The Transport Select Committee’s latest report calls for the Government to take more leadership on encouraging walking and cycling in order to help tackle issues including physical inactivity, climate change, air pollution and road congestion.

“The Government must stand up for active travel,” said the committee’s chair Lilian Greenwood, adding that it must do “whatever is necessary” to persuade more people to travel on foot or by cycling.

The Select Committee’s report urges a fresh look at the Government’s Cycling & Walking Strategy, which it says should be revised to include more ambitious targets for increasing levels of cycling, and particularly walking.

Lilian Greenwood added that Government “must give local authorities the support and funding they need to engage the public and make active travel a priority in their areas”.

The report emphasises that, having developed guidance for local authorities to create their own Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plans and encouraging them to do so, it is disappointing that the Government has not created a clearer mechanism for funding the delivery of these plans.

“Funding for active travel is too piecemeal and complex, and the Government has not given local authorities the certainty they need to prioritise active travel and make long term funding commitments,” the report says.

The £2Bn which the Government pledged for active travel in this Parliament is too little, it adds, and the absence of ring fenced or dedicated funding for walking and cycling means there is no guarantee it will be spent as it was intended.

The Committee recommends a dedicated funding stream for delivering improvements aimed at increasing levels of active travel, and increased the total amount of funding available.

Commenting, the Urban Transport Group’s lead member for active travel Ben Still welcomed the report and said: “The forthcoming Spending Review will provide a key test of the Government’s commitment to providing transport authorities with the long term and stable funding for local transport they need to invest in schemes which will get more people walking and cycling.”

Cycling UK chief executive Paul Tuohy said: “Investing in safe, convenient and attractive conditions for cycling and walking is a hugely cost effective way to deliver a wide range of benefits, and we commend MPs from the Select Committee for their diligence in understanding the urgency of this issue.”

(Photograph: Sustrans)