Mayor David Skaith spoke to national Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman in York recently.
This is a video of their conversation.
These are some of the headlines from the talk.
1) Ghent
David Skaith talks about the impression Ghent made on him.
He visited before he was Mayor, and saw the positive effects of the Ghent circulation plan. In 2017 the city was divided into six sectors, and motor vehicle traffic was not allowed to pass from one sector to the other – drivers had to go out to the ring road.
This meant much less through traffic. Mayor Skaith describes how it resulted in thousands of children cycling to school.
2) Enthusiasm for Active Travel
Skaith sees active travel investment as a way of giving people choice about how they move around.
People really want it, he says.
‘The most engagement we’ve had on anything we’ve done is anything around active travel…people want it. They see the benefits, they want the environment safer for their young people in particular…it’s by far the biggest engagement we’ve had’.
3) Frustrations with Political Leaders and Speed of Change
Skaith describes how one of his local authorities (it was North Yorkshire Council, though he doesn’t name them) took him to court because he moved some money away from potholes and to active travel.
He says it has not been a focus in wider parts of North Yorkshire for a long time, so bringing the political will is a challenge.
Speed of change is the other main problem.
‘It’s unbelievable how slow things change.
We’ll do a strategy, then we’ll do a plan to deliver the strategy, then we’ll have to have a business case, and it goes on for years and years and years.
And things get so diluted down that the thing you started is not the thing that you end up delivering in the end anyway’.
Skaith is on a Mayoral Council that has a fortnightly call with the Prime Minister. He feels this is helpful, but the main issue is not cutting red tape – it’s bringing local leaders on board.
4) Transport in York & North Yorkshire 10 Years’ Time
Mayor Skaith says that in 10 years’ time, he wants stations and Park & Rides to be transport hubs.
Transport will be more affordable, with more options especially for young and old people who don’t – or don’t want to – drive.
Walking and cycling will be normalised in places like York and Harrogate.
Transport can open up opportunities for everyone, including children who live in more deprived areas, and improve their health and life outcomes.