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London's cyclists miss out on £41 million as Conservatives refuse to back budget amendment

Jenny Jones, who proposed motion, says it's "a great opportunity missed"...

Conservative London Assembly Members have refused to back a motion proposed by the Green Party’s Jenny Jones that would have seen £41 million added to cash available for cycling in the capital. Ms Jones has described it as “a great opportunity missed.”

As we reported last week, the proposed amendment to Mayor Boris Johnson’s budget would have taken spend on cycling in London to 2 per cent of Transport for London’s budget, in line with the proportion of journeys made by bicycle in the city.

London Cycling Campaign had urged Londoners to write to their Assembly Members to lobby them to back the motion, with more than 20,000 people doing so.

Ms Jones said on Twitter this morning: “Can't get the amendment thru to fund #cycling properly. Tories pretend sympathy but won't vote for it.

“We cld have done all the amendments in 4 mins. @MayorWatch Propose, 2nd, move to a vote.

“Assembly Tories all voted against #cycling amendment. Cld have made a difference.

“A great opportunity missed ...”

Green Party press officer Ian Wingrove added: “Conservatives on cycling budget "not saying never" Willing to work on future schemes even if they go "beyond" the Mayors budget.”

The motion, which would have taken total spend on cycling in the coming financial year to £145 million, had the backing of Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Assembly Members, who together hold 16 of the 25 seats.

However, a majority of two thirds – 17 members – is required for a motion seeking to amend the mayor’s budget to be passed.

The motion was one of a number of proposed changes to the budget tabled this morning, none of which was passed.

Spectator contributing editor and Guido Fawkes blogger Harry Cole took to Twitter to ask the London Assembly Labour group, which holds 12 seats, “So you screwed this morning up?”

Jumping in to reply, Ms Jones said: “We failed @MrHarryCole But that doesn't mean we screwed up. It's Boris who's screwing Londoners.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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9 comments

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jugster | 11 years ago
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Boris & his cronies screwing Londoners, well fancy that?  14

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iDavid | 11 years ago
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When JJ first raised this issue at Mayor's Questions, Boris replied "OK, so how would you spend the £41m?". It's because there was no compelling ask, just "more money please" that made it easy for the Conservatives to vote it down. Come on campaigners, time for a shopping list.

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jasecd | 11 years ago
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Not surprised but still disappointed. Just can't understand their logic.

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northstar replied to jasecd | 11 years ago
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jasecd wrote:

Not surprised but still disappointed. Just can't understand their logic.

They are Tories, it seems to be in their blood...

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Carl | 11 years ago
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Wondered what what that loud bouncing sound was this morning - a large ball being dropped.

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Belaroo | 11 years ago
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These voters are the same people if you came across them in a pub they would say that cyclists should pay road tax and insurance, not to mention pass a test. They don't understand the concept of pollution tax or that people don't get killed by being hit by a bike.
The conservatives used to think that common people don't even deserve to vote because of their ignorance. I think you'll find that they are the ignorant ones here.

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ubercurmudgeon | 11 years ago
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For a bit of context, 41 million is roughly one quarter of the price of just one of those F-35 jet fighters that the navy and air force have placed massive orders for, so that the admirals and air vice marshals can hold their heads high when dining with their American counterparts (and also might save the lives of one or two pilots, but surely a tiny fraction of the numbers of cyclists that this money could have saved, if spent wisely.)

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JonD replied to ubercurmudgeon | 11 years ago
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ubercurmudgeon wrote:

For a bit of context, 41 million is roughly)

...the cost of 1 1/3 miles of 3 lane motorway

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13924687

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northstar | 11 years ago
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As per usual nothing will happen for anything other than motor vehicles with this individual as Mayor.

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