Letter: Can Shrewsbury afford a ‘Boris bike’ scheme?
Tuesday 25th January 2011, 6:00AM GMT.
Letter: I read that the MP for Shrewsbury is backing the idea of a “free” bicycle hire scheme in the town (Star, January 17).
May I suggest that first of all he looks into the true cost of the Mayor of London’s scheme to which “sponsors”, Barclays bank has donated nowhere near the total figure. The city’s ratepayers are contributing far more.
As for asking Shrewsbury Town Council for their help, these are the people whose contributions to a cycling-friendly borough leave a lot to be desired.
Was it a good idea to allow dogs to be unleashed in Victoria Avenue, which is a national cycling route, through The Quarry? Or to reject the opportunity to provide adequate lighting along there when funds were available?
One councillor famously, and fatuously, remarked that street lights were not necessary as cyclists “have their own lights”.
Try telling that to people of a nervous disposition, parents of schoolchildren – yes, and dog walkers – lone joggers and so on for whom the area has become increasingly menacing after dark.
This is the main traffic- free route across town and deserved better.
There are county council staff qualified and with funds available to improve the lot of cyclists. May I suggest that our MP has a word with them about suggestions concerning cycle hire which have been mooted at regularly convened cyclists’ forums? One idea was to utilise the former parcels area at Shrewsbury station.
All that is needed is a dealer willing to provide machines for hire and sale plus repairs.
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Short answer: no.
All STC’s cash is being spent on nannying drunks home in case they fall in the river…
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Cyclists mostly have an utter disregard for the law of the land
1 riding on pavements
2 failing to stop at STOP signs
3 failing to stop at red traffic lights
4 not showing lights
5 riding more than 2 abreast
6 not observing no entry signs
Heaven forbid we put more of these law breakers on the road we have sufficient now.
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Oh do give it a rest….Thats a bit like saying every driver parks on kerbs and fails to indicate.
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Great idea to improve lighting along Victoria Avenue – for pedestrians just as much as cyclists
Jeffrey, I don’t see how any of your claims relate to a wide traffic-free path through the park?
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The temporary lights which go up on Victoria Avenue every year for the Flower Show are excellent – they light the path and are not intrusive
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Great idea!
I have used the same scheme in Barcelona! being negative this is England so bikes would be vandalised and stolen but I’d like to see something like this!!
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