PRESS RELEASE

Government makes further cuts to walking and cycling days before consultation ends

In the final days of consultation on England’s new five year plan for cycling and walking¹, the Government has made further funding cuts. Campaigners at Transport Action Network (TAN)² are sounding the alarm about the funding allocation of £160 million a year for the next 3 years for English local authorities. This represents a 36% fall in real terms from 2021/22³.

In a historic legal victory this summer, the Court of Appeal allowed TAN’s claim that the Treasury’s cut in active travel funding in 2023 was unlawful⁴. The proceedings revealed confidential advice to ministers that funding would have to be increased from 2025 to make up for the cuts⁵.

Instead of delivering high value for money healthy travel schemes, the Labour government is wasting billions of pounds on big road schemes as part of its pledge for 150 big schemes to be approved this Parliament⁶. Experts have found that investing in active travel can offer as much as six times the gains for the economy and productivity than big road schemes⁷.

Chris Todd Director of TAN, said:

“Increasing cycling and walking would boost the economy, especially our cherished local high streets. It would help realise Labour’s preventative health agenda, and environmental promises. Instead of a bold new plan to deliver on these ambitions, ministers wheeled out a few vague words and reduced the funding. They’ve also given very little time for people to have their say on these last minute changes.

“How can ministers say increasing physical activity would save our NHS over £10 billion a year⁸, then shrink dedicated funding for healthy travel to £160m a year? If Labour is serious about growth and an NHS fit for the future, it’s time to switch the cash away from unproductive road schemes.”

TAN is warning that this is people’s last chance to call for more funding and ambition, as the consultation on the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy ends at 11:59pm, Monday 15 December. To make this easier for people TAN has created a draft letter for people to edit and send in⁹.

– ENDS –

Notes for editors

1. The government’s draft third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3) consultation ends on midnight, Monday 15 December, 2025 ↩︎
2. TAN was set up six years ago by director, Chris Todd, to help communities press for better (more sustainable) transport, such as bus and rail services and active travel. To enable this and better roads maintenance (fewer potholes) we continue to oppose spending on the Lower Thames Crossing ‘smart’ motorway and other road schemes. We also support better integration between transport and planning. ↩︎
3. The funding allocations announced on 10 December, 2025, show a total spend of £159.8 million per annum over the next 3 financial years. Spending in 2021/22 (Active Travel Fund 3 under the Conservatives) was £200.9 million. Adjusting for inflation, the 2021/22 spending equates to £251.1 million in today’s prices using the Bank of England inflation calculator. Therefore the amount just announced represents a 36% drop in funding. ↩︎
4. The judgement in TAN’s successful legal challenge on the unlawful cuts to cycling and walking was handed down in June 2025 ↩︎
5. Ministerial Deep Dive – Local Transport Powerpoint slides of 2022 said “Reductions to SR21 funding will also impact on our ability to meet the 2030 target (50% of journeys walked and cycled in towns and cities) set out in the statutory CWIS, necessitating higher levels of funding in 2025 onwards to make up shortfalls.” That target has been rolled over into the October 2025 climate plan (page 205). ↩︎
6. Government press notice, 5 December, 2024 about a building boom. ↩︎
7. See this blog from IPPR which summarises the issues with links to sources. It shows active travel infrastructure has on average a return of 5.62. In contrast, many road schemes have BCRs close to or under 1, such as the Lower Thames Crossing ‘smart’ motorway, or the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine. ↩︎
8. Fit for the Future: 10 year Health Plan for England, July 2025, page 65 ↩︎
9. TAN’s action enables people to send an email, which they can edit to the draft CWIS3 consultation. It also gives them the links to respond online or to use the downloadable form. ↩︎