More than fifty leading organisations in transport and public health have issued a direct plea to the Transport Secretary, demanding that the government sets clear, measurable targets for walking and cycling in England.
A Unified Call for Action
In a letter seen by the Guardian, a powerful coalition including British Cycling, Cycling UK, the National Trust, and the British Medical Association has written to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. They warn that current proposals within the draft third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3) are too vague and lack the ambition needed to create real change.
The groups argue that active travel, which accounts for a third of all trips, must be put on an equal strategic footing with road and rail networks. They point out that other transport modes benefit from established, long-term funding and decades-spanning plans, whereas walking and cycling initiatives often suffer from a "short-term and piecemeal approach".
The Demand for Measurable Goals
The coalition's central demand is for CWIS3 to include specific, time-bound targets to be met by 2030, the period the strategy covers. A key proposal is that 50% of all trips under five miles in towns and cities should be made by walking, wheeling, or cycling by the end of the decade.
They criticise the draft strategy's current objectives, such as "ensuring people are safe to travel actively," for being "open to interpretation and not measurable." The letter states that without clear targets, even the existing 2035 goal for active travel to be a safe, easy, and accessible option for everyone is "unachievable under the current proposals."
Xavier Brice, chief executive of the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust and a signatory, explained that CWIS3 was meant to provide a long-term framework but has "never quite lived up to this promise." He emphasised that long-term targets with interim reviews would give local authorities the confidence to plan proper networks and unlock private investment.
Building a Coherent National Network
Beyond numerical targets, the groups are also calling for a national strategy for active travel networks. They stress that while routes should be designed locally, they must also form a "coherent, connected, consistent and accessible to all" system that links key destinations like schools, hospitals, and transport hubs.
"Without reliable, safe, joined-up routes to walk, wheel and cycle, people cannot reasonably be expected to travel actively," the letter states, highlighting the profound impact on public health, opportunity, and independence across all age groups.
The letter comes amid concerns from some in the active travel sector that momentum is being lost under the current DfT leadership, compared to the tenure of previous minister Louise Haigh. However, the coalition's letter is framed as a constructive attempt to engage with the consultation process.
In response, a Department for Transport spokesperson highlighted the government's commitment, stating: "We have committed £616m to Active Travel England up to 2030 so that local authorities can deliver walking and cycling infrastructure across the country... We have just launched a consultation on how we can achieve this, and we encourage stakeholders and the public to have their say."
The consultation on CWIS3 is now open, placing the government's ambition for a "fundamental shift" in active travel under intense scrutiny from the very groups needed to make it a reality.
