The Government reiterated its manifesto commitment to reduce the number of road users killed or seriously injured on our roads each year in their road safety statement. Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, says it’s critical that funding is allocated to cycling and walking to meet this commitment. The Statement reiterates the importance of the forthcoming Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy in setting out plans for investment in safer cycling and walking infrastructure. However, following last month’s Spending Review, it is still not clear where funding will come from to deliver this strategy – particularly for people walking.

Based on current commitments, investment in walking is set to fall dramatically in March 2016 prompting the charity to call on the Department for Transport to allocate funds and see through its commitments.  

Tompion Platt, Head of Policy, Living Streets, says:

“It’s critical that the Department for Transport allocates significant resources to support children walking safely to school. Any death on the road is one too many and the majority of children killed in road incidents are on foot.

“The Government should also reintroduce targets for reducing road casualties which have proved effective in the past in helping to focus the work of policy makers and practitioners, set clear priorities, and ensure that resources are allocated.

“We look forward to hearing how the Government will act to reduce road casualties among children walking to school in the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. 

“We need to create a nation that walks and cycles more and makes safety and accessibility for people on foot a high priority.”