The Government has launched its second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, detailing how funding for active travel will be spent. We welcome this refreshed strategy, and here our CEO, Xavier Brice, looks at what needs to happen to truly ensure equitable access to walking, wheeling and cycling.
Back in 2017, the government published its first ever cycling and walking investment strategy for the years 2016 to 2021.
This first strategy outlined the government's ambition for walking and cycling and set out their plans to make active travel an everyday choice for all shorter journeys.
A second strategy to further improve walking and cycling
The government has now launched its second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, detailing how funding for active travel will be spent until 2025.
This second strategy sets out how the government plans to:
- double the number of cycling journeys being made
- increase levels of walking across the community,
- and increase the number of walking journeys being made to the school.
It also explains more about the funding that is in place to achieve these plans.
An urgent need to tackle inequality of access to active travel
Xavier Brice, CEO of Sustrans, said:
“Sustrans welcomes the government’s refreshed Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which shows the urgent need to tackle inequality of access to active forms of travel, and for the first time includes wheeling alongside cycling and walking.
“Achieving the necessary revolution in how we get about is vital for our health, our wallets and our planet, but this won’t happen unless we make it easier for everyone to make this choice now.
“Long-term investment in reliable infrastructure, such as the National Cycle Network, alongside immediately tackling the plague of pavement parking, is critical to improving access to active travel.
“But we must all play our part, and local councils and city-regions should embrace opportunities for change, so everyone has the chance to be free from expensive and pollutant car overuse.”
Our Walking and Cycling Index is the UK's biggest ever study of walking, wheeling and cycling. Discover what thousands of people from 18 urban areas have to say.
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