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UKIP logo.jpgUKIP candidates blame immigrants for clogging up cycle lanes and threaten police crackdown on cyclists
Two UKIP candidates have this week separately blamed immigrants for clogging up cycle lanes, and called for police crackdowns on cyclists, mandatory hi-vis and insurance.
The comments, made in response to the CTC's Vote Bike campaign, come from Ealing Southall UKIP candidate John Poynton and UKIP Cllr Kevin Mahoney respectively, the latter demonstrating anti-cycling rhetoric despite party policy that wishes to "encourage cycling".
Perhaps of equal concern is the comment by Cllr Mahoney that he would introduce stronger police actions against law breaking cyclists, which is beyond the powers of MPs.
UKIP candidate for Ealing Southall, John Poynton, commented on the CTC's website yesterday: "The pressures on facilities for cycling are principally caused by high levels of immigration. No party can do anything significant for cyclists until we have left the European Union. Only UKIP will do this."
When asked by road.cc to clarify, Poynton said he meant there would be room for "all activities and walks of life if fewer people lived here".
In the Vale of Glamorgan Kevin Mahoney, UKIP Cllr for Sully Ward made strongly anti-cycling statements, which were forwarded to road.cc by a reader.
Cllr Mahoney suggested introducing mandatory measures for cyclists including insurance, fluorescent jackets and proficiency tests to "considerably improve road safety for cyclists".
He would also "press for a law that cyclists must use a cycleway rather than the road if a suitable one is provided parallel with the road that they are riding on."
While Mahoney is against 20mph zones, because he feels drivers will still speed, he said he would encourage police crackdowns on "the estimated 90% of all cyclists that I personally witness whilst driving who are riding on the roads without lights after dark" and introduce "stronger police action" in enforcing road traffic laws against offending cyclists running red lights "or those that I regularly witness travelling towards me the wrong way in my lane etc etc".
However, as the CTC's Communications Coordinator, Sam Jones, points out, dictating police policies and law is not be within the powers of an MP. As a local councillor, meanwhile, he would only have powers equal to those of any other citizen, i.e. the ability to raise issues of concern with police, within existing laws.
Jones said it sounded like Mahoney's comments were based on what he would do as an MP, rather than as a councillor.
"Fortunately, neither MPs (nor councillors) can introduce any of the below by themselves on a whim," said Jones.
"By all means they can campaign for more police action on illegal activity on our roads (which we would hope would apply to all road users and be in proportion to the risk that the law breaking vehicle poses, not just singling out one specific group).
"They can also campaign for compulsory use of cycle facilities by cyclists (despite the Highway Code), just as others can campaign for Space for Cycling or Road Justice. Essentially they can campaign for anything that takes their fancy, but introducing such actions without due process is not within their scope of powers."
"It is hoped that in our democratic system no one councillor or MP would not have the power to make them do it!"
Jones added the Home Secretary and relevant ministers can advise and give guidance to the police, an example being when cycling minister, Robert Goodwill, last year advised police to use their discretion when fining people for responsible pavement cycling.
UKIP were contacted about the comments but have not responded.
Laura Laker is a freelance journalist with more than a decade’s experience covering cycling, walking and wheeling (and other means of transport). Beginning her career with road.cc, Laura has also written for national and specialist titles of all stripes. One part of the popular Streets Ahead podcast, she sometimes appears as a talking head on TV and radio, and in real life at conferences and festivals. She is also the author of Potholes and Pavements: a Bumpy Ride on Britain’s National Cycle Network.
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Especially since the similarly priced Tickr X did have that functionality.
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33 comments
According to UKIP, the problem to every subject is immigration, irrespective of actually statistics and studies. They opt for the easy solution, a one-size-fits-all solution, which would probably not solve most of the issues in the end, but their minds are too feeble and/or lazy to understand the intricacies of how a community develops and evolves.
I honestly don't understand the logic you used to arrive at this conclusion.
From hearing them speak* and reading their policys, they sound like the most self opinionated party who only care about themselves and don't give a 't' about anyone else.
* Forced to hearing them speak I should say, because the media seems to give them far more air time than other parties of their stature.
'As is said above, that's 15% who lap the UKIP shit up, 15% who will be outright hostile to their fellow man and woman for being from a different country, or for not having the 'right' sexuality, or for riding a bike, or for being politically correct, or for being young, or for being happy, or fuck only knows what else.'
Thankfully it's probably significantly less than 15% who meet the criteria above. There are probably quite a few people who don't buy into it all but are going for the protest vote.
But as Stewart Lee so nicely put it, that's like complaining about hotel service by shitting in your bed...and then having to sleep in it.
