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Oxfordshire County Council leader backs highways chief who endorsed tweet suggesting cyclists should move to the Netherlandscouncillor liam walker - via liam-walker website

Oxfordshire County Council leader backs highways chief who endorsed tweet suggesting cyclists should move to the Netherlands

Liam Walker said to be a “strong supporter of active travel”
by Alex Bowden
Fri, Nov 06, 2020 16:38
11

The leader of Oxfordshire County Council has backed the councillor in charge of the county’s roads after he expressed approval for a tweet that cyclists “forever wanking off the Dutch” should just move there. Ian Hudspeth said that highways chief Liam Walker was a "strong supporter of active travel".

We reported last month how Walker had been left considering his position after a row over an apparently anti-cyclist tweet had ‘mentally taken its toll’.

Linking to a story about Transport Secretary Grant Shapps’ comments that pop-up cycle lanes were leaving traffic, “backed up alongside them,” he said: “Who knew that as the weather got worse all those temporary measures wouldn’t get used..... cycling went up during lockdown because people had time on their hands. Now they are back to work & on school run they need their cars. This was obvious months ago.”

One of the replies to his tweet read: “Cyclists constantly wanking off the Dutch. Fuck off over there then.”

To which Walker responded: “Well put in a way people would complain if I said the same.”

The BBC reports that at a council meeting on Tuesday, Lib Dem councillor Tim Bearder asked Hudspeth if he was "content to have someone on your cabinet that is not a proponent of the active travel agenda".

Hudspeth said Walker was a "strong supporter of active travel" who took the train to reduce his car use.

He also said Walker was "often seen out riding in his division whilst also reporting potholes that could be a danger to fellow cyclists".

Walker did post a photo of himself out on a bike ride (or at least wearing a cycle helmet) a week or so ago.

Liam Walker
Oxfordshire County Council
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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11 comments

Avatar
Alf0nse | 4 years ago
3 likes

It's quite telling that Dr Bartington the OCC cycling champion resigned her role stating it "seemingly impossible to enact positive change" after working with laughing boy 

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matlockmark | 4 years ago
7 likes

I'd love to move to the Netherlands, but this councillor and his Brexity mates have made this much more difficult.

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hawkinspeter replied to matlockmark | 4 years ago
6 likes

Rather than moving, can't we just bring the good, workable ideas from Netherlands (and other European countries) over to here? Now that they've done some actual testing of different ideas, we can clearly see what works and what doesn't. Clearly, putting all our eggs into the automobile basket is not working very well. (Personally, I'd love to see a few of their coffee shops spring up here too).

Avatar
Rome73 replied to matlockmark | 4 years ago
1 like

They have taken away your freedom of movement. It's not difficult to visit Holland but you do not have rights equal to those of a local or of any other EU citizen. Nor do you have the right to remain. Therefore you are at a huge disadvantage as you can't settle there without going through a settlement process. In some cases this can take years and in that time you will not have immediate access to welfare, banking & investments, employement,  health care and all the other quotidian parts of life we take for granted. If you are financially stable you can skip some of this through private health care etc . But you are still an alien - albeit a desirable one. 

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eburtthebike | 4 years ago
0 likes

Has anyone suggested that the councillor in charge of the transport policy and the council leader eff off to Timbuktu?  After all, they clearly aren't all that impressed with Holland.

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Sniffer replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
2 likes

That would not be fair on the people of Mali.

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dodpeters | 4 years ago
4 likes

I’m a keen cyclist myself, but.....

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Captain Badger replied to dodpeters | 4 years ago
3 likes

I'm all for active travel but....

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eburtthebike | 4 years ago
11 likes

"Hudspeth said Walker was a "strong supporter of active travel" who took the train to reduce his car use." 

I must have missed that memo about trains being active travel.  Maybe he walks up and down the aisles for the entire journey.  Am I the only one thinking that this is a rather desperate defence of the indefensible?

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kimmcbride replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
2 likes

you will never win with a council I have had numerous bad experiences with them he doesn't care what you say 

 

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David9694 replied to eburtthebike | 4 years ago
2 likes

"Minister, the PM wished me to tell you that you have his full support, his full support..."

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