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Following last year’s high profile Get Britain Cycling inquiry and the subsequent report, it has been confirmed that a Parliamentary debate will go ahead.
The date has yet to be confirmed, but according to The Times there will be a debate in Parliament on the Get Britain Cycling recommendations ‘in the near future’.
Yesterday (June 18th) Julien Huppert MP, co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group, made the case for the debate at the Backbench Business Committee, which was supportive of the application.
The Times’ own petition – now almost at 70,000 signatures – has also called on government to implement the recommendations of the Get Britain Cycling report. That’s shy of the 100,000 signatures that were quoted as required to trigger the debate.
The report itself was roundly welcomed by supporters of cycling when it was published in April this year.
Sustrans policy director Jason Torrance has responded to the news that the debate on the report findings will go ahead in Parliament: “It is fantastic see the recommendations of the Get Britain Cycling report being debated in Parliament but it is important that this results in clear outcomes, not just rhetoric.
"To reach the ambitious goals for cycling we need a combination of investment, infrastructure and policy change
“Increasing levels of cycling will ease pressure on the NHS, cut congestion and help make the UK one of the cleanest, healthiest and most pleasant places to live in the world.”
CTC chief executive Gordon Seabright said: “With the Chancellor’s announcements on Government funding now imminent, it’s great to hear that MPs will soon have a further opportunity in Parliament to call for action on the ‘Get Britain Cycling’ report’s recommendations.
"Cycling is good for the economy in so many ways: tacking congestion, improving access to jobs and employee productivity, boosting retail and residential property values, as well as reducing the costs to society of ill health. It also helps create the sort of towns and communities where people want to live, in addition to its wider environmental benefits.
"We strongly urge the Chancellor to respond to the incredible cross-party, public and media support for cycling, by finally giving it the funding it has so long deserved."
Chris Boardman told BikeBiz earlier this year that he’d be up for the Cycling Commissioner role, provided it had power.
There’s more on Get Britain Cycling here.
