Dream comes true for Leicester’s mayor

In one of the biggest sporting shocks of recent times, Leicester City FC have won the Premier League title. Second place Tottenham Hotspur could only manage a draw with London rivals Chelsea, which means they cannot catch the Foxes with two games remaining.

The result will delight Leicester’s elected mayor Sir Soulsby, who besides being a season ticket holder has long made it his mission for Leicester to be a people-friendly city that is more welcoming to visitors. 

The unexpected triumph - Leicester started the season as 5,000-1 outsiders for the title - is likely to attract more tourists to the city. Leicester had already gained attention around the world after the discovery of the skeleton of King Richard III under a council car park. After DNA testing confirmed that the remains belonged to the last Plantagenet ruler, reinterment took place at Leicester Cathedral last year.

In an in-depth interview, to be published in the next issue of Local Transport Today, Sir Peter Soulsby explains what motivated him to oversee a range of projects such as the roll-out of shared space across the city centre, the demolition of a flyover, turning a car park into a public square, and taking out traffic lanes to make room for pedestrians and cyclists.

He told LTT: “As an elected mayor it is incredibly refreshing because my accountability is to the electorate whereas a council leader has to answer to the council and councillors. But I don’t have to proceed at the pace of the slowest - I can take risks and take the blame if things go wrong.”

Soulsby was elected mayor in 2011 and re-elected last year with an increased majority. Prior to that he spent 17 years as Leicester’s council leader, after which he was the Labour MP for Leicester South for six years. He resigned as MP in order to stand for the newly created mayoral post. “I thought it was time to get a proper job,” he said.

Sir Peter Soulsby will be speaking at Cycle City Active City which is being hosted by Leicester City Council on 19 and 20 May. The City Council will be staging a range of events in the city to coincide with the conference and exhibition, which is organised by Landor LINKS.