Transform Cycling
I, myself, am a keen cyclist and strongly believe that cycling and has a significant role to play in tackling some of the biggest health and environmental challenges that we face.
I am therefore very pleased that the Government has committed to invest an additional £2 billion in cycling and walking over the next five years and that Ministers have published a bold new action plan to boost active travel.
The first stage of this £2 billion investment will be a £250 million emergency active travel fund. The Fund will deliver new pop-up cycle lanes with protected space for cycling, cycle and bus-only corridors, safer junctions and wider pavements. Furthermore, a £50 Fix Your Bike Voucher scheme was launched, to help people to bring their bikes out of retirement. It was hugely popular and there will be more opportunities to secure vouchers in the coming months.
Beyond these measures, there will be a long-term cycling programme and budget, which will ensure a guaranteed funding pipeline. This will usher in thousands of miles of protected cycle routes in our towns and cities and improve the National Cycle Network.
In addition, cycle training will be made available for any child or adult who wants it and a new national e-bike programme will be introduced to increase access to e-bikes.
Higher standards for cycling infrastructure have also been introduced and a new inspectorate, Active Travel England, will ensure these new standards are upheld. The new standards will ensure schemes are better designed around the needs of cyclists and will make sure that schemes support the growing numbers of cyclists.
A consultation is also being held on strengthening the Highway Code to enhance protections for cyclists and pedestrians. Among other things, Ministers want to improve the legal protections afforded to vulnerable road users and introduce tougher lorry safety standards.
HS2
I do believe that in the long-run, HS2 will play an important role in the UK’s transition to a net-zero carbon economy. I understand that HS2 will offer some of the lowest carbon emissions per passenger-km. Indeed, HS2 is expected to help reduce the number of cars and lorries on the road and cut demand for domestic flights.
There are approximately 52,000 ancient woodland sites across England, and of these, 43 will be affected by Phases One and 2a of HS2. It is worth noting that more than 80 percent of the total area of these 43 sites will be untouched by HS2 and remain intact.
I want to reassure you that HS2 is using a combination of approaches to compensate for the ancient woodlands lost during construction. This includes translocation of soil to other woodlands to improve their biodiversity, planting new woodland and restoring existing ancient woodland.
The HS2 Woodland Fund – overseen by the Forestry Commission – funds projects to support the creation, restoration and enhancement of woodland on private land or in partnership with multiple landowners. I understand that £1.6 million of the £5 million provided for the Fund for Phase One has gone towards supporting approximately 121 hectares of new native woodland creation, and the restoration of 174 hectares of plantations within ancient woodland sites.
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