Transport secretary Grant Shapps today announced a big boost for cycling and walking as a good news precursor to the prime minister’s proposed road map out of the lockdown tomorrow evening.
That boost comes in the form of a £2 billion plan to put cycling and walking at the heart of the government’s transport policy for the first time.
Grant Shapps told the government press briefing:
“Our transport system cannot go back to where it left off.
“Even with public transport reverting to a full service, once you take into account the two metre social distancing rule there will only be effective capacity for one in ten passengers - just a tenth of the old capacity.”
He said that in some places there had been a 70 percent rise in the number of people riding bikes. And he announced there would be a new national cycling plan in June and a government cycling champion appointed.
Grant Shapps said there would be several “swift measures” costing £250 million to make cycling and walking safer including pop-up bike lanes and wider pavements.
He said that he was also issuing fast track statutory guidance to local councils to cater for “significant numbers of cyclists and pedestrians”.
Trials of the controversial e-scooters will start next month all over the country with rental schemes being set up quickly.
In the same breath, as if to placate angry cyclists, the minister said he would be accelerating the repair of potholes too.
And there would be at least one zero emissions city with the centre restricted to bikes.
As part of this transport package there would also be £10 million for more electric vehicle charging.
We now await Boris Johnson’s comprehensive road map out of the lockdown which will be televised at 7pm on Sunday.
It looks like caution all the way.
- Log in to post comments