On February 11 the Prime Minister announced investment in new cycling schemes.
He envisaged “‘Mini-Hollands’ blooming like so many tulips in towns and cities right across the country.”
With his references to Holland and to tulips, the Prime Minister has virtually invited Spalding to become the flagship for the Government’s resolve to enable more people to cycle, not only because cycling is a convenient, low-cost means of transport but also because cycling is good for personal health and fitness, and cycling benefits the public generally because it does not pollute the environment.
Pedals’ steering group was very excited by the Prime Minister’s announcement.
We have written to Sir John Hayes and to leading members of Lincolnshire County Council and South Holland District Council to encourage our local councils to respond enthusiastically to the Prime Minister’s words and to work together, supported by the Department for Transport, to grasp this opportunity to develop Spalding as a cycling-friendly town, and to become an example of good practice for small towns throughout the country.
We have suggested that there is scope for learning from the Dutch experience by “twinning” Spalding with a town in the Netherlands to benefit from their experiences of accepting and welcoming cycling as part of their transport infrastructure.
Roger Smith
Cley Hall Drive
Spalding
