You've signed the York Cycle Campaign COVID-19 petition, can you secure action from your councillor?

If you're a Cycle Campaign member, apologies if you've already recieved the information in this email.

Thanks you for signing our petition, as of the morning of Sunday the 17th we're almost on 400, so if you know anyone who hasn't signed it yet please share it with them and share it on social media if you use it. Share the link: www.change.org/Make_COVID-19_Space_York

Some measures have been put in place on Tower Street/Castle Mills Bridge and along the Bishy Road Shops parade, you can view ride through videos of them on our YouTube channel. But don't want to see things stop there. 

That's why we are asking you to write to your local ward councillors and ask them to exert pressure on the council to create the space for walking and cycling that we need to see.

Below is some suggested text which you are welcome to use, but if you have time to put it in your own words it will be more effective. We encourage you to give some specific examples within your ward, which could be adapted in the ways suggested to become part of the walk/cycle network.

If you don’t already know your councilors you can find out on the City of York Council website, alternatively we recommend the WriteToThem.org website which simplifies the whole process of finding and sending them an email.

<Start of  text>

Dear ….

I appreciate that you must be very busy, but I'm writing to you to see if you can help to build York's resilience to the Covid crisis, by rapidly updating our transport network. It’s great news that the Government has just announced funding for increased cycling and walking and is inviting bids for a City to become a showcase for a zero emission city. I believe York is extremely well placed to bid for this.

I would urge you and your colleagues at CYC to seriously consider the following as a priority

- Bid for Government funding to become the first zero carbon city

- Create a network of pop-up (and hopefully permanent) cycle lanes and widen pavements in this area.

- Create 'school streets' outside all of the schools in this ward.

- Close some residential roads to through traffic

- Change junction design to accommodate more cyclists.

- Remove barriers, where possible, on all cycle routes in your area. This would go a long way to opening up the routes for cyclists with all needs

- Apply for Decarbon8 Rapid Response Road-space Reallocation funding – link here, deadline 27th May: https://decarbon8.org.uk/

I think we have a rare window of opportunity here to create a cleaner, greener and more inclusive City. If CYC takes a lead on this, there are many of us across York who will get behind you.

Kind regards,

<End of text>

Finally, if your not already a member of York Cycle Campaign please do consider joining us. By becoming a member you increase our voice and we regularly share opportunities to help improve cycling in York, you'll also join a strong community who regularly share ideas and concerns about cycling in the city. You can find out more information and join-up on our website: YorkCycleCampaign.bike/Join

Please feel free to forward this email onto others,

Kind regards,

York Cycle Campaign