Don’t backpedal on Gear Change, Cycling UK open letter urges
Cycling UK has this week launched a campaign of direct action, creating a template for people to email their MP urging that the Gear Change ambition remains undiluted in expected cuts to public spending.
Feared at risk since the departure of semi-cycle-friendly PM Boris Johnson and his advisor Andrew Gilligan, the budget is said by Active Travel England leader Chris Boardman, among others, to fall far short of what may be required to meet long-term goals. Boardman says up to £18 Billion may be needed versus the pot of £3.8 Billion said to be available currently.
“The Halloween budget could be fright night for walking and cycling in England,” starts Cycling UK, pointing toward an expected budget update from the most recently installed Chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
“Instead of increasing the funding and moving up the gears this Halloween, it looks like the government might back-pedal – cutting the active travel budget during a cost-of-living crisis, when people want and need cheaper transport choices,” warns the cycling charity, calling on people to “Help us save the cycling and walking budget.”
Pointing out the various positive return on investment benefits of funding the Gear Change ambition, the organisation believes it to be non-sensical to do anything other than increase, or at the very least maintain the planned spend.
That spend is now being actively managed by the office of Active Travel England, which has already followed through on its plan to deliver cash only to the most ambitious authorities and withdraw it from those without form on providing for cyclists and pedestrians. Worcester, for example, fell into the latter category, being marked in the lowest possible bracket and thus seeing any chance of funding withdrawn.
The template letter drawn up and editable reads:
Dear (local) MP
I am extremely concerned that the government might be about to back-pedal on commitments given its own ‘Gear Change’ document, which set out a bold vision to get more people walking and cycling, supported by an increase in funding for active travel.
Even with that increase, investment in cycling and walking in England is still a fraction of the overall transport budget, significantly less than funding per head for active travel in both Scotland and Wales, and would need to be increased to ensure the government reached its own targets for increasing levels of cycling and walking.
Nevertheless, the Gear Changes commitments and increased funding were good news, so I’m alarmed that the active travel budget might be cut in the mini-budget later this month.
During a cost of living crisis I understand that difficult choices need to be made, and realise that this government is focussed on growth, but given the huge benefits of investing in cycling and walking, cutting active travel funding now would be absurd.
When people are struggling financially they need cheaper transport choices, and investment in active travel brings higher and quicker returns on investment than any other transport investment. It’s good for business, grows the local and national economy, saves people money, and I haven’t even got to health, community, and environmental benefits, which Cycling UK summarise in this report (https://www.cyclinguk.org/case-for-cycling).
Can I please ask you to contact both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Transport Secretary to seek confirmation that the active travel budget won’t be cut. I would really appreciate your help to make sure the current administration doesn’t undo some good work undertaken by the last, by throwing a spanner in the wheels of active travel.