Government takes action over cycling

Local Transport Minister Norman Baker says the Government is determined to help more people take up cycling.

Baker visited Cambridge to launch the response to the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group’s report ‘Get Britain Cycling’ and to see first hand how funding for cycling announced earlier this month will pave the way for more cycling in the area.

He said: “The Coalition Government takes cycling very seriously and we are committed to leading the country in getting more people cycling, more safely, more often.

“Many of the recommendations put forward by the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group mirror those that we are already taking forward so we are ahead on some of the challenges which have been set for us.?However we are keen to go further and faster. The £94m announced by the Prime Minister earlier this month is an excellent boost and will help to encourage even more people to take to two wheels.”

The publication of the Government’s response to the APPCG’s report follows the biggest ever single injection of cash for cycling, announced earlier this month. £77 million will be divided between Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Bristol, Cambridge, Oxford and Norwich, while the New Forest, Peak District, South Downs and Dartmoor will each share a slice of £17 million funding for national parks. With local contributions, the total new funding for cycling is £148 million between now and 2015.

The Government is also taking action to ensure that roads are ‘cycle proofed’, starting with £5m of investment to facilitate safe cycling on trunk roads, with a further £15m planned for 2015/16.