A consortium of groups, led by active travel charity Sustrans, has urged the UK government to protect its current £4bn funding pot for active travel, as the industry is reportedly worth £36.5bn to the economy.
Sustrans has partnered with other organisations representing active travel, motoring, road safety, the environment and business leaders to issue urgent recommendations to the national government.
The group has said it has also written to Anne-Marie Trevelyan, secretary of state for transport, to emphasise the vital contribution of active travel to the UK’s economic growth.
The announcement comes after brand new report which highlights that walking, wheeling and cycling generated £36.5bn for the UK economy in 2021.
This worth comes from the fact that walking and wheeling can lower the cost of traffic congestion and running a car, cut sick days, as well as improve health and reduce the burden on the NHS.
One of the key motivations for protecting this money, the group claims, is to protect future aspirations for active travel.
What’s more, Sustrans’ Walking and Cycling Index showed that in 2021 walking, wheeling and cycling created £6.5bn in economic benefit across the 17 urban areas surveyed. When this figure is extrapolated, the charity says it accounts for a national worth of £36.5bn.
According to the group, people who walk to the high street spend up to 40% more than those who drive, whilst physically active people take 27% fewer sick days.
It likewise suggests that cycling and walking infrastructure unlock housing developments by offering residents increased travel options and better connecting them to work and education.
Sarah Mitchell, CEO of Cycling UK, said: “As the cost of living hits us hard, everyone is looking to save money wherever they can.
“Many are turning to cycling for those shorter journeys – whether to work, school or the shops – that are essential for the UK’s growth agenda.
“It is essential that funding for cycling and walking is, at the very least, maintained at the current level of investment if we are to keep the nation moving and deliver the government’s own active travel strategy.”
The organisation also points to the National Cycle Network as being key to supporting the government’s goal for 50% of all journeys in towns and cities walked or cycled by 2030, as part of wider net zero ambitions.
