Tomorrow evening MPs will debate the ‘Get Britain Cycling‘ report in the House of Commons. And outside Parliament, cyclists including SERA members and Labour activists will be cycling through Parliament Square, showing support for the MPs and calling for space for cyclists. 

Join us at 6pm, Monday 2 September, by Ping Pong at the back of the Royal Festival Hall, near Waterloo.

Cycling is currently seeing high visibility, with politicians on all sides eager to be seen with a cycle helmet or a Brompton. But for David Cameron, cycling means a photo opportunity with the ministerial car lurking around the corner, while Boris Johnson has been content to take the credit for a cycling revolution in London’s City Hall brought in by Ken Livingstone. We know that it is Labour councils, like Hackney, Camden and Lambeth in London, Manchester and Oxford elsewhere, who are showing the real leadership on cycling.

In recent weeks, we’ve welcomed the announcement of money for cycling in a number of cities around England but, as Tom Hayes pointed out on our website, this was largely double counting and replacing the money cut when the Tories abolished Cycling England, set up by Labour. Not so much cycle as spin cycle.

We also know there’s more to do. Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle wrote in the New Statesman that cycling needs the long-term financial commitments that this Government has offered road-building. SERA Executive Member Romney Tansley wrote in our last New Ground that we need to bridge the gap between politicians’ promises and the reality on the ground.

That’s why we launching SERA’s new campaign, Labour for Cycling.

We want to share the best that Labour councillors, Assembly Members and MSPs are delivering on the ground, and highlight where the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and SNP are talking up cycling but doing nothing to support it. We want to help make sure that the rise in cycling in inner London is reproduced around the country and that cycling is safe, healthy and affordable so that all who want to can participate. And we want to support Labour MP, Ian Austin, in the debate tomorrow in Parliament so that we can Get Britain Cycling.

So join us tomorrow, Monday 2 September, at 6pm, meeting behind the Royal Festival Hall with our bikes. If you can’t join us this time, look out for other Labour for Cycling activities in coming months. You can also share the logo above on Facebook or tweet your support:

RT @serauk SERA launches Labour for Cycling – time for Government & Mayor of London to ensure there’s #space4cycling http://t.co/6tnG8hV8Ht