Space for Cycling is a national campaign that aims to create the conditions where anyone can cycle anywhere. Space for Cycling calls on councils to:

Plan

Plan a full network of cycle-friendly routes that allow people of all ages and abilities to cycle anywhere for any purpose

Invest

Actively seek the funding to implement the network and invest a minimum of 5-10% of the local transport budget in cycling

Build

Build the network using the most up-to-date high-quality design standards

Further information on Space for Cycling can be found in this booklet that was sent to all candidates.

Q1 – If elected will you sign up to the Space for Cycling campaign?

Q2 – Are you in favour of removing road space for cars and using this for safe segregated cycle superhighways similar to London?

Q3 – Are you in favour of lowering speed limits to 20mph in some residential areas to make it safer for people to walk and cycle?

Q4 – If elected what would you do to encourage cycling in Southampton?

Paying for Cycling Infrastructure

For Southampton to reach its target of 15% of all journeys to be completed by bicycle by 2027 (the current level is just under 5%). This needs to have funding similar to that of London where they have ring fenced £20 per head for this. In Southampton this would be £5m per year every year for the next 10 years. To fund this the cycling campaign would like to see a commitment by the council to allocate at least 10% of the transport budget towards this, which would be approximately £2m per year.

The campaign would also like the council to implement a Workplace Parking Levy (WPL)  to raise funds for cycling, walking and public transport. A WPL scheme is a congestion charge designed to encourage employers to reduce the number of free workplace parking places they provide to staff and switch to alternative modes of transport. it would be charged to every employer in the city of Southampton for every parking space that they offer their staff (this is for companies with 11 spaces or more and does not include hospitals) Nottingham started its WPL in 2012 and to date has raised over £44m with £11m expected to be raised in 2018-19. Southampton City Council could raise a similar amount to Nottingham allowing £3m to go towards hitting the £20 per head required for cycling and £7m+ to go towards other transport projects.

Q5 – If elected would you be in favour of allocating 10% of the local transport budget to cycling?

Q6 – If elected would you be in favour of a Workplace Parking Levy?