Joint hustings event to grill Northern Ireland Assembly candidates

We have teamed up with Cycling UK to host Northern Ireland's Active Travel Hustings, ahead of the 2022 assembly elections.

Two young men, one pushing a bike, are walking past The Palm House in Botanic Gardens, South Belfast on a sunny, blue sky and fluffy white cloud day. Other people are walking in the background and sat on benches enjoying the mild day.

Credit: Brian Morrison/Sustrans

We've teamed up with Cycling UK to host an online hustings, ahead of the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

We'll be finding out if the politicians 'can walk the walk' as well as 'talk the talk' when it comes to their commitments to active travel.

Anne Madden, Sustrans Policy & Communications Manager explained:

“In Northern Ireland, we have the lowest investment in walking, wheeling and cycling across the UK and Ireland.

“Political will has been shown as the most effective way to get people out of their cars and onto other forms of transport.

“So what are our candidates and parties promising to do if they make it into government this May?

“This is your chance to hear from the parties about how they intend to end car dominance and provide healthy, sustainable options for transport in Northern Ireland.”

Four key areas of policy

The event will be chaired by presenter, author and columnist Malachi O'Doherty.

Malachi will be putting your questions to assembly candidates and challenging them on four key areas of policy:

How will candidates ensure the investment commitment of a 10% spend on active travel from the Climate Change Act will lead to safe walking and cycling infrastructure?
How will candidates pass an Active Travel Act which places a statutory requirement on various levels of government to enhance infrastructure for people walking and cycling?
How will candidates put walking, wheeling, and cycling at the heart of our communities, increasing their sustainability and liveability through the development of 20-minute neighbourhoods? (20-minute neighbourhoods are where most amenities or facilities are within a 20-minute walk from people's homes).
How will candidates reduce our reliance on the car and improve the choices people have for transport?

The panellists are from the six parties with the most seats in the recent Assembly:

Roy Beggs, UUP candidate and recent MLA for East Antrim
George Dorrian, DUP Belfast City Council Alderman
Cara Hunter, SDLP candidate and recent MLA for East Derry~Londonderry
Simon Lee, Green Party candidate for Lagan Valley and current Lisburn/Castlereagh Cllr
Philip McGuigan, Sinn Féin candidate and recent MLA for North Antrim
Kate Nicholl, Lord Mayor of Belfast and Alliance Party candidate for Belfast South

This is your chance to hear from the parties about how they intend to end car dominance and provide healthy, sustainable options for transport in Northern Ireland.

Anne Madden, Sustrans Policy & Communications Manager