Get Britain Cycling

This is an overview of Get Britain Cycling's milestones, from the parliamentary inquiry at the beginning of 2013, to progress on the 18 recommendations that came out of it. There's lots more detail in our news stories and elsewhere - just click on the links below.

• At the beginning of 2013, the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group (APPCG) held an inquiry on the question, “how can we get Britain cycling?” 

• Cycling UK responded to the inquiry and also gave oral evidence.

• Cycling UK drafted a parliamentary Early Day Motion, 'Get Britain Cycling' (EDM 679), which was tabled by members of the APPCG. It supported the APPCG's inquiry's aims, as well as the Times's 'Cities fit for Cycling' campaign, and called for cross-departmental action and resources to enable more people to cycle in greater safety. The EDM was one of the top 10 most signed EDMs in the 2012-13 session of Parliament

• The inquiry report was published in April 2013, with 18 recommendations to Government, including:

- 20 mph in towns and 40 mph on rural roads;

- funding for cycling of £10 per person, per year;

- high quality routes on existing roads.

• The report's publication prompted PM David Cameron to say that he wanted to launch a 'cycling revolution' and to give his backing to the concept of 'cycle-proofing', i.e. incorporating high standards of cycle-friendly design in future highways and traffic schemes. The Prime Minister also announced new funding to boost cycling in eight cities and four national parks - good news, but only a fraction of what's needed if we seriously want to get Britain cycling.

• The Government responded to the report in August 2013 - reactions were mixed.

• On 2 September 2013, over 100 MPs debated Get Britain Cycling in Parliament and gave its 18 recommendations an unopposed vote of support.

• After a year of delays, the Department for Transport published a draft 'Cycle Delivery Plan', half an hour before MPs were due to debate it. MPs and cycling groups were unimpressed by its lack of ambition or any definite funding commitments.
• Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP marked the end of draft Cycling Delivery Plan consultation by announcing an additional £214m for cycling.
• Cycling UK and its allies press for an amendment to the Infrastructure Bill that would require the Government to adopt a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS), alongside the Roads Investment Strategy already contained in the Bill. Cycling UK backs this up with research showing that meeting the targets of the Get Britain Cycling report would yield £1/4 trillion of benefits between 2015 and 2050. After initially resisting, the Government agreed to make this amendment on 22nd January 2015, with MPs supporting this 4 days later. 

Cycling UK is now looking to ensure the CWIS makes a strong long-term funding commitment to cycling (at least £10 per person annually, rising to £20 as cycle use increases), to meet the Get Britain Cycling report's proposed targets for increased cycle use - see more on the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.  Through our Space for Cycling campaign, we also continue to press for the design standards needed to ensure the funding is well spent.