Advocacy is the most important part of what the Bicycle Association (BA) does, but what do we mean by advocacy?
In the latest episode in the BA’s ongoing podcast series we join Steve Garadis, the BA’s Executive Director, and Phillip Darnton, BA Chairman, as they discuss advocacy and what that means for our members.
Phillip and Steve drill down to the specific moments that BA advocacy work influenced change in Government policy. Phillip Darnton said:
The Environment Act of 2015 was the start of everything we have achieved. We managed to get a paragraph inserted that said that cycling was to be treated in exactly the same way as investment and strategy in roads and in rail.
We have engraved this statement from Chris Heaten-Harris, Minister of State for Transport: ‘I agree that cycle shops provide an essential service and as in the first lockdown period I will do my utmost to ensure they can stay open in the event of any future lockdown’ that’s what advocacy is’.”
Download and listen to the episode on the BA website, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.