A Cardiff cycling campaigner will run for councillor in the up and coming byelection for Riverside, it has been announced today.
Iona Gordon has been selected as the candidate for the Labour group and will run for councillor against Green party candidate Yvan Maurel and Plaid Cymru candidate Steve Garrett.
Gordon is currently chair of Cardiff Cycling Campaign and last week attended the environmental scrutiny committee to lobby the council on opening Bute Park for longer hours during winter for cyclists to use the trail.
Gordon, 60, has lived in Riverside for 24 years and planned to run in the 2012 local elections. She said she hoped to improve the quality of life for residents in the area.
Speaking about her candidacy, Gordon said:
"Issues are very different in the Pontcanna and south Riverside areas. My initial feeling is that we would be looking at improvements to do with parking control and stopping speeding. We've got people parking on pavements and double yellow lines and very poor road crossings at Transport House and Tudor Street.
"I want to see changes and improvements in the quality of life of the community."
Before the Cardiff Cycling Campaign, Gordon set up the 'English for Pregnancy' scheme which helped pregnant women from ethnic minorities learn English for ante natal visits. She also set up women-only swimming lessons for Bangladeshi women in Cardiff. Both these services have since been taken on by Cardiff council.
Gordon said she would continue to lobby council on the issues to do with Bute park opening hours – including developments through the park.
"These are issues people in the north side of the ward are interested in. In the south side there are issues with anti-social behaviour and problems to do with housing and debts and a need for advice on social care support."
The Riverside byelection is expected to take place on 3 March following Plaid councillor Gwenllian Lansdown's resignation.
