Parliamentarians say more “political will” for cycling is required

A new parliamentary report on the current state of cycling in Britain calls for 10 percent of all journeys to be by bike by 2025."Stuck in first gear: the Government’s Cycling Revolution" also repeats the call for there to be a minimum investment of £10 per person per year, rising to £20 per person by 2025.

The report, from the All-Party Parliamentary Cycling Group, follows an evidence session in May with Robert Goodwill, the minister for cycling, and representatives from cycling organisations and businesses.

The APPCG report stresses that the Prime Minister’s aim in 2013 to start a “cycling revolution which will remove the barriers for a new generation of cyclists” has not been followed through. David Cameron’s promise was made on the publication of the APPCG’s ‘Get Britain Cycling’ report of that year.

"Stuck in first gear" examines the extent to which the Government’s draft Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS, or "ceewhizz") will be the catalyst to start the revolution. (Short answer: it won’t.)

The APPCG’s recommendations to strengthen the CWIS are:

• Strong ambition to see a "cycling revolution" 
• Greater investment in cycling
• Clear direction that cycling is a national priority
• Robust measures to gauge progress nationally and locally
• Improving quality of cycle infrastructure design
• Deregulation of street design
• An updated Highway Code
• Action to improve enforcement of traffic laws

Alex Chalk, the Tory MP for Cheltenham and co-chair of the group, said: "Cycling has huge advantages – it is healthy, efficient, reliable, green and fun. When more people cycle, society benefits."

He added: "It is high time we kick-started a true cycling revolution, one that reaches beyond the Lycra brigade and benefits all parts of society – particularly women and children."

His co-chair Ruth Cadbury, the Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, said: "The real test of whether something is taken seriously in Government is who leads on it – and that means the Prime Minister has to take that lead and follow through on his pledge to create a cycling revolution."

Optimisitically, she added: "We can achieve similar levels of cycling to our European neighbours if there is the political will to do this."

In reaction to the report, contributor to the inquiry’s evidence sessions, Cycling UK’s policy director Roger Geffen MBE, said:

“It’s great the APPCG renewed its call for a high level of ambition and funding for cycling, as well as national design standards to ensure public money is spent well.

“Parliament, as it has in the recent past, should get behind this important report. Government needs to provide funding for cycling, national design standards to make sure public money is well spent, and revise its Highway Code in the interests of breaking down the barriers which prevent getting Britain cycling.

The All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group is made up of MPs and members of the House of Lords of all parties. It promotes cycling issues in Parliament.