Department for Transport announces £5 million funding for Bikeability Plus scheme

Department for Transport announces £5 million funding for Bikeability Plus scheme

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Following the Department for Transport’s announcement that £5m will be pledged to fund the Bikeability Plus scheme, British Cycling has reacted with the following statement.

British Cycling’s cycle training manager, Nick Chamberlin, said:

“British Cycling always welcomes any government announcement about new funding for cycling.

“Bikeability is not yet available for every school child in England so we worry that these reallocated funds will limit Bikeability delivery further and provide additional opportunities only to a select number of young people based on postcode not necessarily need.

“The Bikeability Plus pilot was very positive but further research is required to build an evidence base for the most effective interventions.

“British Cycling supports the view that Bikeability is best complemented by easily accessible opportunities for young people and their families that keep them on their bikes and cycling safely. There are excellent programmes like Go-Ride, Sky Ride Local and Breeze that already address many of these areas, complementing existing activity should be an important consideration for any expansion of the Bikeability Plus programme.

“All revenue spend on cycling must be viewed as an important complement to further investment in ‘world leading’ cycling infrastructure not as an alternative to it, we continue to press to ensure that the Department for Transport commits to a national cycle proofing budget of at least £10 a head. This capital investment – particularly in the communities around schools – will offer our young people the safe cycling environment currently enjoyed by children in countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark, where young people are supported to choose cycling or walking as safe, healthy ways of getting to and from school.”