“Boris Johnson conspired with Surrey County Council to introduce regular bike competitions in the Surry Hills. The have boxed-in locals and led to traffic chaos. If elected, I will work the Greater London Authority to have these events moved to Uxbridge. See how he likes it!” Paul Oakley, UKIP candidate, Mole Valley.
Quote* "It doesn't matter who you vote for....the goverment always gets in".
*Official source The bonzo dog do-dah band
After watching the debate i thought Farage did quite well..............in alienating virtually every single person other than the far right numpties from the EDL, BNP etc.
He is clueless as are his party, for instance prior to the debate Paul Nuttall, ukip deputy leader, was quoted as saying "why were the the SNP and Plaid Cymru allowed to take part as they dont have any MP's in England", ffs and some people actually want to vote for these idiots. Oh and dont forget he's another MEP that stands for a party that hates Europe.
We vote for the parties, not the leaders.
But which party are you referring to?
As long as they spout this kind of stupid, we should really be safe as no-one can really be stupid enough to accept that this is any way logical..................... Can they?
I only feel confident in being able to voice my opinion in public since we became members of the European Union.
Vote for the leader who keeps there promises! No top down restructure of NHS oops, no tuition fees oops, reduce immigration oops, ah yes I know reduce the national debt oops. Cycling as an intergrated form of transport, oooooops I give up bonjour
Even if we left the EU we would be forced to keep to pay into the EU and allow freedom of movement from EU countries in order to access the common market. Since the EU buys 50% of our exports this isn't a minor point. This is what happens in Switzerland. The idea that we would suddenly increase trade with the rest of the world in a short space of time seems crazy. If we could increase trade with them now we would be doing it.
I hope UKIP do well, as I hope The Green Party and The SNP do well. Anything to force the big three parties to wake up and realise politics isn't about making sure the status quo is maintained is a good thing. And I fucking hate Farage.
"No party can do anything significant for cyclists until we have left the European Union"
That's why Denmark and the Netherlands left. Oh...
they just have so much more of them. They are a party of and for bigots in all areas. No surprise the worse place I have ridden in the world, where I got the most hassle was Kent eh ?
UKIP don't have the monopoly on stupid, there are dumbasses in every party.
True, but stupid seems to have a monopoly on UKIP.
Hoping UKIP do really well in the elections. The only party who gives a toss about British people.
As long as you are a thick racist without a modicum of self respect.
Just proving how mind numbingly brain dead UKIP is.....
I'm really worried about how many of my friends and people in my year at school (Im 17) genuinely support these thinly veiled racist bigots who are completely ridiculous and have wacky as ideas. Some of these are completely ignorant of how the UKIP policies will negatively affect not only our economy, but also our community and basic humanity.
They treat it as a popularity contest and think 'ah yes Farage downs a pint, therefore he's a decent guy so I trust him and he gets my vote'.
Rant over
"No party can do anything significant for cyclists until we have left the European Union."
I have heard EU membership being blamed for many things, but have to say this is a new one!
Whilst the PPC who made these comments is not local to my own area, this does however give you an indication of how Ukip members may vote on cycling related issues if they are brought to parliament!
Disclaimer: I am the Yorkshire First PPC for the Beverley & Holderness constituency
Farage - we will pull out of Europe - really, considering your an MEP and you've lined your pockets putting in ridiculous expenses claims. It seems very 2 faced, oh and dont forget his other pearl of wisdon - british jobs for british workers, now where does that sit with your wife who is not british but has a job over here hmmm
All in all the man is a racist pig who should not even be allowed to speak in public.
I don't particlarly like him either, but the knee-jerk "ban him" reactions from the left of the political spectrum are equally unpalatable.
He has a right to voice an opinion. Others have the right to believe that his opinion is bollocks. But, I defend his right to state his views in public.
Foreign bikes give you HIV! There was no Aids when everyone rode British bikes.
all the dutch coming over here and nicking our cycle lanes!! That's why we haven't got any, they have been stolen!
Well, it seems it's not just individual swivel eyed UKIP councillors who can misjudge their comments. I'm quite impressed by the near universal reaction of the British public to Nigel's HIV comments last night.
https://twitter.com/JamesManning/status/583720099154014208/photo/1
I think a lot of people are also finding the comment about children not playing in the streets because of immigrants (erm... not the cars then) just as daft.
UKIP is not trying to appeal to your average cyclists, whatever that might be.
There appealing to your stero typical White van driver, they will lap this stuff up all day.
There are to many cyclists because of immigration, you honestly couldn't make it up could you. They sound just like swivel eyed fromage last night.
Not sure about the van driver bit.
I had to check it wasn't April 1st. But no, UKIP really are that bloody stupid
UKIP were contacted about the comments but have not responded because hey haven't yet got past trying to reply to emails by smashing their faces into their keyboards, in fact what is email, we're banning the internet because it doesn't exist in our prewar minds
fixed.
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