“Cycle strategy vision welcome, now the hard work begins”, says Cycling UK

By Sam Jones

Friday, 21 April 2017

The long awaited CWIS was announced today in Westminster

Cycling UK has welcomed the vision set out in the Department for Transport’s (DfT) announcement today (Friday 21 April) of a £1.2 billion long-term plan to make cycling and walking the natural choice for shorter journeys in England

In addition to this announcement, Cycling UK has been awarded a further £1 million to fund its Big Bike Revival (BBR) programme. BBR helps people to get their bikes fixed up and then provides the support and encouragement necessary to keep them cycling.

The Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) sets out its aspiration to make cycling and walking the norm by 2040.

In response Cycling UK’s Chief Executive Paul Tuohy said:

“Cycling is a fantastic transport choice, helping you to stay active and healthy as part of your daily routine, and saving you money on travel costs.

“Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival will help tens of thousands of people back into cycling by getting your bikes checked over, fixed up and back into use. We are grateful to the Department for Transport for supporting this initiative for this, our third year of national activities to help get more of the UK cycling more often.”

Thanks to successful campaigning by Cycling UK and its partners, the Infrastructure Act 2015 requires the Government to set out a CWIS for England. Today’s announcement confirms that this is the first of a series of shorter-term, five-year strategies to support a long-term ambition to make walking and cycling the natural choice for shorter journeys by 2040.

Roger Geffen, policy director at Cycling UK, said:

“Cycling UK has spent years campaigning for a strong and well-funded Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, so we’re pleased to see it finally published two years after it was initially announced. A big ‘thank you’ is due to the DfT officials who have put a huge amount of effort into it.

“Now the hard work begins. With national as well as local elections now looming, Cycling UK will be doing all we can to build the cross-party support needed to strengthen this investment strategy over time, while supporting councils in making best use of the resources available, as they start bringing this vision to life.”

Over this weekend (22-23 April) Cycling UK and local campaign groups have organised a series of mass rides and rallies calling for improved cycling facilities as part of its wider Space for Cycling campaign.

These are geared to bring local communities and local authorities together to collectively develop and agree on positive, practical ways to target local investment into key locations, making cycling a safer, more convenient transport choice based on current and predicted cycling needs.

Notes to editors

Cycling UK, the national cycling charity, inspires and helps people to cycle and keep cycling, whatever kind of cycling they do or would like to do. Over a century’s experience tells us that cycling is more than useful transport; it makes you feel good, gives you a sense of freedom and creates a better environment for everyone. www.cyclinguk.org
For a short video of Cycling UK’s chief executive, Paul Tuohy’s reaction to today’s announcement go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7zB-NhP7bA
For Cycling UK’s full analysis of today’s announcement by policy director Roger Geffen go to: https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/roger-geffen/cycling-walking-investment-…
The Government plans announced today include specific objectives to double cycling, reduce cycling accidents and increase the proportion of 5-10 year-olds walking to school to 55% by 2025. A copy of the Department for Transport’s press notice is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycling-and-walking-investme…
The £1.2bn for the CWIS breaks down as follows:
- £50m to provide cycling proficiency training for further 1.3 million children
- £101m to improve cycling infrastructure and expand cycle routes between the city centres, local communities, and key employment and retail sites.
- £85m to make improvements to 200 sections of roads for cyclists
- £80m for safety and awareness training for cyclists, extra secure cycle storage, bike repair, maintenance courses and road safety measures
- £389.5m which the Government expects councils to invest in walking and cycling schemes
- £476.4m from Local Growth Funds (LGF) which it expects Local Enterprise Partnerships to contribute to cycling and walking schemes.
In addition, the Government is investing an extra:
- £1m on Cycling UK’s ‘Big Bike Revival’ scheme which provides free bike maintenance and opportunities to get cycling
- £5m on improving cycle facilities at railway stations
- £1m on Living Streets’ outreach programmes to encourage children to walk to school
Visit www.bigbikerevival.org.uk to find out more about Cycling UK’s project to help tens of thousands of people bring their bikes back to life and then get cycling.
For more information on the cycle rides and rallies happening across England and Scotland this weekend visit: https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/tomguha/join-space-cycling-ride-22-april