They’re spending it on a single 20ft cycle line. Which will be unprecedented, because it will be a thousand billion times more than the conservatives ever spent.
It’s a pretty low bar they need to get over.
While this is a deffinate plus if it happens.
They have sorta ruined it by canceling the plans to reopen rail stations.
I live near a town that had its sration closed in Beeching(sp?) Cuts of the 60s.
Like all of the small towns in oxfordshire it is expanding hugly with about 40k new houses built in the area.
These sort of towns have real issues they are to far to cycle to major work sites. Buses will not take bikes. (Of course)
Ive actually cycled there a few times from a slightly larger town 10miles away. The roads are fing dangerouse so cycle tracks would be cool. (Assuming its more then a white line)
But the distance is only doable by fairly fit folks and still leaves the issue of showers needed at work. Rare to non existant for lower earning jobs.
This town was expecting the tory fund (post HS2 cut) to reactivate the station. As were many others in this situ around the nation.
Added to improoved cycle tracks at local cities etc. And the fact the rail link would need major work after almost 70years. Would mean it would be perfect for electification. And allow many workers to train followed by cycle ebike etc etc.
That is how we seriosly reduce car usage.
Busses can be a impracticle in these towns. Its better then some as in it has regular busses. But like most oxen small towns. They go all over the place and take hours to get many places. Are unrelaiable due to small roads and lots of traffic during rush hour
Meaning you tend to need to add an hour or more to have any likely hood of getting their on time.
Honestly. Cycle etc is a fantastic idea to reduce car use and CO2.
But without huge investments in public transport used to match the use of these routes.
It’s not hard really, anything above 0£ would be an improvement!
I really hope they’re serious about this and implement it well. Cycling and walking are great for your health, sanity and wallet. Also better for drivers if it leads to less congestion, pollution and slows degradation of road surfaces.
Agreed, it’s such a no brainer and one where everyone wins.
I’m very sceptical of this new government and whether they’ll actually do much (due to all the noises they’re making about there being ‘no money’, and insistence on following all the Tories spending rules).
But I really hope they’ll at least not be pushing the same anti-cycling culture-war BS of the last government.
I wish more would be done to link up walking routes. There’s a lot of footpaths in the country but they often poorly connected to each other. Local authorities are supposed to have plans on implementing new routes but progress seems very slow.
