Cycle Campaign News March 2020
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, announced in his first UK Budget on 11 March, £27 billion for roads until 2025, but said nothing about increasing ringfenced funding for cycling and walking. Furthermore, nowhere in the £1 billion Budget announcement on green transport solutions was there any mention of committed spending for active travel. The Government's rhetoric has been to 'get things done' for some time, but it seems like the Chancellor has not 'got cycling done' in this Budget, not even close.
Scottish win - £15 million of extra funding to tackle climate emergency
Cycling UK in Scotland have successfully lobbied the Scottish Government to commit to an extra £15 million of funding each year out of a total £21.5 million increase to get more people active and reduce polluting emissions. Jim Densham, Campaigns and Policy Manager, welcomes this agreement between the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party. Local authorities now have ringfenced funding to spend on cycling and walking infrastructure across the nation and to also address the climate emergency declared by the Scottish Government last year in April. Due to this campaign success, the Scottish Government will now spend over £100 million on active travel in the next financial year, more than ever before. A fantastic win for Jim and all the great Scottish campaigners involved!
Pothole Watch is back!
Last week saw the launch of this year's Fill that hole: Pothole Watch, our supporters' annual favourite campaign and your chance to directly report potholes to your local authority using the Fill that hole app. The focus this year is on cyclist safety and target times for local authorities to fix potholes. If there's a stretch of road near you or on your daily route that you would like to see made safe to cycle on, then report it to Fill that Hole!
Other stories
Multi-million plans to improve active travel in Fort William get the go-ahead
The updated Fort William Active Travel Masterplan has been approved by Lochaber councillors, paving the way for the creation of seven key routes worth £14m.
Latest Scottish Transport Statistics published
No game-changing numbers unfortunately, with cycling journeys still less than 1% of total journeys in 2019. 3% of commuting trips were cycled, and 2% of children cycled to school.
Campaigners celebrate U-turn on Aviemore to Carrbridge cycleway plans
Following public pressure, there will now be a safe non-motorised user route alongside the busy A9.
Close pass driver gets prison sentence for clipping cyclist in Bridgend
Mr Young was also disqualified from driving for two years.
What would get you on your bike in and around Newport?
How would you improve transport in South East Wales, making it easier for people to move around by cycling or walking? You’ve got until Tuesday 31 March to have your say.
Slight increase in young people walking or cycling to work in Northern Ireland
The latest stats show that while the overall figures remain stubbornly low, there has been a small increase in the number of 16-24 year olds commuting by bike or on foot, from 0% in 2016/17 to 4% in 2018/19.
Drivers using mobile phones in Northern Ireland could face tougher penalties
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has announced plans for higher fines and and more penalty points for motorists using hand-held phones.
Cyclist Robert Hazeldean settles case for £30,000 after hitting pedestrian who was looking at phone
The judge ruled both parties were equally to blame, and Hazeldean's high legal costs highlighted the importance of insurance for cyclists.
Campaigners in Kent a step closer to turning a footpath into a bridleway
Local campaigners in Kent are one step closer on their mission to get a footpath near Sevenoaks upgraded to a bridleway based on evidence of use, after winning an appeal with support from Cycling UK.
In this issue
Headlines: Chancellor's Budget fails to get cycling done; Scottish win - £15 million of extra funding to tackle climate emergency; Pothole Watch is back!
Other stories: Multi-million plans to improve active travel in Fort William get the go-ahead; Latest Scottish Transport Statistics published; Campaigners celebrate U-turn on Aviemore to Carrbridge cycleway plans; Close pass driver gets prison sentence for clipping cyclist in Bridgend; What would get you on your bike in and around Newport?; Slight increase in young people walking or cycling to work in Northern Ireland; Drivers using mobile phones in Northern Ireland could face tougher penalties; Cyclist Robert Hazeldean settles case for £30,000 after hitting pedestrian who was looking at phone; Campaigners in Kent a step closer to turning a footpath into a bridleway.
During this unprecedented time of coronavirus and nationwide lockdown, we very much hope you're well and taking care. A lot has changed this month and we're sure it will still take some time for us all to adapt to the new normal. In the meantime, cycling whilst following sensible precautions, can still be an important part of maintaining physical and mental wellbeing. Regardless, our important cycle campaigning work still continues.
In the UK budget announced 11 March, the Chancellor failed to get cycling done by announcing £27 billion of funding for roads until 2025 but nothing on committed investment in cycling and walking.
However, we celebrate a budget win as the Scottish government announced an extra £15 million of funding for local authorities to spend on cycling and walking as part of a total £21.5 million increase. Cycling UK in Scotland have been calling for increased funding to help address climate change.
Last week saw the launch of Pothole Watch 2020, an annual favourite campaign of our supporters and your chance to directly report potholes to your local authority using the Fill That Hole app. The focus this year is on cyclist's safety and target times for local authorities to fix potholes not being met.
Caroline Grogan, Campaign News editor
Take action
In the film Ghostbusters, if someone saw a ghost, they called the Ghostbusters. If you see a pothole, you know what to do, report it to Fill that hole!
Have your say on improving cycling in South East Wales.
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