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Transport Secretary "has embarrassed" David Cameron over cycling, says Chris Boardman

British Cycling policy advisor hit out as government publishes response to Cycling and Walking Strategy consultation

Chris Boardman says transport secretary Patrick McLaughlin is an embarrassment to David Cameron by failing to deliver the “cycling revolution” promised by the prime minister nearly 18 months ago.

Boardman, the former world and Olympic champion, who is now policy advisor to British Cycling, was reacting to the government’s response to a consultation on its cycling and walking plan, published today, in which the Department for Transport outlines the government’s position as well as its proposed ‘next steps.’

The former world and Olympic champion was highly critical of the comparatively low level of spending on cycling as well as what he sees as a lack of urgency in improving conditions for people on bikes.

“After the triumphs of London 2012, the Prime Minister promised a ‘cycling revolution’ and, even though today’s announcement has been almost two years in the making, we are still waiting for his government to produce a clear strategy on cycling,” he said.

“The Department for Transport’s own figures show that they’ve spent a pitiful £2.20 per head per year on cycling over the last five years – this is 10 times less than is being spent in popular cycling countries abroad.

“The mountains of evidence assembled by their own people showing that more cycling would have an immeasurable impact on the country is effectively being filed at the back of a cupboard gathering dust.
 
“We’re just days away from the election period and the timing of this response says it all. The Transport Secretary has embarrassed David Cameron by failing to deliver on the Prime Minister’s promise to make cycling an accessible and attraction option.”

Referring to the duties imposed by the recent Infrastructure Act, he added: “The next government now has a legal obligation to produce an investment strategy for cycling. It is crucial that the thousands of responses received by the department – plus the letter that big businesses have sent to party leaders – are listened to and that swift action is taken to implement our recommendations.”

The Dft said that “the issue of funding for cycling and walking was by far the most common matter to be raised in feedback to the consultation,” with its response also addressing areas such as local authority partnership projects, cycle-proofing, national design standards and Bikeability.

Transport minister Robert Goodwill, who has responsibility for cycling, said: “The government response sets out our position on each of these matters and most notably, makes clear our commitment to cycling and walking in the long-term by placing a duty in the recently passed Infrastructure Act 2015 requiring government to produce a cycling and walking investment strategy.

“The new duty requires us to put in place a strategy for England, which, amongst other things, must set out the financial resources which government will make available towards meeting our cycling and walking objectives. This move has been warmly welcomed by our stakeholders.

“Government is now considering how best to develop a long-term infrastructure programme for cycling and walking, drawing upon expert advice from cycling and walking stakeholders including the Active Travel Consortium.

He added: “It is also important to note that through the duties confirmed in the Infrastructure Act 2015, government will be held to account by Parliament.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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6 comments

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therevokid | 8 years ago
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wonder how much that consultation cost us taxpayers ?

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Brooess | 8 years ago
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The great thing about cycling and it's current transformation is it's coming from the bottom up. Bikes are relatively cheap to buy and easy to buy - and people are just going out, buying them, and riding them without any government support.
We don't need government and we don't need acceptance by the motoring lobby, it's happening anyway... and that's a good thing. We're basically seeing the power of social norms - the more people ride, the more others start to see it as worthy of a go and socially acceptable - and from that the momentum grows.
Cars are being seen increasingly as an anachronism - the 'loss' this week of Jeremy Clarkson is an indicator of that in my view - we're seeing the beginning of a major shift in car culture in the UK and it's because people want it, not because of any government policy.
Chris Boardman is ace, though  1 Straight talking, great leadership, we need more like him

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HarrogateSpa | 8 years ago
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Quote:

Is it not part of the UK's unwritten constitution that no government can bind it's successor?

Quote:

Yes, no parliament can bind any future parliament.

Don't be daft. The article sets out the position - the duty is in the Infrastructure Act 2015. The Act is a law which has been passed, otherwise known as a statute. There's a statutory duty on the government to produce a strategy.

The statue could be repealed, but so long as it isn't, the duty exists.

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vonhelmet replied to HarrogateSpa | 8 years ago
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HarrogateSpa wrote:
Quote:

Is it not part of the UK's unwritten constitution that no government can bind it's successor?

Quote:

Yes, no parliament can bind any future parliament.

Don't be daft. The article sets out the position - the duty is in the Infrastructure Act 2015. The Act is a law which has been passed, otherwise known as a statute. There's a statutory duty on the government to produce a strategy.

The statue could be repealed, but so long as it isn't, the duty exists.

So if the statute were repealed by the future parliament they wouldn't have that duty upon them, and therefore wouldn't be bound by the actions of the current parliament? So you're agreeing with us, but you think you're not?

Avatar
Jacobi | 8 years ago
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It's good that Chris Boardman is raising this issue and campaigning on behalf of the country's cyclists, but did he really actually believe promises made by a Westminster politician?

“The next government now has a legal obligation to produce an investment strategy for cycling."

Is it not part of the UK's unwritten constitution that no government can bind it's successor?

Avatar
vonhelmet replied to Jacobi | 8 years ago
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Jacobi wrote:

It's good that Chris Boardman is raising this issue and campaigning on behalf of the country's cyclists, but did he really actually believe promises made by a Westminster politician?

“The next government now has a legal obligation to produce an investment strategy for cycling."

Is it not part of the UK's unwritten constitution that no government can bind it's successor?

Yes, no parliament can bind any future parliament.

As for whether he was naive to believe their promises... Whether he believed it or not, doesn't mean it isn't right to call them out on it.

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