Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54086 on Active Travel: Lancashire, what funding her Department has approved for improving (a) safety and (b) accessibility through the Fylde Coast’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following the conclusion of the Spending Review, the Department will publish a third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3). This will set out the long-term funding for active travel including infrastructure and programmes such as Bikeability.
Since 2020 Lancashire County Council has been awarded over £10.5 million of funding to improve the safety and accessibility of infrastructure through the Active Travel Fund. While it is for local authorities to decide where investment is prioritised in their local transport networks, Active Travel England (ATE) works with them through the Design Assurance Process which uses tools, checks and other processes to ensure quality and safety are designed into new and existing infrastructure.
ATE is regularly engaged with the Council through our regional engagement managers. Earlier this year ATE published best practice guidance for authorities on how to engage communities on the prioritisation and delivery of schemes. Guidance on monitoring and evaluation has been provided to support authorities in transparently tracking the impact of their funding.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54086 on Active Travel: Lancashire, whether she plans to increase (a) capital and (b) revenue funding for active travel schemes in Lancashire after the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following the conclusion of the Spending Review, the Department will publish a third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3). This will set out the long-term funding for active travel including infrastructure and programmes such as Bikeability.
Since 2020 Lancashire County Council has been awarded over £10.5 million of funding to improve the safety and accessibility of infrastructure through the Active Travel Fund. While it is for local authorities to decide where investment is prioritised in their local transport networks, Active Travel England (ATE) works with them through the Design Assurance Process which uses tools, checks and other processes to ensure quality and safety are designed into new and existing infrastructure.
ATE is regularly engaged with the Council through our regional engagement managers. Earlier this year ATE published best practice guidance for authorities on how to engage communities on the prioritisation and delivery of schemes. Guidance on monitoring and evaluation has been provided to support authorities in transparently tracking the impact of their funding.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54086 on Active Travel: Lancashire, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of funding for Bikeability cycle training for (a) schools and (b) communities in Fylde.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Following the conclusion of the Spending Review, the Department will publish a third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3). This will set out the long-term funding for active travel including infrastructure and programmes such as Bikeability.
Since 2020 Lancashire County Council has been awarded over £10.5 million of funding to improve the safety and accessibility of infrastructure through the Active Travel Fund. While it is for local authorities to decide where investment is prioritised in their local transport networks, Active Travel England (ATE) works with them through the Design Assurance Process which uses tools, checks and other processes to ensure quality and safety are designed into new and existing infrastructure.
ATE is regularly engaged with the Council through our regional engagement managers. Earlier this year ATE published best practice guidance for authorities on how to engage communities on the prioritisation and delivery of schemes. Guidance on monitoring and evaluation has been provided to support authorities in transparently tracking the impact of their funding.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure safe and accessible cycling routes to (a) schools, (b) workplaces and (c) local services for (i) women and girls and (ii) people who trip-chain during peak travel times.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and Active Travel England (ATE) work with local authorities and other delivery partners to support active travel outreach programmes for underrepresented groups, including women and girls.
Design guidance for new infrastructure, such as that funded through the Active Travel Fund, requires that new schemes are accessible to all users, including women. ATE is working with local authorities to provide high-quality cycling infrastructure including as part of multi-modal schemes. This includes providing lighting for walking and cycling schemes, improving social safety and delivering road safety improvements to existing schemes.
The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of cycling on women’s safety. Annual reported road casualty statistics published by the Department provide a breakdown of reported casualties by sex.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to work with (a) schools, (b) employers and (c) community groups to encourage cycling by women and girls.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and Active Travel England (ATE) work with local authorities and other delivery partners to support active travel outreach programmes for underrepresented groups, including women and girls.
Design guidance for new infrastructure, such as that funded through the Active Travel Fund, requires that new schemes are accessible to all users, including women. ATE is working with local authorities to provide high-quality cycling infrastructure including as part of multi-modal schemes. This includes providing lighting for walking and cycling schemes, improving social safety and delivering road safety improvements to existing schemes.
The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of cycling on women’s safety. Annual reported road casualty statistics published by the Department provide a breakdown of reported casualties by sex.
Asked by: Anneliese Dodds (Labour (Co-op) - Oxford East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of cycling on women's safety.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department and Active Travel England (ATE) work with local authorities and other delivery partners to support active travel outreach programmes for underrepresented groups, including women and girls.
Design guidance for new infrastructure, such as that funded through the Active Travel Fund, requires that new schemes are accessible to all users, including women. ATE is working with local authorities to provide high-quality cycling infrastructure including as part of multi-modal schemes. This includes providing lighting for walking and cycling schemes, improving social safety and delivering road safety improvements to existing schemes.
The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of cycling on women’s safety. Annual reported road casualty statistics published by the Department provide a breakdown of reported casualties by sex.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to provide funding for active travel in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport recently announced almost £300 million of funding to boost active travel across England, this includes £222.5 million to local authorities outside of London.
In 2024/25, Lancashire County Council received over £1.4 million in capital funding and over £800,000 in revenue funding for active travel and has been allocated over £4.5 million in combined funding for 2025/26. In 2023/24, Lancashire County Council received an additional £736,983 to deliver Bikeability cycle training.
It is for local authorities to decide on where to prioritise investment in their local transport networks. In 2024, Lancashire County Council published seven Local Walking and Cycling Investment Plans (LCWIPs), including one for Fylde Coast. LCWIPs help local authorities to make a strong case for future investment in active travel infrastructure.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the size of vehicles on the uptake of active travel by (a) young and (b) other people.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There are no current plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of vehicle sizes on active travel uptake. Active Travel England is working with local authorities across England to support the development of safe and accessible walking and cycling infrastructure and funds various programmes to support the uptake of active travel in young people.
Before a new vehicle is permitted to be sold in Great Britain it is subject to rigorous and comprehensive testing to ensure it meets high standards of passenger and pedestrian safety and complies with emission standards.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress she has made with local councils on improving cycling infrastructure in (a) Slough, (b) Berkshire and (c) the South East.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 12 February, the Department for Transport and Active Travel England (ATE) announced almost £300 million of funding to boost walking, wheeling and cycling with £222.5 million awarded to local authorities across England. This includes over £415,000 of funding in 2024/25 and 2025/26 to Slough Unitary Authority, over £3.2 million to local transport authorities in Berkshire and almost £38.5 million to local authorities in the South East. It will be for local authorities in receipt of funding to decide on priorities for investment across its local transport network.
ATE also provides funding to Sustrans to maintain and upgrade the National Cycle Network, which includes routes in the South East. In the most recent round of funding to the National Cycle Network, Sustrans allocated £1,279,000 to projects in the South East.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve access to train services in North Shropshire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We have allocated over £8 million to Shropshire in 2025/26 to maintain and enhance local transport infrastructure, including the roads, public transport, and active travel connection to rail stations. This is delivered through the £6.78 million of Local Transport Grant and £1.64 million of Integrated Transport Block funding. This figure is in addition to the highways payment and any bus funding Shropshire has received separately.
Shropshire Unitary Authority have been allocated £659,352 under the Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF) for the financial year 2025/26. The CATF supports authorities with developing and constructing walking, wheeling and cycling facilities.
The government is committed to delivering better bus services for passengers. In the Budget, the government confirmed investment of over £1 billion to support and improve bus services, and keep fares affordable in England outside London, including in rural areas. Shropshire Council has been allocated £4.4 million of this funding in 25/26.
This level of government funding will help improve access to railway stations in North Shropshire. Ultimately, however, funding decisions are a matter for local authorities, based on local needs and priorities.