Quote - ‘For settlements to be genuinely “eco” they must be based around walking, cycling and public transport with a range of facilities available locally. They should enhance, not spoil, the surrounding area and landscape, and win the support of the local community. For this to happen, schemes must be agreed via the local planning process rather than attempt to circumvent this.’

I fully agree with the first part of this statement but only part of the latter. What exactly does ‘community support’ mean or indeed ‘must be agreed with the local planning process’.  I am aware of at least one Civic Society that is actively fighting cycling being allowed through a local park - the alternative route will take cyclists onto often very busy roads and robs children of the opportunty to learn to cycle in traffic-free safety. Why is this? Because the CS has appointed itself as the voice of the community which opposes cycling despite all its benefits. This is clearly a case of CS members being completely adrift from understanding why cycling should be encouraged and why their efforts should be directed towards finding ways of implementing and managing the much-needed route through the park rather than opposing it.