£2Bn for Fast Track Walking and Cycle Schemes

The UK Transport Minister has pledged to help councils fund a rapid switch of road space over to greater walking and cycle use.

Grant Shapps, UK Transport Minister, has announced £2 billion in funding to help local authority highways and streetwork firms with the task of marking pop-up bike lanes, wider pavements, safer junctions, and, cycle and bus only corridors in England over a matter of weeks.

This will be financed by a £250 million emergency active travel fund, which is the first stage of the £2 billion investment plan to help boost walking and cycling in response to the COVID-19 social distancing measures, which have led to more constraints when using public transport.

The Government has said it will fund and work with local authorities throughout the country to make it easier for people to use bikes to get around. Projects include a scheme in Greater Manchester to create 150 miles of protected cycle tracks, Transport for London’s plans to create a ‘bike Tube’ network above Underground lines.

Fast tracked statutory guidance, which was published at the beginning of May 2020, and came into effect immediately, tells councils they should reallocate road space for a significantly increased number in cyclists and pedestrians.

Mr Shapps also said that in towns and cities some streets had the ability to become bike and bus only, with others remaining available for motorists. More side streets could be closed to through traffic, and low-traffic neighbourhoods could be introduced which would see a reduction in rat-running while maintaining access for vehicles.

Grant Shapps said: “The Government expects local authorities to make significant changes to their road layouts to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians. Such changes will help embed altered behaviours and demonstrate the positive effects of active travel.”

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