Government’s third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy “Imminent”

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking (APPGCW) Parliamentary Bike Ride was well attended, with riders including the Minister for Local Transport, Lilian Greenwood MP.

She told attendees the Government’s third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy is “imminent” and that the Department for Transport had “considered the evidence to help us shape a strategy with clear targets, one that weaves cycling and walking into the fabric of our national transport network.”

The event, a highlight in the annual cycling calendar, brought together MPs, Members of the House of Lords, experts and advocates, for speeches, a bike ride through the city and a meeting focusing on how data can support more cycling.

Parliamentarians attending included Lilian Greenwood MP, Minister for Local Transport, Ruth Cadbury MP, Chair of the Transport Committee; Fabian Hamilton MP, Chair of the APPGCW; Olly Glover MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Transport and Vice-Chair of the APPGCW; Andy MacNae MP, Treasurer of the APPGCW; Scott Arthur MP, Rachael Maskell MP, Brian Mathew MP and Lord Berkeley.

Held in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the UK and sponsored by Falco, Forest, Lime, Strava and Voi, the event started with speeches from Fabian Hamilton MP, Annemijn van den Broek, Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sophie Edmundson, Head of Programmes at Active Travel England, Natasha Ahmed-Walsh, Head of Public Policy, UK and EU at Strava, Alice Pleasant, Senior Public Affairs Manager at Lime and Lilian Greenwood MP, Minister for Local Transport.

Greenwood set out that the Government wants to make “walking, wheeling and cycling an everyday choice for everyday journeys”, adding that she was “thrilled that the department is really picking up the pace on active travel this year.”

The group then cycled a 4.5-mile circular route through central London, using key cycling infrastructure. Following the ride, there was a meeting focussing on ‘How data can support more cycling’, chaired by Fabian Hamilton MP, with presentations from Tom Knights, Senior Manager of Partnerships and Marketing at Strava, Alex Berwin, Head of Policy at Forest, Emma Stubbe, Sustainable Mobility and International Partnerships Advisor at Goudappel, Harry Foskin, Senior Public Policy Manager at Voi and Chris Stewart, Director of Data and Analysis at Active Travel England.

The group hopes that this exciting event, having brought together such a wide range of stakeholders, will provide renewed focus on the urgency required to truly deliver the conditions and infrastructure for widespread uptake of cycling. The Minister’s confirmation that the 3rd Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3) is imminent comes after a prolonged wait for the sector, and will be welcomed by all those working to make active travel an everyday choice.

Fabian Hamilton MP, Chair of the APPG for Cycling and Walking, said:

“It was fantastic to see so many colleagues and partners come together for this year’s Parliamentary Bike Ride, with a brilliant turnout from across Parliament and the active travel community.

“We were delighted to be joined by Lilian Greenwood MP, the Minister for Local Transport, and to hear her confirm that the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy is imminent. The sector has been waiting a long time for this and I look forward to seeing the detail.

“This is an exciting time for active travel and as Chair of the APPGCW, I’ll continue to push for ambitious investment and policies that make cycling, walking and wheeling a natural choice for everyone.”