Emily Williams

I have been actively promoting and encouraging cycling for parents and children in my local area for the last 5 years – both organising social rides for women and delivering Bikeability training in schools. The pandemic and lockdown has bought the climate crisis, and the importance of community-based action to encourage behaviour change into sharp focus when a lot of the temporary cycle/pedestrian measures were removed. A group of us started organising regular Kidical Mass rides to demonstrate support for better cycling infrastructure, and to campaign for better cycling infrastructure in our city. I am also really proud to be the CEO of Velocity Cafe and Bicycle Workshop, which as well as having great coffee and amazing food, delivers a range of projects which help encourage people to be more active and improve their cycling skills and confidence.

I will campaign for participatory budgeting for the Active Travel department to give local residents to request small improvements in their local area. For example, the converting a parking space into a parklet or  secure cycle storage on a residential street, or the ability to close quiet streets to hold a play street, or to request public cycle racks in areas where there is no provision.

I will also amplify the voice of the local cycling community, and encourage them to engage with consultations on active travel schemes promoted by the council. It is only by being very vocal in support of schemes, and emailing councillors that and progress will be made on the ground.