Here is a roundup of some of the various reports on the backbench business committee debate that took place in Parliament on Thursday, 16th October 2014 on the motion:
That this House
supports the recommendations of the All-Party Parliamentary Cycling Group’s report ‘Get Britain Cycling’;
endorses the target of 10 per cent of all journeys being by bike by 2025, and 25 per cent by 2050;
and calls on the Government to show strong political leadership, including an annual Cycling Action Plan, sustained funding for cycling and progress towards meeting the report’s recommendations.
For about 2 hours about 25 MPs debated the actions needed to get more people in Britain to choose to cycle for everyday outings – that is, utilitarian cycling, as contrasted with sport cycling. The motion was passed unanimously.
Aside: The morning after the debate a young woman was reportedly crushed by an HGV in London whilst cycling through Ludgate Circus in The City – details HERE.
Cycling and Walking Plan
Just a couple hours before the debate started, the Department for Transport published a draft (!) of its “Cycling and Walking Plan” which was 13-months overdue:
- DfT: New plan to get more people cycling (press release, 16 October 2014)
- DfT: Cycling and Walking Plan (draft, 16 October 2014, pdf)
- send comments on the draft to: Walking.Cycling@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Parliament
- TheyWorkForYou: Transcript of debate
- Parliament TV: Watch the debate (info)
Media and Organisations
- CTC: Government cycling strategy a “derisory plan, not a delivery plan”
- CTC Scotland: Cycling Scotland Comment: Draft Cycling Delivery Plan For England
- British Cycling: Plan ‘falls short’ of delivering cycling revolution, says British Cycling
- The Times: Cycling plan could save NHS billions
- The Times: On Your Bike (editorial)
- The Guardian: Why cycling is great for everyone – not just cyclists
- The Telegraph: MPs won’t take cyclists seriously until they pay tax
- BBC: MPs demand greater cycling investment
- Evening Standard: Woman cyclist fighting for her life after being ‘crushed’ by lorry at notorious Ludgate Circus
- Highways Magazine: DfT wants to double participation in cycling
- BikeBiz: Government brings ”national” back into planning for cycling
- road.cc: Poll shows massive support for new London Cycle Superhighways
- Sustrans: What has playing out got to do with walking and cycling?
- BikeRadar: UK government aims to double cycling by 2025
(miss any? please drop us an email: click HERE)