Financial short full for cycle training in London due to COVID19

For discussions within the Cycle Training profession.
Post Reply
User avatar
Philip Benstead
Posts: 1943
Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 7:06pm
Location: Victoria , London

Financial short full for cycle training in London due to COVID19

Post by Philip Benstead »

Hi Philip,

Today the government announced a £2 billion plan to encourage more cycling and walking. Cycle training will be made available to everyone through Local Authorities, schools and directly from training schemes.

More information is mentioned on this here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-k ... revolution.

We know the great majority of funding will be going to Local Authorities, and new projects under the scheme will be conditional on being ready by specific dates, as on page 33 of the govt’s report on this here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... alking.pdf.

The cycling budget will be held by a new commissioning body and inspectorate, Active Travel England, led by a new national cycling and walking commissioner which will be established in the next few months.

If you have any further more detailed questions on the funding and timeline, do let me know and we can follow up with DfT.

Kind regards,

Harry.


Harry Cavill
Parliamentary Assistant
Office of Nickie Aiken MP
Member of Parliament for the Cities of London and Westminster


Tel:

www.nickieaiken.org.uk
Find Nickie as @twocitiesnickie on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter



From: cycling4all@gmail.com <cycling4all@gmail.com>
Sent: 15 July 2020 21:11
To: AIKEN, Nickie 0
Cc: cycling4all@gmail.com
Subject: RE: Financial short full for cycle training in London due to COVID19

FAO Ms Nickie Alkin MP
Cities of London and Westminster,
House of Parliament,
Westminster,
London, SW1A 0AA

Wednesday, 15 July 2020

Dear Nickie

What are the new arrangements for funding for cycle training in London?

Thank you for your reply.

There appear to be still some confusion and lack of clarity over the financial arrangements for cycle training in London.

I have been told that that HMG had said the funding for cycle training in GLA area would be reallocated from TfL and given to Department of Transport and that they would give the monies to the Bikeability Trust who would allocation the monies to the various local authorities in London.

But since the above was advance the channels communications as gone dead.

Well what I and cycle instructors would like to know, in writing is what arrangements for funding and including the timeline for the funding.

The future of employment for Cycle Training Instructors in London is precarious and the potential for many cycle instructors getting into financial difficulties. We need your help.

Your promotion to Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) at the Ministry for Housing, Communities, and Local Government. Your position I imagine carries greater access to government and the potential influence policy and its implementation.

With the HMG stating the need for cycling, its importance the many new cyclists on the road feel safe. Many of these cyclists lack experience so, need cycle training. There is also, of course, an issue of suppressed demand by individuals that are inhibited to cycle due to lack of support.

There is currently no cycling instruction in London schools and very little adult training due the removal of funding. The reality is that London urgently needs funding to maintain this training.

I know there has been active discussion with DfT but unless funding is forthcoming many potential cyclists will be abandoned, and many may be forced to use a motor vehicle.

Any increase in motor traffic will go against the government policy to promote active travel, reduction in obesity/ other health benefits and of course reductions in air pollution.

We need to encourage cycling within all sections of the UK population including London.

I know representation has been made by the various persons and representative bodies e.g. IWGB, to GLA both at the assembly member level and the Mayor but it comes down to money from the central government.

Therefore, I would be most grateful if you could make representation on behalf of the Cycle Training Instructors to the relevant departments for financial assistance to TfL cycle training not just in the short term but in the long term..

I hope you will be able to give me some good news.

Philip
Philip Benstead | Life Member Former CTC Councillor/Trustee
Organizing events and representing cyclists' in southeast since 1988
Bikeability Instructor/Mechanic
Post Reply