Following Cycling UK’s joint letter with the Walking and Cycling Alliance to the Prime Minister last week, the charity has highlighted to MPs across England that they must stand up for their constituents, who will be affected by these cuts, and demand that they be reversed.
Add your voice: write to your MP
Now, Cycling UK is asking everyone who supports making cycling and walking safer and easier to add their own voice by writing to their MP today using our online action.
The devastating cuts for England will see investment in cycle lanes, junction safety improvements and other active travel projects fall from £308m to just £100m over the next two years, ironically arriving alongside an announcement of a “record £40bn” investment in transport infrastructure such as major roads projects and HS2.
The cuts create a huge funding gap in active travel yet represent only a miniscule saving for the Treasury – with the £100m funding commitment for the next two years making up just 0.25% of the £40bn announced for all transport infrastructure.
In initial reaction to the news of the cuts, Cycling UK chief executive Sarah Mitchell said: “Government should be providing more for active travel not cutting it. This funding decision is disastrous, and will set back the growth of cycling and walking in England for another decade at least.”
While the Government has not yet clearly set out the details of where the funding cuts will fall, the reality is that many local authorities will now be unable to deliver the schemes they were asked by this Government to spend time and money developing.
This is a devastating move backwards for the economy, the climate and public health at a time when we should be enabling people to choose healthy, environmentally friendly transport
Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK head of campaigns
These schemes would enable families to cycle to school, help people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis take advantage of an affordable transport option, or get more people shopping locally to rejuvenate our high streets. They would have had the potential to transform lives, towns and cities.
This is why Cycling UK is asking you to write to your MP to get this topic on their agenda, and back on the Government’s agenda.
In his letter to MPs across the political spectrum, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns Duncan Dollimore highlighted that the cuts represent “a devastating move backwards for the economy, the climate and public health at a time when we should be enabling people to choose healthy, environmentally friendly transport”. He also emphasised the huge economic impact, given that “money spent on active travel is shown by the Government’s own figures to offer huge returns of £5-6 for every £1 spent”.
Cycling UK hopes to engage closely with supportive MPs in the coming weeks and months, so please let us know if you contact your MP and receive a supportive response.
