Letter from Councillor David Dean to Wimbledon Guardian
I am always delighted to see elected members of the Green Party bang the drum for the environment through the letters pages of the Guardian ('Traffic will be worse', 13 August 2015). However, the letter Darren Johnson AM had published last week was negative and disingenuous.
Mayor Boris is the only person, let alone only Mayor, that has managed to create an 18-mile, segregated Cycle Superhighway in a British city. No borough, no government, not even the Green Council in Brighton has done what he is doing. It's bizarre that Assembly Member Darren has also criticised Mayor Boris for planning for more cars on our roads. He is simply preparing London for a 2 million increase in our population. Under Boris, London has become an increasingly successful city and that makes it a popular destination for newcomers, hence Boris's demand-driven analysis.
Assembly Member Johnson also talks about pollution. Yet, in part, it is the Green party's antagonism towards any set of driven wheels that has put the kibosh on electric cars rolling out in London. Mayor Boris has ensured greener bus and taxi fleets and is introducing the world's first ultra low emission zone from 2020 but he needs more support from the Assembly to roll out fast-charging points and dedicated on-street electric charging bays. So, green Darren needs to stop feeling blue about London and back Boris to roll out electric vehicles and rejoice at the marvellous new, unique super highways coming our way.
Cllr David Dean
Conservative Spokesman for the Environment