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Berry pledges more car clubs, extra cash for cyclists and walking zones
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard08.04.08
Green candidate Sian Berry today announced plans for more car clubs, more money for cyclists and a new orbital overground railway.
Unveiling her transport manifesto Ms Berry said she was committed to providing cheaper, better public transport and making London a model city for cyclists.
Her plans include cycling and walking zones and personal consultants who talk people out of their cars, particularly in outer London.
She wants a rapid expansion of car clubs, with a club parking space within five minutes of every home by 2011. Under a Green mayor the cycling budget would be trebled to at least £150 million per year by 2012. There would also be free bikes across the capital, not just central areas, by 2011, following the Paris model.
Ms Berry said: "We have a decision to make in this election - do we want our transport system to be liberating, or just frustrating?
As Mayor, I plan to give Londoners a real choice of transport for every journey.
"We need to bring an end to the transport tribe mentality. It's no good thinking of ourselves as ' a cyclist', ' a motorist' or 'a bus user' - we are all just people who need to get around."
Other proposals include:
• A 20p cut to all bus and offpeak Tube fares.
• Extending the Freedom Pass to give 24-hour free travel to pensioners, defending free travel for under-18s and extending the 30 per cent student discount, currently only on Travelcards, to all fares.
• London Overground services extended and improved in south and west London and the creation of a full orbital "rail ring" with better links between outer London boroughs.
• Pedestrian areas in every town centre.
Ms Berry also agreed with Ken Livingstone's proposals for a 20mph speed limit across London. The two have already told their voters to use their second preference votes for the other candidate.
Reader views (5)
A car club parking space within 5 minutes of every home shows you have a 'hatred of motorists,' eh?
Once again on the ES message boards, we're through the looking glass...
- Michael Mcnab, Brixton, London, UK
This all seems very expensive. I suppose this will mean massive tax increases and businesses forced to move out of London with a consequent loss of jobs.
- Mike Constable, London UK
Save your breath Sian (and the resultant CO2 emissions), you won't get elected. But never mind, all of the government's and mayor's policies are already green, so you win regardless.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
And how is she going to pay for all this?
- Paul, London
As for her comment 'we are all just people who need to get around is a little disingenuous. It hides a hatred of motorist and motorcyclists. Tfl's report on the Use of Bus lanes (still suppressed)recognises that it would significantly cut accidents involving motorcyclists if they were allowed to use bus lanes. And this would not slow the progress of buses,as cyclists do. And as for the 20 mph limit the Newt only wants to introduce this to disguise the fact that journeys are taking longer. As things get worse he would say "Of course journeys take longer there's a 20 mph speed limit"
- Jerry, London
