Overlooking local cyclist needs

[Jeff Mowatt]

Here in the Forest of Dean where old rail routes from the coal mining past have been turned into cycle paths, some are rather disappointed by recent news.

There's to be a £500,000 investment in developing a bridge and car parking facilities around a cycle centre but locals involved in the local community plan where there's a need for safe cycling routes to a local town feel neglected in that it does nothing to address the need expressed by many residents, for a route between the town of Lydney and nearby villages.

To provide such a route would also mean a link up between commuter rail services and the tourist track, for incoming visitors as an alternative to encouraging cars into the cycle centre.

I'm now thinking of where might be best to try and raise a petition about this. Any ideas anyone?

 

[Alex728]

Does your area have a cycle campaign group?

also there is a Transition Town movement in your area, these folk are supportive of sustainable transport - although TT is not a campaign/protest movement in itself, by its nature it attracts "eco-friendly" types of people

Transition - Forest of Dean

 

[Jeff Mowatt]

Ah Yes TT

Thanks Alex,

Yes I'd forgotten them but have to say that my last post on their forum about another matter seems to have been the last contribution for many months.

Actually I run an organisation which does campaign on sustainability issues, albeit more focussed on economic issues.

P-CED :: Sumy

I've been building a site for our local parish plan, so that could be something to sit alongside the campaign for improved local broadband and social enterprise for instance

Parkend & Whitecroft Community Plan :: Social Enterprise

Jeff

 

[flecc]

How about approaching Sustrans, the people who have created a national network of cycle routes, this webpage refers:

Sustrans - What we do
.

 

[Jeff Mowatt]

Sustrans

A good idea Flecc, thanks.

 

[Hermit]

You could always go straight to the top

Introduction to e-petitions | Number10.gov.uk

 

[Jeff Mowatt]

Petitions to 10 Downing Street

A reasonable idea Hermit if I hadn't had a bad experience

At the risk of going off topic on my own thread, here's what I petitioned a while ago, before the credit crisis

Petition to: Pay on Time. | Number10.gov.uk

Clearly I did request something and it seemed a rather strange response, until I read of a new scheme from Lord Mandelson shortly after, which as we now know didn't work.

Jeff

 

[Alex728]

its been closed since the new government arrived

I don't want to get folk building tinfoil hats but I've never liked these online petitions anyway. Not even due to paranoia of the Government but paper petitions I remember signing in my youth always seemed to be a "private" matter between yourself, the campaign group, the target of the petition and Special Branch.

but no one else apart from the campaigners and cops knew you had signed the petition unless you told them.

However, with these online petitions it seems frighteningly easy for someone who disagrees with the signatories to get a massive list of their names and then feed them through google, facebook searches etc and in many cases they will be able to glean more and more personal information about them .

I expect in Britain it would be very rare for this to result in physical violence being directed against someone, but could lead to loss of business for their employers, being "blackballed" in various ways in the local community if particuarly its a "small world" sort of community and a contentious issue. Whilst "professional campaigners" seem to be able to cope with this, not everyone else has the time, energy and resources to do so.

 

[Jeff Mowatt]

On being blackballed

You are right Alex as I know from personal experience. I run a business which uses profit to fund humanitarian projects, a social enterprise and our work focusses on Eastern Europe where we began challenging corruption with an article about children in institutions.

Ukraine: Death Camps, for Children [July 1 UPDATE] | Maidan

Howls of denial were followed by ID impersonation and claims of drug abuse and child molestation. A smear campaign has been hosted on Google for the last 4 years claiming we aim to steal aid funds by hoaxing an humanitarian crisis.

We've made progress however, in spite of the smokescreen.