PRESS RELEASE

Consultation on walking and cycling strategy welcomed but questions on budget

Commenting on yesterday’s launch of the consultation on the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3)¹, Chris Todd, Director of Transport Action Network said:

“Having secured a historic victory in the Court of Appeal this summer against Treasury cuts to walking and cycling funding, Transport Action Network is delighted the Government is finally consulting on a new strategy.

“Boosting healthy travel is vital for our NHS to tackle physical inactivity, and to cut pollution to protect future generations. But the consultation fails to mention that England is way off track its target for half of journeys to be walked and cycled by 2030.

“The dedicated funding for the whole of England is woefully inadequate. It is less than two years’ funding for the Lower Thames Crossing², or the £750 million National Highways wasted on cancelled roads to nowhere³. Without a big boost in funding and delivery in every local authority, success risks become ever further out of reach.”

– ENDS –

Notes for editors

1. Consultation on CWIS3 ↩︎
2. The government committed £250m for 2025/26 and £590m for 2026/27 = £840m for the Lower Thames Crossing ‘smart’ motorway. See UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy, HM Treasury, July 2025, para 3.22 ↩︎
3. See article in Highways Magazine about the £750m wasted in the last roads programme (RIS2), 31 October, 2025 ↩︎