Serious funds for cycling at last

The government is finally putting a serious amount of money into cycling, following a “commitment to increase investment in sustainable transport initiatives”.

They plan to spend £140 million over the next three years (April 2008 to March 2011). The official press release says:

“The six-fold increase in funding will:

* allow an extra 500,000 10 year-olds across England to take part in Bikeability cycle training by 2012, equipping them to cycle safely and responsibly

* build another 250 Safe Links to Schools, connecting around 500 more schools to the National Cycle Network. Many schools with links have already doubled the number of pupils cycling to school.

* create up to a further 10 Cycling Demonstration Towns in England, as well as the first large Demonstration City. This will mean nearly 3 million people will have the chance to benefit from best practice and promotion of cycling.”

National cycling group CTC welcomed this, saying

“What is particularly welcome about this announcement is the involvement of Ministers not only for transport but also for children and health. It’s great to see Government recognising that cycling can help tackle the twin crises of obesity and climate change.

“CTC has been calling for serious investment in cycling ever since the National Cycling Strategy was announced 12 years ago. This money now needs to be spent on measures which will deliver some serious bang for the bucks available, to strengthen the case for still larger funding allocations in years to come.

“Cycling England needs to get behind local authorities and Primary Care Trusts who are keen to challenge unnecessary car use, introduce area-wide 20mph speed limits and work with local cycling advocates so that the health benefits of cycling can be enjoyed by people of whatever age or background throughout the country.”

Wonder if we’ll see any of this coming our way in Malvern? Cycling England will be seeking bids for the new Cycle Demonstration Towns and City in spring 2008, with the major investment starting the following year.

Also available today, giving the background to the Department for Transport’s increased funding for Cycling England’s programme for the next 3 years, A sustainable future for cycling (1 Mb pdf).

And here’s a reminder from Velorution blog: “Let’s put this in context: Amsterdam (population 2.2 million) has a 5 year cycling budget of €100 million; and who has more work to do?”

Sustainable Transport - small steps

From CTC site:

CTC, the national cyclists’ organisation, today cautiously welcomed the Government’s response to the Stern Review and Eddington report.

Campaigns and Policy Manager Roger Geffen said “It’s great to see Government recognising that cycling can help tackle the twin crises of obesity and climate change. But what’s needed is action now, not the promise of a White Paper in the future.”

“Last week’s Foresight report made clear that poor transport choices lead straight to obesity, and last year’s Eddington report showed that ‘smarter choices’ – including cycle training – are one of the most cost-effective ways to encourage people out of their cars and onto sustainable transport. We hope the Government takes these findings into account when resolving the forthcoming funding settlement for cycling.”

Department for Transport information.