Thame’s Liberal Candidate responds to Thame/Haddenham cycle path news

THE Liberal party’s candidate to fight Boris Johnson MP in the next general election, has responded to the news that a cycle path between Thame and Haddenham is being looked at.
In a message to ThameNews.Net, Sue Coopper said the following:
“I understand that one of the Oxfordshire County Council’s Scrutiny committees is going to look at their provision for cycling to work, I believe on February 20. I would like to have addressed the committee on this important subject but as I can’t be there I have asked for my comments to be drawn to the attention of the committee.
“I was very interested to read your article, mentioned in my article below, on Bucks CC’s intention to look at providing a cycle route from Thame to Haddenham. I think this is excellent news and I hope very much that it will encourage OCC to look at its provision for cycling.
“I thought you might be interested in my submission below:” (Ed. Sue’s submissiion is quite long and we don’t usually give so much space to one particular political party to express their views, but Sue’s thoughts and suggestions are very informative and we would of course, give equal amount of space to any other Candidate (Boris?) who would wish to let us have their views and ideas on the proposed cycle route.)

Sue Cooper:
“I am pleased to hear that OCC are scrutinising their provision for cycling to work.
“It is high time that we all started doing more about climate change rather than just talking about it. Bearing in mind its health value as well, cycling to work is one of the most useful and sensible things to do and OCC should be doing all it can to encourage more of it. Providing safe cycle routes is a good place to start but there also needs to be an education campaign to get more people to use them, especially for fairly short journeys, say less than 5 miles (although obviously those keen enough to do more should not be discouraged!)
“Included in the cycling to work definition should be those who can cycle to a station so that they can then get a train to work. Again, this is good for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. I was very disappointed when the Cholsey to Wallingford cycle route was dropped from the OCC capital programme as this would be ideal for people cycling to Cholsey station. So I would urge you to reinstate this as soon as possible please. You may be interested to see this reference which I have been sent for the Thame News article about Bucks County Council investigating providing a cycle route from Thame to Haddenham station. If Bucks CC can provide cycle routes for South Oxfordshire residents surely Oxfordshire should be able to manage some?”

“Also, these routes can be used for children cycling to school or students to college or university. I don’t know whether these are included in your remit but I see no point in ignoring them. The better routes to school programme appears very stretched so help from any other direction should be welcomed. The Cholsey – Wallingford cycle route would be excellent for pupils going to Wallingford School from Cholsey. erhaps OCC could even save on one of the Cholsey school buses if enough pupils, particularly the older ones, could be encouraged to cycle?
“The other route whose progress, or lack of it, I have been very disappointed in is the Benson to Wallingford cycle route. OCC received developer funding towards this and a start was made on a stretch along the A4074 but it needs completing at both ends please. Crowmarsh, through which the route should pass, has the highest concentration of employment per head of population in South Oxfordshire and large numbers of people who work there live within very easy cycling distance. If a reasonable track is provided there would be one less excuse for people not to cycle, even if it was only when the sun shone!”

“There are of course other places in South Oxfordshire which would benefit from cycle route provision:

– Watlington to Lewknor along the old railway track to connect with the excellent Oxford Tube bus route into London

– through Henley with its many employment locations and need to improve air quality (I strongly support the work there with schools on better car free routes)

– from Thame and Wheatley along the old railway track to Oxford (utilising old rail routes for cycling does at least keep the routes intact so that when we come to our senses and decide that energy efficient transport on rails is a good idea then finding suitable routes will be made easier and of course the levels are manageable for cyclists.)

And I am sure there are similar pictures in other parts of the County.”

“So, how are all these to be financed members will say. Through working with Sustrans and getting grant aid from a variety of sources, by a levy on all new development and redevelopment for sustainable transport, by not spending a fortune on consulting engineers doing endless feasibility studies and by savings on sickness related expenditure from having a healthier (physical and mental) workforce.
“So good luck in your deliberations. I hope you have a productive meeting and I look forward to seeing a few more cycle routes being constructed in Oxfordshire.”
Thank you
Sue Cooper