Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin is expected to attend the first ever European ministerial cycling summit next month – but Robert Goodwill, the minister responsible for cycling at the Department for Transport (DfT), won’t be there.
BikeBiz reports that the 7 October summit, in Luxembourg, coincides with the country’s presidency of the European Union, and will be attended by transport ministers from member states as well as those from other countries within the European Free Trade Association.
Organised by the European Cyclists’ Federation, it will be hosted by Luxembourg’s minister for sustainable development and infrastructures, François Bausch, and among other things will address how modal share of cycling can be increased as well as its value to the economy, the environment, and society.
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Meanwhile Mr Goodwill, the Conservative MP for Scarborough, welcomed Thursday’s Cycle to Work Day, saying in a statement issued by the DfT: “We are committed to getting more people cycling and a key part of that is the daily commute to work.
“Cycling is great for our health and means less congestion in our towns and cities and less pollution. It also boosts the economy,” continued the minister, who uses a Brompton to get around London.
“We want commuting by bike to be an option for as many people as possible and are investing in better traffic infrastructure and facilities to make it safer and easier,” he added.
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9 thoughts on “Transport secretary McLoughlin to attend first-ever European cycling summit”
Doesn’t look like he gets out
Doesn’t look like he gets out on a bike much.
Robert Goodwill, the minister
Why not? He obviously does naff all – I guess that’s really his job role, to do naff all. I’ll bet if he has any budget at all then he was the first to offer 40% cuts demanded by the chancellor.
No doubt the transport minister is going there just to insist that no mandatory targets should be set.
I look forward to the group
I look forward to the group photo with all the other European transport ministers on their bikes, all wondering why he’s wearing a hi-viz vest.
Picture of health. A true
Picture of health. A true representative for the health of the nation, and I say that without irony.
Yogic Cyclist wrote:Picture
I’m old enough to remember when Ken Clarke was health secretary. No one can accuse the tories of failing to have a sense of humour.
“No doubt the transport
“No doubt the transport minister is going there just to insist that no mandatory targets should be set.
posted by kie7077”
sadly think that is a correct assessment
Before you all pile in it’s
Before you all pile in it’s worth knowing who the ECF are.
They have absolutely no legal power whatsoever. They are simply higher up the food chain than, say, CTC or Sustains and their principal activity it appears is lobbying the EU.
No attendee is there because they are under any obligation. They are attending after being invited.
Now I’m happy SOMEONE is in Brussels sticking it to the EU but I’m concerned that the ECF are actually funded by the EU. They are also funded by Sustains and the CTC (who are funded by the EU).
Sounds like a big money go round while everyone sits and talks and generally does nothing while issuing press releases about ‘productive discussions’. You can see why other organisations focussed on direct action exist.
Have a look at their news page – its all about green, e-bike, health, sustainability, pollution.
No mention of London banning unsafe lorries. In fact you have to go back to news releases from April before you get any discussion of safety anywhere in the EU.
The ECF sounds like an EU bureaucrats dream. Frankly if I’d got an invite I might RSVP that I already been asked to open the village fete.
Mr Goodwill is quoted as
Mr Goodwill is quoted as saying investment is being made in infrastructure. Perhaps he should have a ride around his own constituency and look at the disgraceful state of the cycle path between Scarborough and Whitby. Definitely not rideable on a Brompton!!! What a lost opportunity to encourage families to take up cycling in beautiful surroundings.
“We are committed to getting
“We are committed to getting more people cycling”
Does he think bike riders, and potential bike riders, are idiots? It is very clear that there is no such commitment.
Robert Goodwill won’t go to any such meetings for this exact reason. His main job is to provide paper-thin justification for *not* investing in cycle infrastructure, mainly along the lines of “there’s no money to invest” (while billions are spent on roads that, despite new laws, will not be “cycle-proofed”).