A national inquiry has called for greater powers to be given to local authorities to persuade people to adopt cycling instead of driving.
Councils and cycling groups have welcomed the results of the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) inquiry, which wants a review of transport regulations.
The inquiry – Active communities: Cycling to a better quality of life – cites Cycling England’s research highlighting that every car driver converted into a cyclist would save the economy around £400 per year through ‘reduced medical bills, congestion and pollution’.
It added that a £1M project would only need 109 additional cyclists to cycle three times a week over the life of a 30-year project to cover costs.
The report calls for cycling to ‘be a focus for all transport professionals’, and adds that ‘highway schemes and road inspections should include a cycling audit’. Gemma Roberts, a policy analyst for local sustainability at the LGiU, said: ‘Councils should be given greater control over cycling routes to ensure more roads are made cycle friendly. We must make it easier and safer for people to cycle.
‘Local authorities need to take the lead and make cycling a priority in their communities.’ The report also calls for every public building to be an ‘exemplar to encourage cycling’ through implementing bike loan schemes and storage facilities.
A Local Government Association spokesman said: ‘Local decision-making is crucial in building a transport network that will be effective in cutting congestion and reducing carbon emissions.’
Jason Torrance, Sustrans policy manager, said: ‘The LGiU report brings into sharp focus the vital role that local authorities have in creating conditions which can increase opportunities for cycling, financial savings for the local economy and health benefits for local people.’
He urged councils to grasp the opportunities that come with increasing cycling as they piece together their local transport plans. ‘This requires a willingness to tackle the challenges of today to enable a productive and sustainable tomorrow,’ he said.
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