Britain launches £2 billion Cycling and Walking Plans in country

England, United Kingdom (Urban Transport News): Britain's Cycling and Walking revolution stirred up by the Prime Minister, now incorporated plans containing cycling prescriptions and free training and higher cycling infrastructure standards and e-bike programs at the National level. Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched new Cycling and Walking plans to encourage cycling and walking.

These plans include thousands of miles of new protected bike lanes, cycling training for everyone and bikes available on prescription. To achieve the long term vision of increasing active travel and embedding the benefits of walking and cycling, new Cycling and Walking plans were formulated.

Aim of these plans is to build on the increase in the number of people cycling and walking during this pandemic. Cycling and walking will help reducing health and environmental issues and will help people get fit and healthy and lower the risk of illness. Additionally, it will improve air quality and help in cutting congestion as said by Johnson.

But to build a healthier, more active nation, we need the right infrastructure, training and support in place to give people the confidence to travel on two wheels.  That’s why now is the time to shift gears and press ahead with our biggest and boldest plans yet to boost active travel – so that everyone can feel the transformative benefits of cycling.

Grant Shapps, Transport secretary added:

We’ve got a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a shift in attitudes for generations to come and get more people choosing to cycle or walk as part of their daily routine.

Here are details of the Cycling and Walking Plans worth £2 billion:

• To encourage people to continue to take up cycling, cycle training will be made available for every child and adult who wants it, accessible through schools, local authorities or direct from cycle training schemes
• More cycle racks will be installed at transport hubs, town and city centres and public buildings
• Setting higher standards for cycling infrastructure
• Funding will go towards new bike hangars and on-street storage for people who don’t have space to keep a bike at home
• Boosting investment by creating a long term cycling program and budget to ensure a guaranteed pipeline of funding
• Making streets safer by consulting to strengthen the Highway Code to better protect pedestrians and cyclists
• Supporting local authorities by empowering them to crack down on traffic offenses
• Improving air quality and reducing traffic by creating more low traffic neighborhoods; intensive funding of 12 new areas to become more cycle-friendly, known as ‘Mini Hollands’; and creating at least one zero-emission transport city centre
• Piloting a new approach in selected places with poor health rates to encourage GPs to prescribe cycling, with patients able to access bikes through their local surgery
• Increasing access to e-bikes by setting up a new national e-bike program, to help those who are older, have to travel long distances or are less fit to take-up cycling.

Along with the plans, a pilot scheme is to be released in public to encourage thousands of people to get back to cycling. It will launch the first lot of bike repair vouchers worth £50.