#POP28 correspondence! « CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum

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#POP28 correspondence!

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Started 12 years ago by Dave
Latest reply from spytfyre

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Dave
Member

Hi,

I can't recommend strongly enough that people get on the email and hit their local council candidates on cycling.

Because it can be a bit difficult to find inspiration, and in case anyone's interested, I'm keeping a page on my blog up to date with my own efforts.

http://mccraw.co.uk/pedal-on-parliament-correspondence/

(I'm sure nobody will try to re-send a whole email verbatim, but if you were thinking of this, bulk mail is easy for a politician to ignore).

Anyone else want to add their own? In fairness, I did offer both recipients so far the opportunity to be paraphrased instead of quoted directly.

Posted 12 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

What Dave said.

Along with Spokes, I think PoP may do something to be included in their next mailshot to MPs, MSPs and local councillors around the idea of a postcard with key images from the day along the lines of "wish you were here". Or something. And then people could send copies of the postcard to their own representatives too.

Also, can I recommend that people take a minute to drop an email to Lothian & Borders Police to thank them for their great support on the day, the positive image they projected of the force and for handling it professionally and with good humour at all times, even though clearly they were getting a bit of stick from drivers at times. Oh and they thought they had signed up for about 300 cyclists and found themselves with almost 10 times that!

Posted 12 years ago #
chdot
Admin

http://www.lbp.police.uk/contact_us.aspx

https://twitter.com/LBP_Police

"

L&B Police @LBP_Police

Thank you for the messages re #POP28 much appreciated, I will pass on your thanks to the officers at the event on Monday.

"

https://twitter.com/#!/LBP_Police/status/196292927268454400

Posted 12 years ago #
Baldcyclist
Member

"
Oh and they thought they had signed up for about 300 cyclists and found themselves with almost 10 times that!
"

He he, I wouldn't have minded a wee glimpse into the mind of the senior Police officer on the ground when 'they just kept coming. Weird thing is how quickly, and soon before kickoff folk seemed to arrive at MMW.
I arrived about 2.35pm and joined the then end of the Que not very far down the path. I know my shock when I turned around 20 minutes later to discover folks all the way down to the end of the path, and round the corner!

L&B really did a fine job of adapting to the circumstances on the ground, and getting resources in place so quickly to deal with the crowds.

Posted 12 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

dave - i've taken up your challenge and sent all my msps and councillors a short text and a bunch of links etc

Posted 12 years ago #
spytfyre
Member

Have also thanked the police direct.
One of them ended up in front of us at the lights on our homeward journey - he asked if we thought they were good to have as they were getting some resistance from higher powers so go say they are appreciated and go now!

Posted 12 years ago #
lionfish
Member

@Dave: Done! This time to my councillors. Thanks for reminding me!

Posted 12 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

I don't think the Police could have done this from vehicles alone - they wouldn't have been able to get through the crowd for a start, and it would have been hard for them to keep up just on foot. They would have needed many more officers available to police it those ways.

The bikes have an advantage that they can be propped in the middle of the road as a mini-roadblock while the officer is elsewhere on the junction directing traffic / riders.

Posted 12 years ago #
David Martin
Member

Dropped a note to L&B Police. They were excellent and I, like many I heard, made a point of thanking them (and their less mobile colleagues) on the way through.

http://www.writetothem.com is a good place to start to find your local councillors and MSP. I have written to mine, highlighting the huge turnout and going through the 8-point plan with specific local examples.

One councillor has already got back to me - a great person to have on the council even if I don't necessarily agree with his politics. This is about finding politicians of whichever flavour who will work for the people ahead of the party.

Posted 12 years ago #
gembo
Member

I thanked big Quentin of L&B polis. He appreciated this. I think it is important to support cycle friendly coppers within the force as it is a very broad church.

Posted 12 years ago #
Instography
Member

Councillors done - building on some very long and unsatisfactory correspondence with council officials, which at least got me the gem that my son cannot realistically expect to safely cycle to school any time in the next 20 years.

Posted 12 years ago #
chdot
Admin

"the gem that my son cannot realistically expect to safely cycle to school any time in the next 20 years"

I think we need to be able to read more of that!

Copy to Alex...

Posted 12 years ago #
crowriver
Member

@Instography, when you print up your flyer for your new campaign group you should quote that line from the council official. What a disgrace!

Posted 12 years ago #
gembo
Member

@insto is your son staying on at school then? :-)

Posted 12 years ago #
amir
Member

Having sent a missive only yesterday pm to my local candidates, I have already received two replies, one from the conservative and one from an independent. These were both positive towards cycling.

I am happy to forward these replies by pm to anyone interested. I am in the Midlothian East ward.

Posted 12 years ago #
Dave
Member

The world's shortest reply from Cllr Perry, but then he does contest for the world's lowest profile Cllr. I didn't recognise him from the one election leaflet we've received.

Anybody doing southside/newington hustings tonight? I was planning to go, but then double booked the weekly hill climb. Although I'm possibly hurting a bit much to make a decent showing there.

