ORANGE WANDS
I’ve now written the Transport Secretary about the orange wands on Ipswich’s roads and the hand Government guidance has had in them being put up. This follows my letter to the County Council setting out how the wands have proved overwhelmingly unpopular with my constituents including among many that cycle.
The guidance as it stands is overly prescriptive and doesn’t give councils the flexibility to consider other ways cycling can be improved. I also have concerns Suffolk County Council could be penalised if they take down the orange wands in Ipswich.
I’m a strong supporter of improving cycling, but we must avoid a top-down approach and ensure people in Ipswich have a full say on how extra money can be best spent. As I’ve called on the Government to do in the letter, we must design measures to promote cycling which take the majority of people with us and don’t provoke further division.
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