Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Putney & Wimbledon Conservators | |
Posted by: | Roland Gilmore | |
Date/Time: | 26/09/10 00:32:00 |
Thanks for the link Johnathan. Much as I suspected with just 11% of income (70K) from voluntary donations but heartening to see they expect funding to reduce after next year. Why can’t they get volunteers to run cycling proficiency courses rather than spending 17% more than their voluntary contribution income on lobbying for more funds? There’s the usual guff about “communities” which indicates they are as divorced from reality and still talking in the language preferred by the last government. If you visit Wimbledon Common in the wet winter months, there are numerous places I can show you where walking freely in anything other than wellies becomes impossible with telltale cycle tracks running through them. These are not the slim butyl/Kevlar road tyres of the 35mph road racers of Richmond Park but mountain bikers doing the damage. For riding in soft conditions, these cyclists know that a wide front tyre is essential for grip if they are not to end up in a bush; the 2"+ knobbly type are favoured. The rule seems to be not to follow in any other cyclist’s track. You are absolutely right about air pollution in London. As a cyclist, you are probably inhaling more damaging pollutants than the average person. Technological and engineering improvements are slowly but surely reducing the problem that fuel cell will help eliminate (together with the cycling lobby’s main argument). Unfortunately for the thousands of Londoners who, as a direct result of air pollution, have died or whose health has been significantly affected, the GLA and government have been far too idle in addressing this issue with the seriousness it deserves. Removing obstacles from our roads would also help to reduce emissions while reducing road maintenance costs significantly. If any motorist were to be given a ticking off/written warning for a traffic offence, it would make national news. Sorry Johnathan but taking someone’s name and address (I assume the police wanted proof of identity) and handing them a piece of paper can hardly be described as an effective deterrent or strategy, even if the officer did frown at the miscreant and warn them that they would receive a small fine if caught again. It obviously didn’t deter a dozen of those stopped for the 2nd time. |