“It was rather a shock to see just how many people were cycling,” said Mr Goodwill, quoted on British Cycling’s website
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Nice admissions.
What!s his job?...
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
"UK three decades behind Denmark in cycling provision, admits minister"
(14 posts)-
Posted 8 years ago #
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“When I say people, I mean just that – ordinary people in ordinary clothes; people of all ages, people with young children, and a lot of women. The other thing that struck me was that if all of those people on their bikes had been in cars, the place would have been completely jammed. So I think the motorists understand that having all these people on bikes actually gives them more space to get around. It’s all very impressive."
Wow. Like, duh!
Posted 8 years ago # -
A real bike path to Damascus moment.
Posted 8 years ago # -
What!s his job?...
It's astonishing, isn't it, a cycling minister who doesn't know that lots of people in Copenhagen cycle.
I've not been to Denmark or the Netherlands, but I'm just back from my first ever visit to Berlin... and 3 decades sounds about right...
Posted 8 years ago # -
I guess people aren't necessarily put into positions because it's their background. Jeremy Hunt certainly wasn't a doctor, and George Osborne's command of numbers... But they have advisers and minions who inform etc. and if this guy is new to the role then he's in the process of learning, and has gone to the best place with possibly the best person.
So despite my intense dislike of the Tories, I'd actually be willing to cut this guy some slack on the matter. It's certainly better than him sitting in a wood-panelled office and looking at cycling as an abstract notion.
Posted 8 years ago # -
If he's that ill informed about his brief, what are the chances that Cameron deliberately just got a Tim Nice-But-Dim character into the job? You know, a bit clueless and useless, ineffectual, so that he's no chance of poaching any cash from the big boys doing important things like trunk roads and HS2?
Posted 8 years ago # -
It's possible. Is it also possible that it's not that?
Posted 8 years ago # -
"has gone to the best place with possibly the best person"
Agree
"
Since October 2013, he has been the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, serving under Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin.
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Goodwill
Also -
"
He takes a keen interest in steam engines and owns several; he once brought an engine back from the former Czechoslovakia to restore it.
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http://www.steamscenes.org.uk/tth/13/duncombe-park/20130706125007-DSC_8487.jpg
Posted 8 years ago # -
"Is it also possible that it's not that?"
Of course. This is the Conservative party we're talking about though...
Posted 8 years ago # -
OTOH (from chdot's source):
"In 2000 whilst working as a Conservative MEP, Goodwill sparked controversy when he was quoted as saying "I fly from Leeds/Bradford to Brussels and we get a set fee of around £500, but if I buy a cheaper ticket, economy class for about £160 and £250, I can pocket the difference and, as a capitalist, also as a British Conservative, I see it as a challenge to buy cheap tickets and make some profit on the system".[9] Labour called this proof that sleaze was "alive and well" within the Conservative party whilst the Conservative Party itself condemned his actions saying "the party does not endorse the fiddling of expenses or the impression given that the system should be made available for personal profit". Goodwill later donated £2,000 to local charities following feedback from constituents."
Not a terribly bright thing to do, publicly announce that you are actually proud to fiddle your travel expenses!
Posted 8 years ago # -
If he's given £500 for the flight no matter what, then it seems pretty sensible to find a cheaper flight and pocket the difference. I'd do the same myself. The issue is in the MEP expenses system rules, which sounds like a lazy, low admin approach.
Who knows? Given the status anxiety issues of the socially excluded, discussed on this other thread, it may be that Conservatives, being very much socially included, may be more inclined to promote the bicycle and get the world back to its halcyon days of old maids bicycling to holy communion through the morning mist...
Posted 8 years ago # -
Perhaps David has noticed how much Boris' popularity has risen since he started to take cycling seriously and wants a bit of the action.
Plenty profit can also be made from cycling and even driving which also have fixed per mile amounts and I'm sure many folk objecting to his claims have done so.
Posted 8 years ago # -
@Crowdriver
"Not a terribly bright thing to do, publicly announce that you are actually proud to fiddle your travel expenses!"
It depends why he did it. Maybe he was saying it in order to stir up anger against the wastefulness of the EU?
I've wondered what would happen if high earners revealed they used tax avoidance methods to minimise their tax and said to the country at large,
"You elected - and keep reelecting - the very politicians who created/allow these tax avoidance methods. If you want me to pay more tax, you need to vote for someone else."
i.e. Use tax loopholes in order to make the public force politicians to close those loopholes.
It would probably be more effective than all the lefty "I'm proud to pay my taxes" stuff.
Posted 8 years ago # -
I've not been to Denmark or the Netherlands, but I'm just back from my first ever visit to Berlin... and 3 decades sounds about right...
I spend a month in Berlin every year to detox from UK culture. Indeed I'm there right now. I've also cycled in various towns in Denmark.
For me, Berlin / Dresden is a decade or so behind Denmark in infrastructure. I can't comment on the rest of Germany. But the biggest difference I find both here in Berlin, and in Scandinavia, compared to the UK isn't specifically cycling related - its the massive cultural difference of motorist behaviour at minor side street junctions. They will give way and defer to pedestrians every time, because its sensible, and obviously the right thing to do.
If we can address that stark deficiency in the UK culture, then the rest will follow.
Posted 8 years ago #
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