Welcome to Turvec’s Active Travel Roundup for March, where we give you an overview of the latest walking and cycling news in the UK.
The major highlight this month is the UK government’s £300 million injection into active travel projects. Announced in conjunction with Active Travel England, the funding promises to boost walking and cycling by providing ‘high quality and easily accessible projects’.
It’s great news for active travel developments, and crucial if we want to encourage more people to walk and cycle. Read on to find out more about the story, as well as the other latest happenings and updates.
£300 Million Investment Into Active Travel Projects
Rewind to 2024, and The Institute For Public Policy Research published a report warning that years of under-investment in England’s streets ‘has left people walk wary and cycle cautious’.
The report found that a mere 2% of total transport budget is spent on infrastructure to support active travel, with less than 1 in 5 people walking or cycling every day, compared with 1 in 4 across Europe.
News from the 12th of February this year, then, that £300 million has been pledged to help boost active travel in the UK, comes as very welcome news.
In partnership with Active Travel England, the funding promises 300 miles of brand new footpaths and cycle tracks, alongside new guidance to help councils engage and ensure local communities are involved in new projects.
Chris Boardman, National Active Travel Commissioner, said:
“Making it simple and safe to walk, wheel or cycle to schools, shops and workplaces is one of the most effective actions we can take to improve the nation’s health, economy and get to net zero, all in one.
Free exercise, zero emissions and no risk of getting stuck in traffic are benefits already being enjoyed as standard by our European neighbours and it’s time we had the same life-improving choices.
This funding will help make our towns, cities and villages happier, healthier and greener places to live.”
Active Travel England also state new projects will be built faster and to a high quality that truly benefits communities.
It all makes for welcome reading. Let’s hope the funding has a real-world effect on active travel. We’ll be sure to keep you updated with how projects develop across the UK.
New Cambridge South Rail Station Will Have No Car Park
Meanwhile, in Cambridge, a new rail station will have no car park whatsoever. Instead, it promises wildflowers, solar panels, and plenty of active travel infrastructure.
The architect behind the plans, Jan Kroes, designed the station to fit within the green belt surrounding it. This includes a nearby nature reserve, with initial concerns surrounding the station’s environmental impact.
Removing the car park will drastically reduce noise and air pollution, but also has the power to make the station pleasant to walk around and enjoy. 1,000 cycle spaces have been slated for the station, with specific bus routes to help get more people travelling car-free.
Study Says Twice As Many Boys Cycle Compared To Girls
A new report by Sustrans has found that nearly twice as many boys as girls cycle in the UK. Children were asked in the survey if they saw themselves as someone who cycles. 17% of boys agreed, compared with only 8% of girls.
However, in better news, 86% reported they’d scooted or walked in the previous week. Moreover, many of the children surveyed clearly wanted to cycle more and were positive about infrastructure measures to do so.
Within the sample group, 78% of children supported an increase in segregated bike lanes, with 81% wanting quieter paths, 70% asking for slower car speeds, and 66% supporting the closure of traffic outside schools, or ‘school streets’.
The demand for safer cycling is clearly there amongst school children. Activity levels for young people and children are worryingly low, with less than half meeting the recommended weekly exercise required for proper health.
