The All Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling & Walking says that the UK spends just £7 a year per person on active travel, compared to £26 in the Netherlands.

Co chair of the group Ruth Cadbury said: “Active travel is one of the simplest lifestyle choices that individuals can make to address climate change and air quality, support healthy lifestyles, improve mental and physical health and increase life expectancy.”

The group points out that investment in cycling and walking brings benefits of at least £5.50
for every £1 spent. But cycling currently accounts for less than 2% of trips made in the UK, compared to 26% of trips in the Netherlands.

It adds that Manchester is showing the right level of ambition by proposing funding of £50 per person annually and called for other cities and authorities to match this commitment.
The group welcomes the Government’s new £350M cycling infrastructure fund, but voices concern that capital funding this financial year consists of money sourced from short term sources not earmarked for cycling and walking.

Other measures outlined in the group’s manifesto include greater priority for roads policing and a revision of the driving test to help improve motorists’ behaviour around vulnerable road users. It also calls for pavement parking around the country to no longer be allowed in order to make conditions better for pedestrians.

In other active travel news, Coventry has appointed local businessman Adam Tranter as its 'bicycle mayor’ to help next year’s UK City of Culture to realise its cycling potential. Research from 2015 showed that only 3% of people commuted to work by bike in Coventry, compared to 64% by car.
 
“A key focus will be holding power to account in ensuring cycling and active travel are given the funding that's needed to transform the number of people choosing cycling,” he said.
 
Adam Tranter added that he is particularly worried about the political conversation on electric vehicles. "An e-traffic jam is still a traffic jam; cars take up a huge amount of public space and infrastructure and in the UK, 24% of all journeys by car are under one mile.

“We’re going to have to make some tough decisions in light of the climate emergency. We need to make cycling and walking the obvious choice for short journeys and reduce Coventry’s car dominance. Moving to electric vehicles isn’t going to stop congestion or help our city be more liveable and sociable.”

(Photograph: Pixabay)