Election Cycle 2016 – Lagan Valley

At the start of April 2016 the President of Cycling UK (and Channel 4 News presenter) Jon Snow contacted all Northern Ireland Assembly Election candidates to ask for their support in three simple policy asks around cycling investment, building a greenway network and delivering an Active Travel Act.

The responses received from candidates standing in Lagan Valley will be listed below. You can also click on each name to contact your local candidates through Twitter or Facebook to ask them to respond if they haven’t already. (Social  media contact details are not available for some candidates.)

Name	Party	Investment	Greenways	Legislation
Robbie Butler	UUP	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “Please be assured of my support for cycling and your strategy.”
Pat Catney	SDLP	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “Yes.”
Jonathan Craig	DUP	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “Happy to.”
Peter Dynes	NILRC	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “The answer is yes on all 3 questions. Of course the Labour party wants to see cycling integrated into society as part of a green future shared by all.”
Paul Givan	DUP	NO	YES	NO
Comments: “As a keen walker and runner on our roads I recognise the importance of this issue and in my own constituency actively pursue measures to improve road safety conditions. Answers to your questions below: Investment – I support investment into cycling to improve safety conditions and increase the number of people taking part. The level of this investment would need to be considered as part of the budgetary process. Greenways – Yes. We believe this should to be taken forward by the new Department of Infrastructure and local councils to develop. Legislation – it may not be necessary to legislate on this issue but I would actively encourage this approach for new developments.”
Brenda Hale	DUP	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “As a former member of the Regional Development Committee I am very aware of all the issues, having seen and listened to many presentations at committee, and seen the success of the Mayo Greenway. My late husband and father were serious cyclists, so I am happy to be supportive in any way I can.”
Brian Higginson	UKIP	?	?	?
Comments:
Jack Irwin	Conservatives	NO	NO	NO
Comments: “I absolutely support cycling, although I have to admit, I don`t cycle myself! However, I need to be at Stormont to make a difference, so if you don`t mind please contact me again, if I am lucky enough to be elected and I will be happy to see what I can do to assist your group. On with the campaigning!!”
Trevor Lunn	Alliance	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “The campaigning hasn’t been too taxing but I think I may need to get back on the bike afterwards! There is nothing in your suggestions I would disagree with, I don’t know if £10 per head is the right figure or not, but happy to discuss post-May 5th.”
Frazer McCammond	Democracy First	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “Your policy objectives are wholly in line with my Party’s value of Wise Stewardship – I therefore confirm that I will actively support you in your objectives if elected on 5 May 2016.”
Jacqui McGeough	Sinn Féin	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “I am a firm supporter of the bicycle strategy. Sinn Féin supports the funding for cycling of at least £10 per head of population. We also support Greenways and the Active Travel Act. I believe that it is about investing for health and will go a long way in tackling the pressures on our health budget. More legislation is needed to promote cycling and it’s many benefits.”
Dan Barrios-O’Neill	Green	YES	YES	YES
Comments:  “Investment: Unequivocally yes. And in fact we’d like to see this at £25 Greenways: Yes I do. Many Greens also think we can and should resurrect the rail infrastructure, but this isn’t explicit policy yet. Legislation: Yes I do. This should be embedded in a wider policy to ensure we have guaranteed access to the vast areas of countryside and coast from which we are currently prohibited.”
Jonny Orr	Independent	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “It’s an absolute yes to all 3 of your questions. I would very much like to see Northern Ireland become more like Holland. Progressive and a cyclist friendly culture.”
Jenny Palmer	UUP	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “Yes to all 3 questions. I certainly support cycling in a safe and structured environment. I am happy to agree to investment not sure of the green ways and legislation issues so need to research more.”
Edwin Poots	DUP	?	?	?
Comments:
Lyle Rea	TUV	YES	YES	YES
Comments: “I pledge my support to all three objectives.”

DUP – Democratic Unionist Party
NILRC – Northern Ireland Labour Representation Committee
SDLP – Social Democratic and Labour Party
TUV – Traditional Unionist Voice
UKIP – United Kingdom Independence Party
UUP – Ulster Unionist Party

If you’re a candidate and would like to share your views on our questions to make Northern Ireland a better place for cycling, then we want to hear from you. Please email us at nigreenways@gmail.com and we’ll update this page as soon as possible.

Election Cycle 2016 is a joint effort by the good people at: