£1.2 billion plan to increase cycling and walking
The government has published its £1.2 billion long-term plan to make cycling and walking the natural choice for shorter journeys.
Cycling and walking is to become the norm by 2040 and will target funding at innovative ways to encourage people onto a bike or to use their own two feet for shorter journeys.
Plans include specific objectives to double cycling, reduce cycling accidents and increase the proportion of 5 to 10 year-olds walking to school to 55% by 2025.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: “We are making cycling and walking more accessible to everyone because of the substantial health and environmental benefits – it will also be a boost for businesses because a fitter and healthier workforce is more productive.
“We have already tripled spending on cycling since 2010 and we are now publishing a long-term investment plan because we are absolutely committed to increasing levels of cycling and walking.”
Transport Minister Andrew Jones said: “As the days are becoming longer and warmer we want to encourage people to make cycling and walking the natural choice for shorter journeys – improving people’s health, reducing travel costs, cutting congestion and cleaning up the environment in the process.
“Today we have set out our long-term approach to encourage more people to cycle or walk and overcome the barriers which stop them from doing so.”
The FSEM (UK) responded to the consultation for this plan in May 2016 with the following points:
- Promoting cycling and walking as a treatment for chronic diseases and musculoskeletal problems
- Recognition of the role of the NHS in delivering this strategy
- The role of rehabilitation in improving competence to cycle and walk
- A plan to encourage real behaviour change to accompany infrastructure change
- The importance of GP practices and the role they can play
- Involving multidisciplinary teams in planning
