through traffic.

The School Streets website is a very useful resource to find out more about school streets, including a map of current School Streets.

Mums for Lungs also have excellent guidance available on School Streets on the Mums for Lungs website.

20mph speed limits

A speed limit of 20 mph will reduce the risk of collisions, help people feel safer and benefit people’s physical and mental well-being. A child is 3 times more likely to die if hit by a car on a 30mph road than on a 20mph road.

Wales has introduced a 20mph speed limit on restricted roads in September 2023.

The 20 is plenty campaign website offers lots of useful information about 20mph speed limits and their benefits.

Local issues

If you have a local issue that you feel particularly strongly about; this is your chance.

Talk to your local candidate about that dangerous crossing near your kids' school or the lack of cycle lanes to local shops, sport club, or nursery.

Other articles you might be interested in:

• Are Cumbria County Council REALLY doing this to our cycle paths?
• Biking safely: How to campaign for safer cycling
• How to start cycling to school with kids
• Kids cycling to school shouldn't be rocket science
• How to get more children cycling safely to your school
• Kidical Mass - get your voice heard!
• Cycle Sprog responds to APPGCW's Active Travel and Social Justice Inquiry