Councils which rip out cycle lanes or low-traffic neighbourhoods earlier than giving them an opportunity to work or with out proof they’re failing may lose future central authorities funding, ministers have warned.
In an indication of the rising frustration inside authorities at some councils, each Conservative and Labour, which have eliminated energetic journey schemes within the face of typically noisy objections, transport minister Chris Heaton-Harris is formally writing to the leaders of all English native authorities with transport tasks.
In separate feedback, Boris Johnson warned councils that he was critical about boosting energetic journey, saying that “making an attempt to squeeze extra vehicles and supply vans on the identical roads and hoping for one of the best shouldn’t be going to work”.
“I help councils, of all events, which are attempting to advertise biking and bus use,” the prime minister mentioned. “And if you’re going to oppose these schemes, it’s essential to inform us what your different is.”
Heaton-Harris’s letter, being despatched on Friday, warns councils that if schemes put in utilizing central authorities cash, similar to funds offered to spice up strolling and biking throughout Covid, are then unexpectedly deserted, this might have an effect on future grants.
“Untimely removing of schemes carries implications for the administration of the general public cash utilized in these schemes and for the federal government’s future funding relationship with the authorities accountable,” wrote Heaton-Harris.
“The division will proceed to evaluate authorities’ efficiency in delivering schemes and, following the precedent we’ve got already set, these which have prematurely eliminated or weakened such schemes ought to anticipate to obtain a lowered stage of funding.”
Below the federal government’s emergency energetic journey fund, councils put in a whole bunch of cycle lanes, faculty streets and low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs), which search to filter residential streets towards through-traffic by motor automobiles.
Nevertheless, amid usually noisy objections from some residents, plus repeatedly adverse media protection of such interventions, a collection of councils have eliminated schemes at brief discover.
Conservative-run West Sussex council has already been advised it can not apply for the subsequent part of energetic journey funding after it eliminated a cycle lane in Shoreham-by-Sea. Related lanes have been taken out by Labour-led Liverpool council, and by an alliance of Labour and Tory members in Brighton.
Some councils have additionally eliminated LTNs, such as Ealing in west London, though the funding for this got here from Transport for London relatively than central authorities.
Within the letter, Heaton-Harris warns council leaders to ensure any selections are made on the idea of proof: “We now have little interest in requiring councils to maintain schemes that are confirmed to not work, however that proof should be introduced. Schemes should not be eliminated prematurely, or with out correct proof and too quickly to gather correct proof about their results.”
It comes as newly launched government-commissioned polling confirmed obvious sturdy public help for LTNs, and for wider visitors discount measures.
The analysis, carried out in Birmingham, Ipswich, Bournemouth and Salford, confirmed 61% of individuals supported their native LTN, together with 58% of enterprise homeowners and 49% of these with mobility challenges.
Extra usually, 79% of individuals backed the discount of visitors of their native space, with 71% help for respondents with mobility challenges.
In his feedback, Johnson immediately tackled the cost from opponents of LTNs and comparable schemes that they merely transfer visitors to different roads, saying: “In fact some journeys by automobile are important, however visitors shouldn’t be a pressure of nature. It’s a product of individuals’s selections. If you happen to make it simpler and safer to stroll and cycle, extra individuals select to stroll and cycle as a substitute of driving, and the visitors falls total.”
The letter and Johnson’s assertion emphasise the obvious coverage distinction divide over energetic journey between some councils and the extra optimistic view inside Downing Avenue and the Division for Transport.
Duncan Dollimore, head of campaigns for Biking UK, mentioned the organisation had been arguing for months that councils ought to give schemes sufficient time to work.
He mentioned: “It’s tragic that the Division for Transport has needed to problem revised steering to strengthen this apparent level, and councils in Liverpool, Brighton and elsewhere, who’ve determined in current days to take away cycle lanes with out correct analysis, have to urgently evaluation these plans.”
