Just to let you know that I got a response from my councillor about
cycling in Hitchin - here it is...

Dear Mr Barron
I am a driving instructor and am well awear of the roads in the area,
I also would like to see safer roads in this area and as many others
that we can achieve it. I was thinking from a pedestrian piont of
view, however safer roads for all is a good idea. I have spoken to
Highways already about looking into a 20mph scheme in the area, i am
waiting at the moment for a reply from them.
If you have travelled into Stevenage old town in the past couple of
years they have a scheme that works well in there area which is
called safer routs to school, but they have covered all roads the
children take on there way and it seems to work well so hopefully the
can be a similar scheme here.
I will keep you informed with any news i get from them, i hope that
helps for now but please feel free to contact me if you need to.

Clare Body
Tel. 01462 431541





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From: philip.barron1 [mailto:philip.barron1@...]
Sent: 22 October 2007 21:59
To: clare.body@...
Subject: Concern of a Hitchin Cyclist


Dear Clare,

I think you are my local councillor and so I thought I'd write to
let you know about one of the issues I care about.

I was spurred to write to you as I noted in a recent BBC news
article about obesity http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6989002.stm
that Dr Tim Crayford, president of the Association of Directors of
Public Health ,mentioned that one of the contributory factors that
causes obesity is the levels of car ownership, and also that "We need
to make it easier for people to make healthier choices, for example,
that means having better cycling and walking networks."

There are so many positives to cycling, not only being
particularly environmentally freindly, but it if more people cycled,
according to Dr.Crayford, it would presumably contribute to saving
the NHS money in the future by reducing the number of obese people.
This is not a thought which had occurred to me before!

The thing which puts most people off cycling is safety. I
recommend going round the Three Moorhens roundabout on a bike if you
don't believe me! I simply won't let my children out on the road on
their bikes. I would encourage you to vigorously support us cyclists
as best you can - maybe 20mph speed limits, and any other measures
which can reduce the dominace of cars on Hitchin streets.

Your sincerely,

Philip Barron