One of the already declared prospective parliamentary candidates for the new Penrith and Solway constituency looking to be the areas next MP Julia Aglionby who is standing as the Libdem Candidate in the General Election has got on her bike and set out on a 350-mile challenge to cycle the length and breadth of the new Penrith & Solway constituency.
In a campaign event she has called Pedal 4 Penrith & Solway, the endeavour involves 10 interconnected day-long rides over the next four weeks of the General Election campaign. On these rides, Julia plans to meet organisations, businesses and individuals in every electoral ward and pass through many villages and towns across North Cumbria.
Her overall route starts today (Sunday 2nd June) in Penrith, then goes to Keswick, Cockermouth, Maryport, along the coast to Wigton, then Burgh-by-Sands, Dalston and back to her home near Armathwaite. From there, she will cover the Fellside area of the Eden valley up to Hartside, then from Hartside to Alston and Nenthead, with her final route going from Armathwaite to Penrith for what Julia hopes will be a triumphant finish.
During these rides, she intends to highlight local concerns across the constituency, such as rural isolation, lack of transport, access to healthcare and road safety. She expects to be accompanied by friends and family on ride to promote her candidacy in the General Election.
Julia plans to visiting cafes and ice cream shops on her rides over the next four weeks. and said “I hope to meet as many of you as possible on my journey, so if you see me please say hello.”
Other prospective parliamentary candidates who have currently declared they will be standing for the Penrith and Solway constituency include Conservative candidate Mark Jenkinson and Labour Party candidate Markus Campbell Savours.
The official publication of notice of election will take place on Tuesday the 4th of June marking the official start of the election process and opening of the window for candidates to submit nomination papers to the returning officer, the nominations for candidates will close at 4pm on Friday the 7th of June with the list of all official candidates published by 5pm on the same day.
The Penrith and Solway constituency election will be run by the Cumberland Council returning officer along with the Carlisle constituency and the new Workington and Whitehaven constituency.