What the King’s Speech means for cycling

The King’s Speech is the set piece event for every session of Parliament, but it has an extra special importance following an election as it’s the new government’s opportunity turn its manifesto into a plan for government.

Amid all the ceremony and tradition of the State Opening of Parliament, such as Black Rod having the door shut in their face and a member of the government being taken to Buckingham Palace to be ‘held hostage’, the main purpose is for the monarch to read out the government’s agenda for the year ahead.

The title of Labour’s pre-election manifesto was ‘Change’ so there’s no surprise that the first Labour government in 14 years would have a big legislative agenda. In total there were a whopping 40 Bills listed in the King’s Speech but none of them were focused on cycling, active travel or even transport more broadly.

This means we will have to look at the focus of a number of Bills in order to get laws changed which will benefit people who cycle or want to cycle.

Influencing legislation

For me, as Cycling UK policy manager, getting our policies written into law is the holy grail of policy influencing.

It’s a difficult and lengthy process to win support for a law change and then an involved and esoteric process to get the legislation through Parliament. However, once a Bill is passed and becomes an Act of Parliament the policy is set in stone for current and future governments to follow from then onwards.

The Bills in the 2024 King’s Speech are all government Bills and will be designed to make government policy a reality. However, parliamentary process means that amendments can be proposed and if they are within the scope of the Bill may be debated and ultimately voted on.

To do this requires the assistance and support of a friendly MP or peer from the House of Lords who can help to draft the amendment and send it on its way through the proper channels.

That’s why it is so important to have MPs sitting on the green benches who support cycling and is why, ahead of the election, we asked you to use our e-action to write to your candidates and ask them to support our manifesto.

Since the election our team has been busy writing to all 47 MPs who, thanks to your efforts, pledged to support cycling or were positive in response to our communications.

Government support for cycling?

Labour’s manifesto said nothing about cycling or whether a Labour government would prioritise active modes of transport as it works to make change happen. However, since the election there have been a few positive signs that cycling is in the new government’s thinking even if it’s not a priority in the King’s Speech.

New Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh MP has a motto of ‘move fast and fix things’ and included ‘greener transport’ and ‘better integration of transport networks’ in her department’s list of five key priorities.

I’ve heard she’s been talking about cycling. She’s also been doing her homework, reading Potholes and Pavements by (friend of Cycling UK) Laura Laker, and posting about it on social media.

We are also really encouraged by the shape of the new ministerial team in the Department for Transport. The new minister responsible for active travel is Simon Lightwood MP, who, like Louise Haigh, we previously met when he was shadow minister.

Ministers Lilian Greenwood MP and Mike Kane MP are both keen cyclists and have been members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Walking and Cycling. Finally, Lord Hendy is the rail minister and will draw on his experience at the top of Network Rail.

Analysis of relevant Bills in the King’s Speech

Traditionally the monarch delivers a short and succinct speech at the State Opening of Parliament but the UK government has provided more detail in a background briefing notes document. In the sections below I set out my analysis of the Bills relevant cycling and our work at Cycling UK.

Note – most of the Bills listed below will apply mainly to England unless stated although clarity is needed in some cases.

Planning and Infrastructure Bill

Labour has made much of the need to build more homes and to reform the planning process in order to achieve this goal.

But this Bill is not just about building houses. It will potentially speed up the building of other infrastructure – potentially, including key cycling infrastructure such as cycle tracks and bridges dedicated to walking, cycling and wheeling.

It could also make it easier for councils to use compulsory purchase orders to buy the land needed for cycle routes.

The Labour manifesto promised ‘golden rules’ to ensure that development benefits communities and nature. We want one of those golden rules to be that housing developments must be designed with excellent cycling and walking networks and easy access to public transport links from the start – not as an afterthought.

Our Cycling UK pre-election manifesto recommended that “Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework should align with transport guidance, to ensure that schools, shops, healthcare facilities and green open space are within a short walk of people’s homes.”

English Devolution Bill

This Bill is all about handing power from Westminster to local communities for things such as strategic planning and creating local transport networks, allowing councils and mayors to drive local growth and enable communities to thrive.

Through these new powers local decision-makers could be enabled to plan and deliver cycling networks and infrastructure more quickly and give people real and affordable choices in how they travel.

More power is one thing, but mayors and other decision-makers need much higher levels of funding if they are to create the safe networks for people who want to cycle. We will continue to push for this budget boost in England.

Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill

A major transport policy for the new government is to bring rail services back into public ownership. This Bill enables the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments to do this.

We’re calling on the new Labour government to be the first UK government to fully unleash the huge potential that cycling and walking infrastructure offers

Sarah McMonagle, Cycling UK director for external affairs

Railways Bill

A second Bill for the railways aims to create Great British Railways, bringing together management of the rail network and improved passenger services, such as simpler ticketing.

Better Buses Bill

Like the railways, Labour wants to improve bus services too and give more power to local government to control bus franchises and even bring bus services into public ownership.

At Cycling UK we understand that not everyone can or wants to cycle, but everyone needs better and more transport choices so they aren’t forced to use a car. More and better bus and rail services are key if we are to see an overall shift away from the current high levels of car use.

Our manifesto said: “By providing better transport choices, the government can make our day-to-day journeys good for our health, our communities, our economy and our environment, and reduce traffic in line with net zero targets.”

We will be watching these high-profile transport Bills closely as they progress through Parliament and look for opportunities to influence the legislation and make it easier for people who want to combine cycling with public transport in an overall journey.

Crime and Policing Bill

Part of this Bill aims to crackdown on anti-social behaviour including providing “new powers to tackle the dangerous and anti-social use of off-road bikes”.

I reckon government is referring to off-road motorbike use here but we will have to check and be cautious that MPs and Peers understand the legal differences between motorbikes, illegal e-bikes (in all forms) and regular e-bikes (electrically assisted pedal cycles).

There’s a real risk that the reputation of e-bikes and responsible riders is diminished by misunderstanding or harmful reporting by parts of the media.

Product Safety and Metrology Bill

This Bill aims to address the risks and challenges reported around lithium-ion batteries including those used in e-bikes. E-bikes and their batteries need to be safe so that people will have the confidence to buy them, use them and benefit from riding them.

The new UK government is bringing a renewed energy to Westminster and showing a desire to create positive change in transport. We will be lobbying government to publicly show more support cycling and active travel and to provide the funding needed so that people can choose to cycle for everyday journeys.

Sarah McMonagle, our director for external affairs, wrote in a recent opinion piece: “We’re calling on the new Labour government to be the first UK government to fully unleash the huge potential that cycling and walking infrastructure offers.”