Funding for cycling and walking debate: Cycling UK reaction

By Sam Jones

Tuesday, 09 July 2019

Women cycling along the East West Cycle Superhighway in London

Cycling UK says investment in cycling and walking should reach 5% of transport spending as soon as possible and rise to 10% over the next five years.

Following the Westminster Hall Debate on Cycling and Walking investment today (Tuesday, 09 July), Cycling UK, the national cycling charity, has expressed its alarm that the Government did not use the opportunity to explain how it would address its current projections that it would fail in its target to double cycling by 2025.

Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns said:

“Parliament has declared a climate crisis. Today’s debate was the chance to explain how the Government would enable more cycling and walking to tackle our growing transport emissions and achieve the Government’s targets of doubling cycling by 2025.

“Unfortunately, we heard nothing new on how this would be done, which is alarming given the Transport Secretary Jesse Norman’s admissions in May. When asked about current levels of investment he accepted that achieving those targets would require a dramatic increase, and potentially doubling, the current rate of intervention.

“Cycling UK agrees with the MPs at today’s debate calling for dedicated ring-fenced funding for local authorities to build ambitious cycling and walking facilities for everyone. We believe investment in cycling and walking should reach 5% of transport spending as soon as possible and rise to 10% over the next five years.”

ENDS

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
In the Government’s CWIS cycling and walking safety response published last November, the Government admitted that “Current policy is delivering around a third of the gap to the 2025 cycling stages aim”. This is based on work the Department for Transport has commissioned for consultants Transport for Quality of Life to advise them on the adequacy of current funding in meeting their targets. See para 5.20: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uplo…
Former Transport Minister with responsibility for Cycling Jesse Norman MP gave evidence to the Transport Select Committee inquiry into active travel on 01 May. Asked about whether the Government was going to meet its targets the minister said that meeting the cycle use target “will require major further intervention if we’re going to get there. I’m perfectly persuaded that we can hit it, and I am very resolute that we should do whatever we can to hit it, but it is going to require very significantly more intervention.” https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/55553bc9-990e-4dbb-baaa-a42ce1cdd…
Later in the session, the Minister was asked about funding again. He reiterated the growth in funding for cycling and walking since 2010, to over £7 per person in 2018, adding that: "I think I’ve said that we aspire to maintain that kind of rate of growth. And I certainly want to see us at double that kind of level – and we’re going to need to hit double that kind of level if we’re going to hit the cycling stages target that we’ve got and I think that is realistic and I think that Government ought to be committing itself to.”