The UK government has published the final funding allocations for local transport authorities under the Consolidated Active Travel Fund, which will support the development and construction of walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure across England.
The fund will supersede the existing Active Travel Fund and Capability Fund in the 2025-2026 financial year.
The Consolidated Active Travel Fund will provide £168.5m to local authorities, allocated as 76% capital funding and 24% revenue funding.
While capital funding will be directed toward infrastructure development, revenue funding will support network planning, early-stage scheme design, community engagement and training activities.
Funding distribution varies across authorities, with the largest allocations awarded to Greater Manchester Combined Authority (£15.7m), West Midlands Combined Authority (£15.9m) and West Yorkshire Combined Authority (£12.8m).
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The funding builds on previous tranches of the Active Travel Fund, which initially launched as the Emergency Active Travel Fund in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Successive tranches have since supported both temporary and permanent walking and cycling schemes across England. The latest round, tranche five, covers the 2024-2025 period.
The government has confirmed that payments for several authorities, including the Lancashire Combined Authority and Devon and Torbay Combined Authority, are contingent on financial assurance measures being in place.
Additionally, the Isles of Scilly will receive a reduced £40,000 grant due to population-weighted funding considerations.
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Xavier Brice, CEO at walking and cycling charity Sustrans, welcomed the funding, stating: “As the charity that looks after the National Cycle Network, this funding is a fantastic boost to our work to make the 13,000 miles of routes safer and more accessible for local journeys, whether by foot, cycle, wheelchair or mobility scooter.
“We can now step up our work with local communities, many partners and governments across the UK, to make it easier for everyone to walk, wheel or cycle for more journeys, growing local economies, providing easy and healthy access to nature and helping people live well for longer.”
Data from the Walking and Cycling Index highlights growing public demand for active travel over driving, with 50% of respondents wanting to walk more and 43% wanting to cycle more.
Additionally, 56% of the public support reallocating road-building investment toward active travel and public transport infrastructure. However, cost remains a significant barrier, particularly for those on low incomes.
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Research from the Cycling Opportunity report found that 1.9 million people on low incomes or not in employment want to cycle more but are hindered by financial constraints, suggesting a potential benefit from a government-backed voucher scheme to reduce upfront costs.
According to the Paths for Everyone National Cycle Network Impact report, an estimated 4.2 million people made 588 million trips on the National Cycle Network in 2022-2023, replacing 103 million car journeys and saving 34,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
The NHS is estimated to have saved £317 million due to health improvements associated with increased walking and cycling. Furthermore, the Walking and Cycling Index indicates that active travel contributes £6.1bn annually to city economies across the UK while preventing over 21,000 serious long-term health conditions.
The investment aligns with the government’s broader active travel strategy, aimed at reducing congestion, improving air quality and promoting sustainable transport options.
Achievements and innovations in active travel will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
