Cycling for everyone: Member Sustrans fosters the UK walking and cycling agenda
The UK Government has released a long-term ‘Cycling and Walking Plan’, the Highway Code Consultation, and updated cycling infrastructure guidance – measures which POLIS' Member Sustrans has long campaigned for, together with other members of the Walking and Cycling Alliance.
"By helping more people to leave the car at home for shorter journeys, this package of measures [for cycling and walking] will cut pollution, tackle the causes of poor health, and improve the safety of our streets. Sustrans supports efforts to radically improve the quality of walking and cycling infrastructure."
- Xavier Brice, CEO Sustrans
The announcement sees plans to establish Active Travel England, a new government-body which will act as a statutory consultee on planning applications and that will have a key role in supporting local authorities to deliver this important agenda, ensuring public money is invested wisely and design standards are enforced.
Viewed in this light, Sustrans' mission to make sure cycling and walking are at the heart of all planned new developments from the start, including properly linking routes to public transport, is not only a big part of realising the potential of healthy, liveable neighbourhoods, but also an example of further fostering the agenda with a proactive and smart approach.
Sustrans and ARUP report: Cycling for everyone
Launched with ARUP in late July 2020 (you can find an article on the report on our latest Thinking Cities magazine), Sustrans' report "Cycling for everyone" contains a number of recommendations to help make cycling more inclusive.
"The report shows that 55% of people from ethnic minority groups who currently don’t cycle would like to, compared to 37% of white people – the potential is huge.”
The report stems from the idea that many of the actions outlined from the UK Government, such as radically improving the quality of walking and cycling infrastructure, introducing low-traffic neighbourhoods and cycle training for all people will reduce existing inequalities in cycling.
As custodians of the National Cycle Network, Sustrans hugely welcomes the initial commitment to long-term funding and support for the UK’s national network of cycling and walking paths. This will accelerate the work of Sustrans and their partners to invest in routes, create new traffic-free sections, and improve signage and surfaces.
"By doing this, together we can achieve our shared vision of a traffic-free network of paths for everyone, for all to travel on and explore, regardless of gender, age or ability."
