British Cycling Welcomes Massive Investment in Cycling

 

News Posted: 21 January 2008

A record £140million Government investment in cycling, announced by Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Transport, is set to help half a million children cycle safely and a generation of adults rediscover their bikes. This ambitious new drive to boost cycling will help to tackle road congestion and improve air quality as well as create more opportunities for exercise.  The money will be invested over the next three years and forms part of the Government's forthcoming strategy to tackle obesity.

The six-fold increase in funding will:

• Allow an extra 500,000 10 year-olds across England to take part in Bikeability cycle training by 2012, equipping them to cycle safely and responsibly
• Build another 250 Safe Links to Schools, connecting around 500 more schools to the National Cycle Network. Many schools with links have already doubled the number of pupils cycling to school.
• Ceate up to a further 10 Cycling Demonstration Towns in England, as well as the first large Demonstration City. This will mean nearly 3 million people will have the chance to benefit from best practice and promotion of cycling.

The funding package will go to Cycling England, the body set up by the Government to promote cycling, to continue their successful work.

Peter King, British Cycling's CEO commented:-

"This is extremely good news for cycling, not only as a form of transport but as a recreational and sporting activity. British Cycling's rapidy expanding Go-Ride and Everyday Cycling programmes target young people as well as leisure, recreational and commuting cyclists and only stand to benfit from this increased interest in cycling. We believe that getting more people, of all ages, active on their bikes can only be positive for the future health of the nation the environment and the continued growth of cycle sport in the UK.

It's refreshing that Cycling's contribution to tackling the current obesity crisis and protecting the future health of the nation is being recognised through this cross Government Departmental approach to Cycling. It is important that any new opportunities delivered reflect this holistic approach and capitalise on the enthusiasm and energy young people have for cycling, in all its forms, if we are to get the best return on investment in terms of more people cycling.

British Cycling is already in receipt of funding from Cycling England to expand our Go-Ride programme in line with Bikeability Cycle Training at Levels 2 and 3 and we are looking forward to working with Cycling England to ensure that we continue to make a significant contribution to getting more people cycling more often through both Everyday Cycling and Go-Ride."