After a year of campaigning, Stewart Hay, the conservative candidate who is in the running to become Mayor of North Tyneside, has shown support for North Tyneside Cycle Campaign.
The campaign asks people to sign up and help make roads and streets safe for cyclists.
Campaigners have been invited along to several meetings to discuss cycling projects. Recently they met with Stewart Hay to ask if he would sign up to the campaign.
The meeting was successful and the Conservative councillor has been very supportive especially towards the better streets agenda which is designed to make a safer environment for cyclists and pedestrians. The campaign have currently linked up with Living Streets Tyneside group, a charity for everyday walking, to promote this.
A North Tyneside Council Spokesperson said: “In North Tyneside, cycling has trebled over the past decade and our vision is for North Tyneside to be the North East’s leading cycling borough by 2030.
“As a council we work closely with local user groups and are committed to promoting active travel and cycling, which is demonstrated by the fact that cycling across the borough has increased so strongly over the last decade at the same as accident tells us we are the safest place in the region.”
North Tyneside Cycle Campaign hopes to see the council introduce lower speed limits and cycle-friendly town centres to save incidents happening.
So far the council have installed new cycle paths and work is currently underway on improving cycle routes along the Coast Road, Sandy Lane and in the area of Cobalt Business Park.
The campaign wishes to help by creating safer routes for walking and cycling and better public spaces where people can interact and encourage drivers to make fewer short journeys.
Tom Bailey, committee member of the campaign, said: “For some of our active members it is what you’d expect, scared witless in a series of incidents cycling, we want change.
“For me it’s mostly about wanting safe streets for my kids.”
Scott Dawson, a cyclist, from Gosforth was in an accident a couple of years ago as a driver knocked him off his bike.
He said: “There are many roads I avoid as I do not feel safe on them, this often leads to me taking longer more complicated routes, just to cycle in comfort.”
To sign the campaign visit https://northtynesidecyclecampaign.wordpress.com