The UK government has increased the cycling and walking budget to £338m, which will be used to upgrade infrastructure and delivery active travel schemes.
This latest funding, a 30% increase to the £257m announced for active travel in last year’s spending review, follows changes to the Highway Code. It will see the construction of miles of new cycle lanes and aid the delivery of new schemes to encourage walking. This will include the delivery of improvements across the National Cycle Network.
Transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “Millions of us have found over the past year how cycling and walking are great ways to stay fit, ease congestion on the roads and do your bit for the environment.
“As we build back greener from the pandemic, we’re determined to keep that trend going by making active travel easier and safer for everyone.
“This £338m package marks the start of what promises to be a great summer of cycling and walking, enabling more people to make those sustainable travel choices that make our air cleaner and cities greener.”
Furthermore, the government is aiming to make cycling easier and more accessible through a new scheme to increase awareness of e-bikes and tackle barriers to their use. An e-cycle support programme will be launched later this year and comes after the government has already provided funding to help nine local authorities deliver e-bikes initiatives.
Other key measures included plans to publish a new road safety strategic framework, commitments to help train hundreds of new Bikeability instructors and a study into how historic railway structures can be converted into cycle routes.
The government has also announced that the new Active Travel England (ATE) commissioning body, which will hold the national cycling and walking budget, will begin work later this year.
Xavier Brice, Sustrans chief executive, said: “This funding will bring major improvements to the National Cycle Network in England by linking communities together and enhancing valued and well-used cycling and walking routes.
“Most importantly of all, this vital boost will further enable those who want to cycle or walk to do so.”
