Strong on rhetoric, weak on substance: Cycling UK’s response to DfI Transport Strategy
Submit your own response to the consultation by 16 September 2025
The common thread with Department for Infrastructure proposals, plans and strategies, is that they are hard to disagree with – on a purely theoretical level.
The latest strategy out for consultation is the overarching Transport Strategy for Northern Ireland. Again, it’s hard to disagree with DfI’s vision:
To provide a sustainable, safe, accessible and effective transport system which meets the region’s climate change requirements, serves the needs of urban and rural communities, and supports economic growth
But the strategy simply doesn’t contain the necessary levels of ambition to achieve the vision: yet again a case of strong on rhetoric and weak on substance.
There is a failure to look at transport strategy holistically and develop a plan to genuinely shift transport culture, with the Department putting too many eggs in the basket of electric cars. Electric vehicles do not make our roads safer, improve public health, or free up valuable public space.
It is a strategy which may eventually help address a single issue, such as carbon emissions from transport, but will end up either not addressing or making worse most other problems in our transport system.
Decarbonisation
The three-pronged approach to decarbonisation (switching fuels, shifting modes and reducing journeys) contains the right components, but in the wrong priority order.
There is now robust evidence to show that the switch to electric vehicles leads to an increase in miles driven at the expense of walking, cycling and public transport.
The short-term focus on switching fuels will only hinder our ability to achieve the modal shift and journey reduction that is required; not just for decarbonisation, but for a more equitable, accessible and better-functioning transport system for everyone.
A new approach
It is positive to see the replacement of the “predict and provide” strategy with a “vision and validate” approach to transport planning.
Bold actions from DfI are needed to support this. So far, though, all evidence shows these are entirely lacking, for example through decisions made on taxis in bus lanes, pavement parking and dithering over Hill Street.
The economic case
Parts of the strategy do not seem to be evidence based, especially in the case of maintaining access and parking in town centres for everyone with a car.
The Department argues that town and city centre parking facilities are necessary to “maintain economic vitality”, even though the myth that car restrictions are bad for business has long been disproven.
The evidence continues to show cyclists and pedestrians tend to spend more money on local streets than drivers, and that profits increase following pedestrianisation because, as is obvious to anyone, fewer cars make streets more pleasant.
Of course, some visitors will still have to drive, but the goal of the Department should be to provide alternative means of access for the majority who can use other modes of travel. Their focus instead reinforces and maintains the status quo (predict and provide), rather than creating a system which offers choice (vision and validate).
Strong on rhetoric, weak on substance.
Enforcement of road safety
One area where there is a failure to even have strong rhetoric is in enforcement of road safety. The Department continues to parrot the “responsibility shared by all” phrase which has been out of date for a long time in many other countries.
It refuses to consider incorporating any of the 2022 changes from the GB Highway Code, such as the common sense “Hierarchy of Road Users”. This approach recognises that those who have the greatest capacity to harm others (through larger vehicles and faster speeds) have the highest responsibility for the safety of other road users.
The presence of heavy, fast vehicles and drivers not taking their responsibility seriously is a near universal factor in the deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
Conclusion
To paraphrase John Cleese: “It’s the hope that kills you.” Every time DfI publishes another proposal, strategy or delivery plan there is a moment in which it seems like everything is going to change.
From the Bicycle Strategy a decade ago, to the Strategic plan for Greenways, the Belfast Cycle Network Delivery Plan, and The Regional Road Transport Plans, the list goes on.
Despite all the strategies and supporting words from elected officials, our transport system remains entrenched in car dependency, deaths on our roads remain tragically high, congestion is getting worse and the proportion of journeys cycled remains the same as it was 10 years ago, just 1%.
We still hope things can evolve and we know the public wants real transformation, but no amount of rhetoric or strategies will make any difference on their own; we need to deliver for change.
Submit your own response to the consultation by 16 September 2025
