You will have heard by now that a General Election has been called for July the 4th this year, electing a government into power for up to the next five years. Within the powers of that government will be the ability to vastly improve access to safe and accessible cycling across the country, or not. Cycling UK have published their manifesto asking for all parties to sign up to.

The manifesto has six points for for any future government to sign up to;

1. Deliver long term investment in cycling, walking and wheeling

2. Provide better transport choices to reduce traffic

3. Build truly sustainable new homes and developments

4. Make our streets safer

5. Help everyone to access nature

6 .Fix our failing road traffic laws

You can read the Cycling UK’s manifesto in full here. 

Cycling UK have also created an online form which you can use to see the candidates in your area and if they have signed up to Cycling UK’s pledges, and to contact them and request they commit if they have not.

At the time of writing (9am Tuesday 18th) none of the candidates for York Central or Outer were showing as having committed. 

For York Central these candidates are;

• Richard Hudson, Conservative
• Lars Kramm, Green Party
• Rachael Maskell, Labour/Co-operative
• Cliff Bond, Reform UK

For York Outer these candidates are;

• Michael Kearney, Green Party
• Luke Charters, Labour
• Andrew Hollyer, Liberal Democrat
• Julian Sturdy, Conservative
• John Crispin-Bailey, Reform UK

A reminder that registration to vote in this election closes midnight today (Tuesday 18th June) and can be done via the government’s website: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and registration for postal votes 5pm tomorrow (Wednesday 19th June) which can also be done online: https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.