Wales risks losing ground on active travel following budget announcement

On Tuesday afternoon (10 December), the Welsh Government unveiled its draft budget for 2025-26, raising concerns within the active travel community.

Although the overall transport budget has increased, there are signs that funding for cycling may be reduced. This is because much of the increased budget is allocated to broader transport initiatives, potentially deprioritising active travel despite its crucial role in achieving Wales’s carbon budget and legally binding net-zero targets.

Mixed signals from the draft budget

While funding for ‘Regional Transport and Active Travel’ appears to have significantly increased, the lack of detail in the budget makes it impossible to determine how much of this funding, if any, will be specifically allocated to cycling.

The category encompasses a variety of regional transport projects, raising concerns that active travel may not be adequately prioritised or ringfenced. We are seeking clarity from the Welsh Government on this.

The risk of stalling progress

Gwenda Owen, Cycling UK’s Wales advocacy and development lead, has voiced her apprehension: “It’s worrying to see a lack of clarity in today’s budget regarding funding for active travel. Without clear government commitment, Wales risks undermining its pioneering achievements in walking and cycling.”

The Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 was groundbreaking, being the first legislation globally to mandate the development of walking and cycling routes. This law aimed to make active travel accessible and practical for daily journeys.

Since then, Wales has been recognised as a global leader in sustainable transport. However, keeping up this progress depends on consistent and adequate funding, which the current budget fails to assure.

Why active travel matters

Investing in active travel can help tackle some of Wales’s most pressing challenges:

• Climate action: transport accounts for 17% of Wales’s greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing emissions requires a significant shift to walking and cycling, making investment in active travel infrastructure crucial for achieving Wales’s legally binding net-zero targets
• Public health: physical inactivity contributes to rising rates of obesity, mental health issues and chronic diseases. Active travel provides an accessible solution to improve physical and mental wellbeing
• Economic benefits: every £1 invested in active travel infrastructure delivers an average return of £5.62, according to the IPPR’s Stride and Ride report. These benefits include reduced congestion, lower healthcare costs, and increased community productivity

While Wales has made progress on creating a safer road network by reducing the default speed limit to 20 miles per hour, it is important to stress that these limits are only part of the answer. Giving people the confidence to shift their daily journeys from driving to cycling comes from investment in intelligently designed, safe, segregated cycling infrastructure.

Cutting funding for active travel now will lead to higher long-term costs, such as increased healthcare spending, worsening traffic congestion, and environmental degradation.

A chance to make a difference

The draft budget is not yet set in stone; it will undergo scrutiny and require approval by the Senedd in February 2025. This process provides a crucial window for advocacy.

Cycling UK is calling on everyone who values cycling to act. If you live in Wales, please write to your Member of the Senedd (MS) asking them to stand up for cycling and urge the Welsh Government to commit to sustained investment in active travel in its final budget. Our supporter action tool makes it easy to contact your representatives.

Ensuring a sustainable future for active travel in Wales

Wales is at a crossroads. The Active Travel Act laid the foundation for a sustainable and equitable transport system, but its success relies on unwavering political support and adequate funding.

As Gwenda Owen emphasises: “The people of Wales deserve access to affordable, sustainable and healthy travel. It stands to benefit our economy, health and climate, and we will continue to advocate for a future where cycling and walking are at the heart of Wales’s transport system.”

Now is the time to rally to action. We need to work together to ensure that the Welsh Government upholds its commitments and secures a future where walking and cycling are central to everyday life. These investments are not just about transport – they are about building a happier, healthier and greener future for Wales.