Active Travel fund recoup welcome but more needed, says Cycling UK
In the unlikely event you didn’t realise it was going on, the UK’s Autumn Budget statement took place this week. Among the measures signalled in the statement was some good news for those with an interest in active travel. The UK’s first female Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has committed cash – some £100 million – to the Active Travel fund and specifically to cycling and walking infrastructure.
Like John Lewis Christmas TV ads, the fuel duty freeze has become something of a tradition in the UK, continued by the new Chancellor, welcomed no doubt by individuals and businesses dependent on related travel costs but not necessarily by those hoping to persuade people and businesses out of their automotives and onto bicycles (or presumably, EVs).
Earlier this week, a coalition of academics and active travel advocates wrote an open letter to the Chancellor, requesting that the impressive ROI that is recouped by putting cash into active travel was not forgotten and on that point must be judged partially successful.
Responding to the Autumn Budget and how it relates to transport and active travel, Sarah McMonagle, director of external affairs at Cycling UK, said: “Credit where credit’s due; today the Chancellor has helped to recoup funding for active travel that was cut in March 2023 by committing an additional £100m to cycling and walking infrastructure. However, much greater investment is needed if the government is to achieve its ambitious health and economic growth missions. We know that for every £1 spent on cycling and walking schemes, £5.62 worth of wider benefits are achieved. This far surpasses the return on investment for road building.
“We were disappointed to see that fuel duty has been frozen yet again, which means the cost of driving is not increasing in relative terms. Research suggests that in the past, savings from the fuel duty freeze have not been passed down to consumers. Revenue raised from an increase in fuel duty could make public transport more affordable, and cycling and walking much safer through more investment in active travel.
“Increasing investment in walking and cycling stands to benefit us now and in the future. There’s still time to take bold action, and we will continue to impress upon the government the potential for cycling to transform our communities into greener, healthier and more prosperous places to live.”