“ Anyone who has got on a bicycle — particularly in one of our busier cities — knows you are taking your life into your hands every time you do so, and so we do need to do more to try and make cycling safer...I think that if we want to encourage the growth in cycling we have seen in recent years, we need to get behind campaigns like this. ”
Member of Parliament for an area west of Oxford , the University Town known the world over , and a place you can move around more easily by bike , lends his support to cycling ahead of the “ Back Benchers debate “ in Westminster Hall . Known to be a cyclist in the past , but because of his position as Prime Minister , he is hustled from one appointment to the next in a convoy of vehicles these days . With London full of Foreign Dignitaries he was no doubt left with little choice as to how to fill his day . So what excuse did the remaining 500+ MP’s render fot their non attendance at this crucial debate ?
Forgivable if ill health kept some MPs away , BUT , if they claimed expenses for this day , and did not attend , then they are “ Fraudsters ” , with their snout in the Public Purse ! No doubt the “ Times Campaign journos ” can ascertain their whereabouts , and if there is no legitimate excuse , point them to a “ Cycling Charity “ where they can deposit their ill gotten gains ? I am not talking just about their expenses , I am suggesting they render their DAY’S Salary ALSO !
David Cameron as head of the Government NEEDS to sit down and think back to the decision to eliminate “ CYCLING ENGLAND ”! Just what purpose was served by that decision ? Oh , you wanted to save money ? Get real ! Each Serviceman killed in Afganistan is reported to cost the Country £1/2M , Yes , half a million pounds ! So each civilian killed on the streets of the UK costs the country , how much ? Reports that the UK invest 79p per person in Cycling related matters are laughable ! You can’t even buy a pint of milk at that price never mind a loaf of bread ! Smaller countries with smaller populations are investing as much as £ 20 each person , each year !
Balancing the Economy these days is fraught with uncertainty and so it is necessary to look at the long term picture as well as the short term . Does the UK save money by penny pinching on Cycling , NOW or do they spend massive amounts of money supporting those that are maimed on the roads and those that are becoming obese through lack of exercise , since they can no longer cycle on the countries roads ?
I understand that the UK was offering Tax Breaks on the purchase of Bikes that would be used part of the week to go to and from the workplace . This was a scheme that benefited all that participated BUT I gather it is now being phased out ! Each business reimburses employee for the use of their car on business related activities , but there are some that choose to use a bike . Some seen to thin that when you use a bike there is no expense so choose not to reimburse those miles ! Pettiness like this is rife , time the Inland Revenue stepped in and made the usage of Cycles reimbursable at the same rates as the smaller cars ! Think about the fact that there would be savings on parking costs and the time seeking parking , and the argument is already won !
If David Cameron is waiting for a Blind Man with a white stick , to point out these TWO areas of helping Cyclists in the UK , where he can ACT NOW , then , he is not the man for the job of leading the UK !
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