Mayor Election 2016 / News
Avonmouth grandfather in bid to be next mayor
A grandfather-of-two from Avonmouth has thrown his hat into the ring to be the city’s next mayor.
Laurence Duncan, 47, a quality manager at a vehicle parts company, is only the second person to declare they are running, after current mayor George Ferguson.
With no political experience, he is likely to be an outsider by the time all the main parties reveal their candidates.
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He told Bristol24/7 that transport would be his priority. “There’s a movement towards public transport and cycling in the city, but we are going about it the wrong way,” he said.
“We are hitting vehicle users with a big stick saying ‘get out of your cars and into buses’ instead of improving the transport system first to encourage them to do it naturally.”
Despite voting Green at the last election, he said he would be a “fully independent” mayor, free from party connections or business interests.
Born in Hampshire and having lived in Bristol since he was 15, he says he was encouraged to stand for mayor after becoming fed up with the way the city is run.
“I’ve always been someone who says to people ‘if you don’t like it, why don’t you do something about it?’
“Well, this time I thought I will do something about it. How do I want my grandchildren to live in this city? Are we doing enough to protect their futures? I currently don’t believe we are.”
Among his key policies are a review of the residents’ parking schemes, the introduction of a network of cycle lanes, scrapping regular Make Sundays Special events and opening up libraries as common spaces for local businesses and volunteer groups.
Duncan, who left school with one O-Level and a few GCSEs, volunteers with the Air Cadets in Headly Park.
He is funding his own campaign, but has set up a crowdfunding website asking the public to help him.