Cycling investment is desperately needed to plug a predicted shortfall next spring when the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) comes to an end, campaign group CTC has warned.

 

It was speaking on the eve of Thursday’s national Cycle to Work Day, which aims to encourage as many people as possible to take to the saddle for at least one day.

 

“Unless you live in London or one of the eight ‘Cycle Cities’ there will be no funding for active travel coming from central Government from next April,” said campaigner Sam Jones.

 

“Provision for cycling should be part of the Cycling & Walking Investment Strategy – and we have been told that the Department for Transport takes the issue of cycling very seriously. But strategies such as this take time and we could be looking at a good eight months until there is funding for cycling across the country.

 

“There is a real concern that the skills invested into cycling at a local authority level since the start of the LSTF will vanish if funding dries up. Government needs to put in place a mechanism of funding from next spring to prevent this happening.”

 

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “This government is committed to getting people of all ages and abilities on their bikes. We are investing in making junctions and roads safer for cyclists, including working to ensure all new roads have cycling infrastructure. More than 1.3 million children have received cycling training in schools through the Bikeability programme since 2010.

“We are also developing a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy which will provide the long-term ambitions and resources to increase cycling in the UK.”

 

(Photo: Geraint Rowland)