Government to Make Savage Cuts to Active Travel Spending

The government appears to be set to cut active travel funding in savage fashion.

A written statement by Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper, and a DfT press release, set out spending figures.

The DfT says that £850 million was invested in active travel in the 3 years:

• 2020/21
• 2021/22 and
• 2022/23

That amounts to £283 million per year.

In the next 2 years:

• 2023/24 and
• 2024/25

the DfT intends to invest “at least £100 million”. That would be £50 million per year, just 18% of the annual spend over the last 3 years.

Full details are still to be decided: ‘we will review [the levels of spending] as soon as practically possible’.

The DfT press release is titled ‘Transport Secretary Sets Out Record Investment Plans for Transport Network’. There appears to be a significant mismatch between title and content.

In addition to the active travel cuts, some big, high-carbon road schemes are being shunted back to later dates. This includes the A27 Arundel and the A5036 Princess Way, Liverpool. Construction of another road capacity expansion scheme, the Lower Thames Crossing, is being delayed by 2 years.

HS2 work is to be focused on the Old Oak Common to Birmingham Curzon Street section. Harper says the DfT is still committed to Euston to Old Oak Common and Birmingham to Manchester, but they are to be delayed by 2 years.