The government has revealed its intention to double cycling activity in the UK by 2025, publishing a ten-year plan setting out its goal.
DfT's Cycling Delivery Plan, published earlier today, outlines its goal of spending £10 a year on cycling per UK resident by 2021 at the latest, stating: “A real change in cycling cannot be achieved overnight, it requires strong leadership and commitment and vital long-term planning for incremental changes to take place until cycling becomes the norm for everyone.”
Annual spending on cyclists currently resides at approximately £5 per head, but the government has stated its “aspiration is that – working with local government, and businesses, [they] can together explore” how it can meet the plan's targets.
The extra funding, the government hopes, will boost the number of journeys made by bicycle from 0.8 million to 1.6 million a year. Additionally, the plan aims to increase the percentage of school children who cycle to school from the 48% in 2013 to 55%
The Cycling Delivery Plan comes more than a year after the prime minister declared his determination to "kickstart a cycling revolution which would remove the barriers for a new
generation of cyclists".
While the report outlines how it intends to encourage more people to take to their bikes, and what safety education young cyclists should recieve, it makes little reference to HGVs in regards cycling safety, with no update on the review of construction vehicle exemptions.
Instead, the report states that the government “continues to address cycle safety issues by engaging with other government departments, freight and cycling representative groups, and vehicle manufacturers”, with the DfT to produce a “plan of action” by December.
In a debate in parliment this afternoon, MP for North Dudley, Ian Austin, described the DfT's Cycling Delivery Plan as “A rushed, botched job that the government rushed out to have something out on the table” for the House of Commons debate this afternoon.
However, Transport Committee - which published its own report on cycling earlier this year - chaiman Louise Ellman welcomed the report. "Today’s Cycling Plan offers a good starting point, but clear and sustained political support - alongside practical effort to deliver better cycling infrastructure - is essential to drive the cultural change required to support cycling across all parts of central and local government.
By Emma Shone
