In June the Prime Minister announced that the Department for Transport would produce a National Cycle Plan to start a cycling revolution in England - separate processes are underway elsewhere in Britain, such as the recent consultation on the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland.
The proposal for a National Cycle Plan is welcome and badly needed. Cycle use in England has grown slightly in the last ten years, though much of that growth has been a consequence of the increase seen in London and a few other areas. The Plan represents an opportunity substantially to increase the use of cycling, and should set out what the aim for cycling should be, how much investment it requires, and what needs to change in order to achieve that increase.
Although Transport Ministers seem genuinely keen to promote cycling, their officials have been given very little time to prepare the Plan, and CTC understands that a public consultation exercise is unlikely. CTC still believes the National Cycle Plan can be an inspirational document which sets us on course for really substantial increases in cycle use. They are therefore seeking your views on what policies and proposals should be included in the Plan, and how to prioritise these.
On conclusion of the survey CTC will compile a report which will be presented to the Department for Transport.