The Government
wants to see access to cycle training for every child, creating a
generation of new, safe cyclists according to Transport Minister
Sadiq Khan.
This is one of the aims of the 'Active Travel
Strategy' - published today - which outlines plans to put
walking and cycling at the heart of local transport and public
health strategies over the next decade.
The other aims of the strategy include:
- Every major public sector employer to be signed up to the Cycle
to Work Guarantee
- Cycle parking at or within easy reach of every public building
- Sufficient secure bike parking at every rail station
- Local authorities introducing 20mph zones and limits into more
residential streets to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists
Transport Minister Sadiq Khan said:
"Active travel means a transport system where walking
and cycling become the norm.
"Instead of automatically reaching for their car keys, I
want to see people feeling confident enough to jump on their bike
or pull on a pair of trainers.
"I am confident that this strategy will achieve this,
makingactive travel a genuine and viable option for
everybody."
Public Health Minister Gillian Merron said:
"Walking and cycling are two of the easiest ways for
people to build regular physical activity into their daily lives –
whether it’s riding to work, walking to school or simply having fun.
“This strategy demonstrates that even making small changes can
bring about significant health benefits, and helps reinforce the
message of the Government’s Change4Life movement, which is helping
people to eat well, move more and live longer.”
Today's announcement is supported by a £12.5m package of
investment which will secure cycle training for half a million
additional school children by 2012.
The funding - which is part of the Government's £140m
cycling budget over three years - will be provided to Local
Authorities, the Government's Cycling Demonstration
Towns, Youth Sport Trust, School Sports Partnerships and cycle
trainers.
Also published today are results from an evaluation of the
Government's Sustainable Travel Towns project, which aims
to showcase towns that put walking, cycling and public transport
firmly in the spotlight. Across three towns - Darlington,
Peterborough and Worcester – there have been:
- 7% to 9% reductions in car trips
- 26% to 30% increases in cycling trips
- 10% to 13% increases in walking trips
Notes to Editors
1. The Active Travel Strategy is cross-Governmental Strategy, led
by Department for Transport and Department of Health, to get more
people walking and cycling more often and more safely.
2. The evaluation of the “Sustainable Travel Town” demonstration
projects was undertaken by an independent research team to review
and assess the actives undertaken in Darlington, Peterborough and
Worcester to promote increased walking, cycling and public
transport use between 2004 and 2009. The Summary Report of the
evaluation can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/smarterchoices/.
More detailed analysis of the projects will be made available in
the same place in early March.
3. We are also publishing a number of research reports from the
first six Cycling Demonstration Towns programme. These are an
economic analysis of the programme which indicates that the
investment delivered high value for money, a survey of levels of
physical activity in the Towns across the programme and a summary
of the programmes in each of the six towns. The reports can be
found at
http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/cycling-cities-towns/results/
4. We have announced a further package of measures costing over
£12m in 2010-11. We have awarded the following grants:
- £6m to over 90 Local Authorities and Cycle Demonstration Towns;
- £6m to schools through the School Sports Partnerships; and
- £500k for bursary grants to train more trainers to deliver the
increases in cycle training delivery.
To date we have funded over 300,000 additional training places.
This package has the potential to deliver 300,000 further
Bikeability training places in 2010-11 and will help us deliver
our target of 500,000 places by 2012 a year early.
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