[Netnews-action] article: community network cycling project vanishes

[Manchester Campaigns]

[[[from 'Pothole', Grt Manc Cycling Campaign http://www.gmcc.org.uk ]]]

£10,000 Community Network cycling project vanishes without trace

In 2004 the Transport Thematic Partnership, part of Manchester's
Community
Strategy, agreed to GMCC's proposal for a project to study the
maintenance
of the City's on-road cycling provision such as bike lanes and advanced
stop
lines. The proposal was allocated a budget of £10,000. GMCC's Dick Venes
held some promising meetings with a Council officer and elicited views
from
our members regarding the scope of the project. We were disappointed at
the
limited remit of the project - to survey the condition of these
facilities
rather than actually do some work on them. However, we looked forward to
a report that would identify weaknesses in the Council's existing
maintenance
schedule and result in an improved service in the future.

The project was due to be finished by the end of the financial year, 31
March
2005. So far, despite repeated enquiries, no report or information about
its results have been forthcoming from Council officers or Community
Network
representatives. Was the money actually spent on this project? If so,
why
the delay in publishing the results? If not, where did the money go?
Councillors
have been contacted in an attempt to get answers to these questions.
Volunteers
and community groups need assurances that their involvement with such
statutory-led
partnerships is meaningful rather than tokenistic.
-- 
Michael
Networking Newsletter
http://www.networkingnewsletter.org.uk