Forum topic: Latest government move to encourage active travel: Why are local Tories out of step?

£32.9 million to create national network of active travel experts

From: Active Travel England and The Rt Hon Jesse Norman MP

Published 2 January 2023



Active Travel England is investing £32.9 million to create a national network of experts to work with communities, enhance high streets and make places truly walkable and cyclable for everyone. The fund could see up to 1,300 new green jobs created across England.

Launched today (2 January 2023) by Active Travel Minister Jesse Norman, the fund will drive thousands of well thought-through local plans, co-created with the communities who will use them.

Active Travel Minister Jesse Norman said:

"Leaving the car and walking and cycling instead is an easy way to get fit, save money and reduce your carbon footprint.

"Better designed schemes, which take into account the views of local people will help deliver improvements that have widespread local support.

"Skills training and local community engagement will help local authorities to make active travel an attractive choice for getting around."

The Capability Fund will support local authorities across the country to train and retain local engineers and planners, creating a skilled active travel workforce able to collaborate effectively with local communities and conduct high-quality engagement and consultation sessions.

As well as enabling local authorities to hire and retain skilled professionals, this multi-million-pound investment will deliver specialised training, driving up skills and ensuring consistent, high-quality schemes can be delivered across England that give people truly attractive active travel choices.

The funding will also be used to give travel choice to a wider demographic by engaging under-represented groups, provide cycle training and bike rental schemes.

National Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, said:

"If we want millions more people to walk, wheel and cycle to schools, shops and workplaces, we need to give them what they need to make the switch.

"Delivering schemes that offer an attractive choice takes technical skill, local knowledge, and community involvement. Survey after survey has shown people want the choice to be able to use the car a bit less and would love their kids to have more transport independence, so we aim to ensure they are at the heart of creating the right solution for their area. 2023 is the year Active Travel England will start to make that happen."

Living Streets Chief Executive, Stephen Edwards, added:

"Our streets are used by everyone, so they should be designed with everyone in mind. The Capability Fund will boost the quality of our places and support people to choose cleaner and healthier ways to get around. We look forward to working with local authorities to increase walking and wheeling across the country."

Funded Activities:

• bespoke training for local authority officers and local councillors
• development of Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs)
• network design and planning
• feasibility studies
• public engagement/consultation and co-design
• data and evidence collection

Curious then that local Conservative politicians have voiced implacable opposition to every single active travel measure implemented in Enfield, apart from school streets.

There’s no philosophical reason why the Tories should automatically oppose these measures [LTNs and the ULEZ expansion]. As a party of the market, the Tories should favour charging for the negative externalities cars cause. Motor vehicles take up space and, especially older ones, churn out pollution, both carbon dioxide and other particulates that harm health. If these aren’t being paid for by the drivers, on the basis of usage, then they are met elsewhere – either from other taxes that have to compensate, or losses to the economy from delays and from the impacts of environmental damage. If the polluter or user doesn’t pay, the externalities don’t disappear, but are socialised.

Despite its loudness, opposition to LTNs proved to be a minority view. [...] Though they might enjoy a concentrated electoral gain, the Tories’ pro-car mindset could cost them elsewhere.