Roads Minister to consider call for ‘National Cycling & Highways Agency’

Roads Minister Robert Goodwill has agreed to consider amendments to the new Infrastructure Bill that would ensure cycling was included in the remit of the proposed restructured Highways Agency.

Mr Goodwill recently met with the co-founders of Stop Killing Cyclists Steven Routley and Donnachadh McCarthy.

McCarthy said: “We welcome the Minister’s commitment to considering such an amendment from MPs. It is crucial that a National Cycling & Highways Agency takes the lead for funding and overseeing the creation of a national cycling infrastructure.”

Routley added: “Cycling must be included in the title and remit of the reformed Highways Agency. For too long cycling provision has been the invisible Cinderella of Britain’s transport investments despite its enormous potential to reduce epidemic levels of diabetes, lung and heart diseases from traffic pollution and obesity, improve economic competitiveness through congestion reduction, making our roads safer for pedestrians and other road users and reducing carbon emissions.”

Other items discussed during the Stop Killing Cyclists meeting with Mr Goodwill included:

1. The creation of a national version of Transport for London’s (TfL) Mini-Holland cycle funding scheme for councils across the country

2. The introduction of improved national standards for truck safety equipment on existing trucks

3. Raising the penalties for texting and speaking on a mobile phone whilst driving, to the same severity as drink driving

4. Increasing UK cycling funding levels to modern Dutch levels.