The Department for Transport has announced a £35 million continuation of funding to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of the National Cycle Network, alongside additional vital funding for active travel across England. Here, our Chief Executive, Xavier Brice, responds to the announcement.
The Department for Transport has announced £200 million of Government funding for new walking and cycling schemes across England.
This funding will create new routes and improve existing ones, better connecting communities and making it easier and cheaper for people to walk and cycle in their everyday lives.
Vital funding to improve the Network
Alongside this, the Department for Transport has also confirmed a £35 million continuation of funding to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of the National Cycle Network.
This investment is a vital boost to achieving a Network of safe paths for everyone that can be used and enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities.
A national asset that is loved locally
Xavier Brice, Sustrans CEO said:
"As custodians of the National Cycle Network, we’re delighted that the Government is continuing to invest in these vital and much-loved walking, wheeling and cycling routes.
"This funding will see improvements made to the Network in England; connecting cities, towns and the countryside; making walking, wheeling and cycling a safer, more convenient and more accessible travel option for everyone.
"The Network is a national asset that is loved locally, and continued investment will advance our work with partners and stakeholders across the UK.
"Together, we’re reimagining the ways in which we move around, empowering people to connect with others and helping everyone explore our shared environments."
Upgrading active travel routes across the country
This funding forms part of Sustrans’ England-wide programme to enhance the National Cycle Network and achieve our Paths for everyone vision.
The programme, which has now received a total of £77 million in funding from the Department for Transport since 2019, is delivering transformative projects across the country to make walking, wheeling and cycling safer and more accessible for everyone.
By managing and delivering improvement projects across the country, we're:
- making more of the Network traffic-free
- widening paths where they are unsuitable for the volume and/or a mix of users
- improving path surfaces so that they are suitable for all users
- removing barriers that prevent people using adapted bikes, wheelchairs, mobility scooters, tandems, cargo bikes or pushing a buggy from accessing the traffic-free sections
- improving signage and wayfinding across the Network.
Read about our progress to improve the access, safety, and public appeal of the Network in our Paths for everyone: Three years on report.
