Goodwill announces work will start on Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy

Robert Goodwill today announced the government is starting work on the much anticipated Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which campaigners welcomed as a "historic" moment, with the potential to dramatically improve cycling provision in this country.

The Strategy will need to set out a five year funding and investment plan for cycling, and includes a legal commitment to report on the achievement of specific aims.

While reiterating the promise to double cycling levels Goodwill also said the Cycle City Ambition programme, money given to eight cities for cycling schemes, will still be successfully delivered despite recently announced cuts of £23m to the programme.

The minister for cycling, Robert Goodwill MP, said today at the Cycle City Active City event in Newcastle: "We want everyone to be able to see what we are doing for cyclists and judge for themselves whether it’s working.

"Which is why towards the end of the last parliament we passed a law saying that the Department for Transport will publish a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.

"I can today announce that I have instructed my officials to begin work to commence the relevant section of the Infrastructure Act."

The Strategy will need to set out a long-term vision to increase walking and cycling, a statement of funds allocated to achieve those aims, a detailed investment plan setting aside priorities, and the legal requirement to report back on the progress made in terms of targets.

Jason Torrance, Sustrans Policy Director said: "This is a historic and bold step forward by Government that for the first time gives a commitment to a long-term investment strategy for cycling and walking to extend travel choice, help ease congestion and improve our health and environment. We look forward to this commitment being matched by a level of investment that will transform streets and communities for people to walk and cycle."

Torrance said the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy is a result of "tireless work of parliamentarians of all parties, the broad coalition of transport and health organisations that lobbied for it and above all the thousands of people who contacted their MPs."

CTC's Campaigns and Policy Director, Roger Geffen, MBE, said: "CTC looks forwards to working with the Government and local authorities to ensure this strategy is sufficiently well resourced and is used as an opportunity to develop and instil excellent design standards in cycling infrastructure".

"From today the Department for Transport and local authorities can start working on dramatically improving cycling infrastructure and creating a long-term vision to increase walking and cycling rates across the whole population, in rural as well as urban areas."

Of the Cycling Ambition Programme Goodwill said: "To address a question that has been asked several times in the last week or so, the savings announced recently by the Treasury reflect the funding requested by the participating cities this year.

"I can reassure you that planned spending will still successfully deliver the Cycling Ambition programme."