I should have banked this one, too, from that May 1978 Highways Bill debate.
Sir George Young (Ealing Acton)
As chairman of the all-party Friends of Cycling Group I welcome New Clause No. 1….
I welcome the clause for two reasons. First, it puts the word "bicycle" into the Bill. That was an unfortunate omission. Bicycles were mentioned extensively in the Green and White Papers, but they did not get into the Bill. By accepting New Clause No. 1 we shall give a much truer impression of the concern of Parliament about this form of transport.
Second, the new clause underlines how cheap and easy it is to meet the wishes of cyclists. Unlike the other clauses in the Bill which involve the spending of money, all that the provisions on cycling require are powers which will enable the local authority to provide racks. This underlines how relatively cheap it is to meet the needs of cyclists, compared with all other groups.
On behalf of the cycling fraternity in the House and outside it, I welcome this first move. However I warn the Secretary of State and the Under-Secretary that we shall be back for more and that we regard the clause as just a first step in the right direction, a step towards providing greater recognition of the needs of cyclists.