Today the Department of Transport have re-announced £42 million of cycling investment previously announced in January, and lay claim to a further £54 million of local council contribution. Be honest with funding and stop re announcing investment.
Today the Government have been making announcements about funding for cycling.
The Prime Minister announces the biggest ever single injection of cash for the country alongside plans to make roads safer for those on two wheels.
£77 million will be divided between Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Bristol, Cambridge, Oxford and Norwich, while the New Forest, Peak District, South Downs and Dartmoor will each share a slice of £17 million funding for national parks. With local contributions, the total new funding for cycling is £148 million between now and 2015.
http://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-shifts-cycling-up-a-gear
So, we’ve got £77m, £17m and £148m. What are these figures and is it new money?
The £77m is for the Cycle City Ambition Grant, £30m of this was announced back in January 2013. So an increase of £47m.
The £17m is for National Parks Cycling, £12m of this was also announced back in January 2013. So an increase of £5m.
How about the £148m? This includes all previously announced DfT money, all new DfT money and all local contributions from local authorities (£54m)
Today’s announcement should really focus on the £52m which is new funding.
The Government have done this before, in January 2013
Minister announces record £62 million investment in cycling
http://www.gov.uk/government/news/minister-announces-record-62-million-investment-in-cycling
The real amount of new money made available was £42m, the remaining £20m for The Community Linking Places Fund Tranche 2 and the Dangerous Junctions outside London Fund had already been announced on 28th November 2012.
If you’d like to track these announcements going forwards then keep a tab on my page here: https://www.mattturner.blog/investment-in-cycling/