Cycling

Baroness Primarolo Excerpts

Thursday 16th October 2014 Commons Chamber

[Relevant Document: Third Report from the Transport Select Committee, Session 2014-15, Cycling Safety, HC 286]

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Dawn Primarolo)]

Before I call Ian Austin to move the motion, let me clarify that there will be an eight-minute time limit on Back-Bench contributions to this debate, which is heavily subscribed. I ask Mr Austin to take no longer than 15 minutes. I will prompt him, but I am sure it will not be necessary after 15 minutes.

--- Later in debate ---

[Ian Austin]

rose—

[Madam Deputy Speaker (Dame Dawn Primarolo)]

Order. May I remind the hon. Gentleman to keep an eye on the clock? The 15 minutes are ticking by.

[Ian Austin]

May I ask how long I have left, as I have not been following that?

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

I did offer to put that on the clock for the hon. Gentleman, but he declined that. He started at 12.58, and therefore has under a minute, but he has taken a lot of interventions. If he could take no more than another two minutes, we would be grateful.

[Ian Austin]

Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker,

My right hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr Bradshaw) is right about the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. He seems to believe that without the car culture, the high street would die, but when New York city introduced segregated bike lanes recently there were widespread predictions of economic hardship, yet trade rose by 24%, so on that, as on so much else, the Communities Secretary is completely wrong.

I will now draw my remarks to a conclusion in light of your advice, Madam Deputy Speaker.

With just a few months until the election we need a massive effort to make cycling a bigger political issue so we can get the parties committed to increasing the funding for cycling and have lower speed limits in urban areas, better enforcement of the law, children taught to ride at school, more segregated cycle lanes and cycling considered properly as part of the urban planning process.

We need everyone involved in cycling to write to MPs and candidates so we can get Britain cycling and change our country for good.

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Thank you very much, Mr Austin, for leaving more time for others to speak. I am sure they will be very grateful.