Posted 12 years ago #
Kim
Member

Please do all write to your elected rep both local and national (http://www.writetothem.com), we have to keep the pressure on!

Posted 12 years ago #
SRD
Moderator

I sent a bunch of links to the goods blogs, videos etc from POP. thanked them for coming and asked them to share the videos etc in their parties. mentioned how much fun it was, but with a serious goal, that they need to take seriously.

Posted 12 years ago #
MeepMeep
Member

I took a more direct approach with my correspondence to the councillors. I emailed with a link to TheEdinburghReporter.co.uk article and explained I was campaigning for safer cycling on Saturday only to be hit by a driver not paying enough attention on my Monday morning commute: I advised I wanted to know what their thoughts were on this ironic incident in their constituency and what they were offering for cyclists.

Posted 12 years ago #
Dave
Member

Nice one, MeepMeep. I bet they don't get many like that!

I've now sent dispatches to the police, Ms Hinds (Labour transport) and all but one of my mainstream local candidates*.

So far only the one response. I guess we're hitting them at an extremely busy point!

I want to target the other party transport people too (one of whom is Gordon Mackenzie, killing two birds with one stone), and the respective party leaders - just to make sure that the noise is getting to the top people too.

Can't make too much of a racket IMO. Having a line of dialogue open now will also make it easy to pursue them after the dust settles (the ones who remain).

* other candidates are available

Posted 12 years ago #
crowriver
Member

I guess we're hitting them at an extremely busy point!

The election is the day after tomorrow, so yeah.

Posted 12 years ago #
Uberuce
Member

Added my wee bit to political inboxes...

Posted 12 years ago #
amir
Member

I now have 3 responses to my brief email - from:
* Paul Bertram - Scottish National Party (SNP)
* Peter de Vink - Independent
* Richard Thomson - Scottish Conservative and Unionist

(Ward is Midlothian East)

Lisa Beattie, Scottish National Party (SNP), seems a nice person. I might see if I can have a word with her after the election - her husband is the SNP MSP Colin Beattie.

Posted 12 years ago #
Uberuce
Member

I was pleasantly surprised by the speed of their non-automated replies. Or perhaps they arguably were automated in the sense that they've been doing a lot of this over the last few days so they're very quick at it.

Posted 12 years ago #
David Martin
Member

Been following up in the local rag.
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/Opinion/Readers-letters/article/22546/may-4-time-the-politicians-acted-to-make-the-country-a-cycle-friendly-nation.html

I think many of the editorial staff are cyclists.

Posted 12 years ago #
Claggy Cog
Member

I sent four emails to candidates standing in my area, and have received only one response. I was not overwhelmed with that response either somewhat fudging the issue of safeguarding the promised 5% of the transport budget, and what did they envisage it would be spent on - the response was that no monies could be spent until other financial constraints had been looked into, so sent a further email - no reply has been forthcoming. I was sorely tempted to write as suggested by chdot on the ballot paper, not to vote as it only encourages them!!

Posted 12 years ago #
Roibeard
Member

@Claggy (yep, still can't get used to the new name!)

I contacted all the candidates, and only got the one response too (probably the same email!).

In person, verbally, he didn't want to commit to a figure, in case that figure wasn't enough, and similarly didn't wish to commit on the "what" of the spending in case that wasn't the best idea either. Of course this more positive position isn't on record, and the lack of commitment in writing can be wriggled either way as necessary post election...

Call me cynical? Moi?

I think I'll pick up the ideas here, and write to the new (returning) councillors, congratulating them, inviting them on a cycle [1], and asking about progress on the Active Travel Action Plan...

Robert

[1] No skill required, I can stick them on the Pino!

Posted 12 years ago #
Claggy Cog
Member

@Roibeard - if it is the same councillor that responded, no need for the Pino, he does actually cycle or so he says, he and his wife, but only in summer or clement weather (given that we live in Scotland that won't be that often then!!) or rather light permitting because they don't feel safe cycling in the dark. Allegedly he would have been at POP but due to a meeting with a constituent, could not, one wonders how far in advance they make appointments with constituents, and surely he could have rejigged his diary a wee bit, but hey ho. I did see Ian Murray there, the Labour MP for this area, he is very approachable and a nice guy who does ride his bike regularly and plays footie too.

You may have to give a "backie" to some of the others though.

Posted 12 years ago #
Dave
Member

I've been a bit out of the loop, but I picked up on the POP congratulations motion at Parliament and have updated my correspondence with a few new items...

I sent the G-Mac a letter of condolence/thanks although it bounced from an OoO responder (anyone got a working address?) and just need to work up to bombarding my new southside councillors (whenever WriteToThem sorts itself out post-election).

I can't believe I haven't been into this sort of thing before, it's so straightforward.

Posted 12 years ago #
chdot
Admin

No need to wait for W2T

http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/councillors/ward

Posted 12 years ago #

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