The Redbridge "Sky Ride"

[jawal1]

This event, originating with BoJo the Mayor and planned for August 15th., has kicked up some dust due to A) lack of consultation with residents who have been instructed to move their cars as the roads will be closed and B) Councillors alarmed at the cost.

The Leader of the Council has been quoted in the Recorder this week as saying that the £30,000 cost to Council Tax payers is "minimal" for the benefits it will bring to local Business. What if the true cost is closer to £50,000?

In the same issue of the Recorder, a charity is short of money as its funding has dried up.

So, how about this for an idea? Cancel the "Sky Ride" and give the "minimal" £30,000 to the charity.

[Scribbles]

Cllr Prince is quoted in the Recorder as saying, 'we are a biking borough'. Huh? I've been sitting here thinking for the past ten minutes and have concluded that, of all the people I know resident in this borough, I can only bring to mind two, very occasional, cyclists.

Perhaps I'm unusual in being acquainted with hordes of car-addicted or bus-bound folk ..... although I suspect not!

I'm intrigued as to the nature of these benefits to local business that the Sky ride will allegedly produce. Some cyclists and their supporters will come here for a few hours and buy bottled water, fizzy drinks, ice-cream or maybe a burger? Will that compensate for the trade lost when many local people decide to go away for the weekend to escape the Hell-on-2-wheels their home turf is about to become?

If other people want to ride bikes, I don't care, so long as they do it safely and not on the footway. I do object, however, to the cycling Gestapo taking over an area and preventing other citizens from enjoying peaceful, "normal" use of their homes and streets.

[Mark]

It's all about money to fund projects as usual!
Redbridge wants money from TFL to do a "research" project on how the borough can encourage more cylcing on routes of under two miles in journey length. So to get the money perhaps we have to be seen to show how enthusiastic we are and willing to spend thirty grand on a publicity stunt!

Call me cynical if you like.

[jawal1]

Ray Frensham has had a Letter published in the Recorder this week in which it appears that the cost to Council Tax payers of the "Sky Ride" may well be very close to £50,000.

One wonders how many jobs have to go to pay for it.

[jawal1]

There are some insights into the Ealing Experience of the Skyride last Sunday (July 18th).

here
and
here