The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed a delay to the third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS), suggesting that it will now be published alongside the completed Spending Review, which finishes on 11 June.
Highways first revealed that the department was set to miss this month's deadline to have a new CWIS in place and would have to make a statement to Parliament on the matter.
The Government is also off the pace on key national targets that are supposed to be met by the end of this year for increasing cycling levels in England. The latest reported figures are from 2023, though they show progress is a long way off schedule.
Local transport minister Simon Lightwood said in a written ministerial statement: 'The second phase of the Spending Review is now underway and the Government will set out its spending plans for future years, including funding for walking, wheeling and cycling later in the spring.
'I am informing Parliament of my intention to publish a third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3) following the conclusion of the Spending Review. This will allow us to say more on the long-term funding for active travel, as required by the 2015 Infrastructure Act. The government will consult on CWIS3, with relevant stakeholders, ahead of its publication.'
The news comes after the Government confirmed £291m for active travel over the next two years, as well as reforms to Active Travel England's (ATE) local funding model.
The cash covers several different funding pots. These are:
- £54.2m Active Travel Fund tranche 5 (2024-25)
- £168.5m Consolidated Active Travel Fund (2025-26)
- £30m to provide Bikeability cycle training to children (2025-26)
- £30m to the Sustrans charity to deliver improvements to the National Cycle Network, a UK-wide network of signed active travel routes; (£5m for 2024-25 and £25m for 2025-26 financial years although individual schemes may take longer to deliver)
- £8.5m for Cycling UK, Living Streets and Modeshift to deliver walking, wheeling and cycling initiatives in schools and communities (2025-26).
Individual authority allocations for this year's Active Travel Fund and next year's Consolidated Fund have been revealed.
Mr Lightwood said the money 'will deliver 300 miles of brand new pavements and cycle routes to enable 30 million more journeys by walking and cycling every year' and 'will lead to 43,000 less sick days a year to ease pressure on the NHS'.
