Queen Mary University, with campuses in east and central London, has sent TfL a statement calling for the planned Cycle Superhighways to be completed without delay. The University has 4,000 members of staff and over 17,500 students. Professor Jeremy Kilburn, Acting Principal, released a statement (PDF) this week. In it he said:
‘If built, these improvements will deliver safe space for cycling in the capital, including sections over Blackfriars Bridge, along Victoria Embankment and extending to Bow in east London. It would be a huge leap forward for the safety of our students and staff who commute by bicycle and will reduce the chances of future tragedies.’
SUArts is the students’ union for the University of the Arts London. They represent over 25,000 students at all 15 campuses of the University. Shelly Asquith is the President of the Union, and she released a joint letter (PDF) with Vice-Presidents for four campuses. In it they said:
‘I believe that cycling is a particularly important issue for students as transport costs in London are high. At University of the Arts London, the average amount students spend on travel is £82.15 a month. This figure could be significantly lower if the roads were inviting to the majority of students. This would allow them to spend more money on their education and degrees—making work that they really feel proud of.’
BCS Consulting is a Management Consultancy based in Cannon Street. They manage projects for clients in banking and financial markets. Their Managing Director, Barney Brown, had this to say about TfL’s plans:
‘The proposed north–south and east–west routes will help us attract and retain the employees our business needs to continue to thrive. They will also make London a more attractive city in which to build and run our business.’
Hovis is a UK bread and flour manufacturer. Their CEO Bob Spooner sent this statement to TfL:
‘As CEO of Hovis I fully support the need for improved cycling facilities for all cyclists in London. It’s better for the environment, for health and is a growing and increasingly popular activity for all that deserves an increased level of support.’
Experience Events is a live events company. They design and deliver live events across the globe. Their projects have included the European Business Awards, the Observer Food Awards and AFME’s Annual Liquidity Conference, among many others. Partner Mark Griffith released this statement:
‘Our work in the live events industry takes us all over the world, but London is our home. We are delighted by the plans to improve our city for pedestrians and cyclists by the redesign of two major routes through the city.
‘Most of our team ride, but many of our customers and other staff on our events would like the comfort of being able to ride in separated spaces.
‘We would like to support these plans and encourage other companies to do the same. They make great business sense, are good for our employees and clients and good for the City.’
Burlington Associates Ltd is a financial planning company with offices on Cheapside. They provide financial advice and have been based in London for 13 years. Gary J. Lucas, Director at Burlington, released a statement in support of the Cycle Superhighway plans:
‘We value their safety and we want to promote active lifestyles for all our employees. We support their freedom to choose how they get to work. We also note strong evidence that more cycling increases spending in local retail businesses and lowers air pollution levels.’
CyclingWorks 