Next Welsh Government must move up the gears and support active travel, says Cycling UK

By Rob Kingston
Thursday, 25 February 2021
In pre-Covid times, Cycling UK led campaigning rides to the Senedd. This year our call is virtual, but more vital than ever
Cycling UK’s Welsh election manifesto calls for parties to commit to creating a Wales where cycling is for everyone
  • Charity calls on people who want to cycle in Wales to sign online petition supporting its election manifesto
  • Next Government should spend at least 10% of transport budget on active travel
  • Investment should focus not just on infrastructure but also behaviour change, for example free cycle training for all school children

Cycling UK is today launching its manifesto for the Senedd election on 6 May, calling for the next Welsh Government to commit to investing to ensure that cycling is an easy and attractive option for all.

The manifesto lays out the charity’s vision for cycling in “a Wales where more everyday journeys are active travel journeys, where our countryside is more accessible, our air cleaner and our health and wellbeing are prioritised”.

Wales has seen a huge increase in cycling levels during the coronavirus crisis, proving that people will choose to cycle when local roads are less busy. Cycling UK believes the next Welsh Government must build on this growth by doing more to make cycling an easy and attractive option, especially for everyday short journeys.

Gwenda Owen, Cycling UK’s engagement officer for Wales, said:

“Two of the biggest challenges facing the next Welsh Government are recovery from the Covid crisis and the climate emergency we all face. With more people returning to workplaces, and transport accounting for 15% of our climate-changing emissions, cycling and other active travel must be part of the solution to both these issues.

“Our Cycling UK Cymru manifesto highlights the steps we believe are essential to making active travel an easy and attractive option for everyone in Wales. This means investing at least 10% of the transport budget, not just on infrastructure but also on behaviour change projects, such as hire schemes, grants, and cycle training schemes.

“We want to see ambitious targets set for walking and cycling for both adults and children, and an increase in high-quality cycle lanes and liveable neighbourhoods across Wales.”

Cycling UK is calling on cyclists across Wales to make their voices heard by signing an online petition backing its manifesto. Gwenda Owen commented: “We know that politicians are more likely to make the right commitment to cycling if, as well as it being the right thing to do, they believe that it could win them votes. Therefore, it is extremely important we show them these are promises they need to make.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. Cycling UK, the UK’s cycling charity, imagines a world where the streets are free of congestion and the air is clean to breathe, where parents encourage their children to cycle to school and everyone shares the exhilaration of being in the saddle. For more than 140 years, we’ve been making our streets safer, opening up new traffic free routes and inspiring more people to cycle more often. www.cyclinguk.org
  2. Cycling UK Cymru’s Manifesto for Cycling is available to download in English and Welsh.
  3. Cycling UK Cymru’s online petition to support the manifesto is available in English and Welsh.

Press contact information

For more information contact Rob Kingston (communications officer) on 07880 424 912 or [email protected], or the Cycling UK Press Office on [email protected].

Welsh elections 2021 Campaigner and activist Cycling UK in Wales

Further reading