Here are our asks for the local elections due to take place in May 2022. We are sending them to the main parties. Make sure you also ask candidates to implement these measures. Successful candidates will have the most important mandates of all given the climate emergency. We want to see actions rather than words or commitments.

We want #ClimateSafeStreets

Ask 1. Protected

Protected cycle routes on every busy road across the borough, identified as a priority cycling route in TfL’s current Strategic Cycling Analysis and to funding criteria for Gear Change. This means a 70+ score in the Cycling Level of Service(CLoS), no critical fails, no red in the Junction Assessment Tool (JAT). To enable convenient, safe, intuitive and inclusive cycling regardless of age, ability, and background. These routes need to be linked up with treatment on minor streets. With cycle ownership in Brent at 32%, a 12% share of trips cycled should be easily achieved with the right infrastructure.

Why? Because Brent Council can and must enable residents to #ChooseCycling in a climate emergency.

Ask 2. Activate our streets

By making Active Travel one of the criteria used to assess any decision made in Planning, the Environment, Health and Education. Workplaces including hospitals, new planning applications and schools need an active travel plan that is monitored annually and assessed against the Council’s targets in policy and strategy documents on decarbonisation and active travel increase.

Why? Because Transport and the way we move around the borough have a fundamental impact on our daily lives. It affects our health, where we shop, how easy it is to reach local amenities, where we go to school, how we choose work and how we keep in touch with our social support network. 

Ask 3. Children Friendly Streets

Each ward should have at least one Healthy Neighbourhood trialled and delivered following the fundamental design principle of removing all thoroughfares, by 2024 and school streets, at every school possible, as part of a coherent and inclusive network of safe walking and cycling routes suitable for children. These should be evidence-led and designed in partnership collaboratively with stakeholders and representatives from Health, Transport and the Environment.

Why? Because children have a right to clean air, safe streets and to live their lives free from preventable illnesses.   

Ask 4. Cycle Parking

Double the pace of cycle parking provision for both short and long stays at residential, commercial, corporate, hospital sites and places of education. Secure cycle parking should also be cheaper than parking a car. Simultaneously reduce overall car parking availability and amenity, so it is never cheaper or easier in the borough to park a car than it is a cycle.

Why? Because removing one of the barriers to cycling and reallocating parking space to make more equitable use of that public space is the right thing to do considering only 50% of Brent residents have access to a car.  

Ask 5. Last Mile

Provide logistics hubs on the outskirts of the borough to enable last-mile deliveries by sustainable means, aiming at a 25% reduction in freight vehicles.

Why? Because freight on Brent roads and streets are increasing and so does the associated pollution, road danger and general unpleasantness of having streets full of large passing vehicles delivering tiny items.

Please share as far as wide as possible!