Bassett ward
| Summary: | Elections to Southampton City Council in May 2016 |
| Polling date: | Thursday 5th May 2016 |
| Ward: |
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| Candidates (by surname): |
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Questions for Bassett ward candidates (2 questions)
# Question 1
If elected will you sign up to the Space for Cycling campaign?
| John HANNIDES (The Conservative Party) | A response has been submitted on behalf of all Conservative Party candidates by the group spokesperson for Environment and Transport, Councillor Steven Galton. |
| Stephen HULBERT (Liberal Democrat) | Having researched your website, read minutes of your meetings and looked at related websites from around the Country, I would welcome the opportunity to support your aims whilst a Councillor. |
| James Peploe (Green Party) | The candidate has not responded to the survey. |
| David RAWLINSON(Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) | Yes, of course. |
| Matthew RENYARD (Labour Party) | The candidate has not responded to the survey. |
| Jean ROMSEY (UK Independence Party (UKIP)) |
If all goes well on May 5th, I will certainly sign up for your campaign and do my best to help promote cycling for all the reasons set out in your Guide. Unfortunately, I am not a cyclist due mainly to the area of Bassett where I live; being the main thoroughfare into the City is a daunting place to cycle even for a pro. Your project here is very welcomed. |
# Question 2
If elected what would you do to encourage cycling in Southampton?
| John HANNIDES (The Conservative Party) | A response has been submitted on behalf of all Conservative Party candidates by the group spokesperson for Environment and Transport, Councillor Steven Galton. |
| Stephen HULBERT (Liberal Democrat) | If I were elected, there are 2 scenarios:-the Liberal Democrats would be in a minority or,the Liberal Democrats would be in a majority
Rather than promise what I can not, or could not deliver, I am keen to let you know what I feel is, in the first instance, possible and enable the building of a support foundation on which real change can be built. Southampton has a poorly planned and phased integrated transport plan. Transport needs to address the needs of all route users, cars and motorbikes, lorries, cyclists and pedestrians. It is necessary to to look not just at the latest junction improvement, but always bring in the wider implications of how all the users get to that junction. We, as a City, need more routes which can be designated for individual user types and the integrated routes have to ensure that safe space is give to all users. Currently, as an occasional cyclist, I see some aspects of this that have been taken into account, however, most put some users at risk. Given the large student population and the growing need for an improvement in the health of all our children, appropriate cycle ways are key to the future of Southampton. If elected I will work to improve the network of pedestrian and cycle ways, enabling a safer, more efficient way of moving about the city for people of all ages. This would require me to engage with all groups, like yours, and gain as much information and understanding as possible. |
| James Peploe (Green Party) | The candidate has not responded to the survey. |
| David RAWLINSON (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) | Everything possible. |
| Matthew RENYARD (Labour Party) | The candidate has not responded to the survey. |
| Jean ROMSEY (UK Independence Party (UKIP)) | This question needs more thoughts with regard to funding. At the rate our Chancellor’s austerity measures in cutting back all essential services, even our local councils are having problems to keep children’s centres and libraries available for everyone. The severe cut-back of fire-fighters and the Police force could prove devastating in the event of a Paris style attack.
We are currently handing over £50 million a day to Brussels for just 12% of UK businesses to trade within the Euro zone. The rest of the UK traders; factories, manufacturing industries and domestic financial and insurance companies, all have to abide by EU regulations, which costs us dearly in time management and manpower to stay within EU law. Many small groceries and post offices had closed due to inability to keep up with EU directives that do not even apply to local trading. 766 MEPs and 28 Commissioners with their assistants, shuttling by trains, planes and cars to meetings every month between Brussels and Strasbourg is costing EU members over 180 million euro a year, apart from the European Council which met in Paris and the Court of Justice in Luxembourg with a secretariat employing 2,432 officials, hosting a third European Parliament. Britain’s EU fee of £12 billion a year could be better spent on national security. This is a wasteful club that Britain can no longer afford, with our national debt rising well beyond £1.5 trillion, our Parliament is not only powerless to negotiate our own bilateral trade agreements so long as we remain an EU member, but EU law prohibits member-states from aiding failing national industries like our steel works, just to protect other steel factories in Europe. Crazy! We need to vote OUT at the Referendum; Leave the EU to regain our sovereignty so our Parliament can start to streamline regulations to suit British needs, like rescinding the European Water Framework directive so we can dredge our rivers to prevent severe flooding. Our taxpayer money is sorely needed on domestic services, including cycle lanes, reduce NHS deficits, ease tuition fees, and come off George Osborne’s austerity measures altogether. Meanwhile, we could be looking at existing facilities at Southampton Sport Centre, where the running track is generally under-used. Could a cycle run be incorporated around the outside of this ring? Children and amateur cyclists would benefit from familiarising themselves on road safety and traffic signals before venturing out on main roads. Perhaps you have already made an assessment of this area. Let me know your progress. |