Recommendations & Conclusions
31 items
2
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
DfT is not on track to meet its objectives to increases rates of active travel by 2025. DfT told us that its targets to increase active travel were deliberately ambitious. They include objectives to double rates of cycling and to increase the proportion of children walking to school by 6 …
Government response. The government states it uses National Travel Survey data and is working to increase its sample size. Active Travel England (ATE) is developing a revised evaluation approach for local schemes and exploring locally representative datasets, while also developing an impact …
HM Treasury
3
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
DfT has not done enough to understand the impact and benefits of the £2.3 billion of taxpayers’ money it has spent on active travel. DfT spent £2.3 billion 6 Active travel in England funding active travel infrastructure between 2016 and 2021, but it knows too little about the quality of …
Government response. The government states ATE has enhanced guidance for local authorities to use a new 'Active Travel Infrastructure Platform' and employed a scheme database with quarterly pulse surveys to strengthen data collection. ATE is also developing a web-based reporting portal and …
HM Treasury
4
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Acknowledged
DfT’s communications to the public have not been enough to help tackle perceptions that active travel is unsafe or to encourage more people to take part. People’s perception of the safety of active travel is as important as actual physical safety. There is significant public concern around safety and this …
Government response. The government intends to publish a new road safety strategy and will explore aligning it with a campaign to promote active travel benefits and communicate via local partners. It also states it previously addressed safety concerns by communicating revisions to …
HM Treasury
5
Recommendation
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Deferred
DfT has not ensured that active travel schemes are sufficiently joined-up with wider transport infrastructure, for example enabling people to safely walk to bus stops or take their bike on the bus or train. DfT recognises the importance of integrating active travel with other forms of transport but has not …
Government response. The government states it is undertaking research into disabled bus users to inform future infrastructure, but primarily deflects responsibility to local authorities, who 'could use' Network North funding to improve access to public transport stops. It also highlights existing guidance …
HM Treasury
6
Recommendation
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Rejected
Local authorities are being held back from delivering successful active travel interventions by the considerable uncertainty in the funding available for schemes. Since 2016, funding for active travel has been provided to local authorities through more than 36 active travel related funding streams. Local authorities must apply to multiple funding …
Government response. The government disagrees with the recommendation, explaining that while some longer-term funding exists for certain authorities via CRSTS and Network North, dedicated active travel grants are annual due to the 2021 Spending Review and cannot be changed until the next …
HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
DfT has not set out how it plans to expand its Bikeability programme and increase the rate of children and adults receiving cycle safety training. Bikeability is an important part of how DfT promotes active travel to children and adults and ensures people have the confidence to cycle safely. DfT …
Government response. The government states that Active Travel England (ATE) announced a 2-year, £50 million funding package for Bikeability until March 2025, providing funding certainty. ATE has also commissioned a review of the program to improve efficiency and effectiveness of management arrangements.
HM Treasury
1
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Department for Transport (DfT) and Active Travel England (ATE) about active travel in England.2
Government response. The government agrees with the committee and states that DfT will review ATE's achievements against targets when its corporate plan expires and consider its resources for future targets. ATE's overall effectiveness as an arm's length body will be reviewed in …
HM Treasury
8
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Rejected
DfT set out its most recent objectives for active travel in 2022. These are to: • increase the percentage of short journeys in towns and cities that are walked or cycled from 41% in 2019 to 46% in 2025; • increase people’s annual walking activity to 365 stages per person …
Government response. The government disagrees with the implicit recommendation to re-evaluate the active travel objectives, stating that these will be reviewed in the 2025 report to Parliament on CWIS 2 and revised in the third CWIS, with research commissioned to inform this …
HM Treasury
9
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Rejected
In June 2023, the NAO found that the latest data showed little progress had been made against the targets set by DfT. In 2021, DfT was close to only one of its targets – to increase the percentage of short journeys in towns and cities that are walked or cycled, …
Government response. The government disagrees with the implicit recommendation to re-evaluate its active travel objectives, stating this will be reviewed and revised in the 2025 report to Parliament on CWIS 2 and the third CWIS, for which research has been commissioned.
HM Treasury
10
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
It is important for DfT to have the right data and information in place to monitor whether its active travel investments are contributing to achieving its objectives. The NAO reported that longer-term progress against achieving DfT’s objectives was uncertain due to a time-lag in availability of DfT’s statistics.17 ATE told …
Government response. The government agreed, confirming work is underway to increase the National Travel Survey's sample size for better sub-national representation. ATE is developing a revised evaluation approach for local schemes, investigating locally representative datasets, and initiating a five-year Active Travel Portfolio …
HM Treasury
11
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Rejected
In March 2023 in response to significant inflationary pressure, DfT announced changes to various transport investment plans. This included a £233 million reduction in its dedicated funding for active travel up to April 2025.19 We received written evidence from the Walking and Cycling Alliance, Sustrans, and Local Government Association setting …
Government response. The government disagrees with the implicit recommendation to address funding as a constraint on targets or re-evaluate objectives, stating these will be reviewed in the 2025 report to Parliament on CWIS 2 and revised in the third CWIS, with research …
HM Treasury
12
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Rejected
We also asked DfT about progress in delivering the Gear Change programme. The NAO found that DfT made progress against most (22 out of 33) Gear Change actions, with most progress made on measures targeting capability, including the formation of ATE. Less progress was made on actions around integration, partly …
Government response. The government rejected the recommendation, stating it does not consider it necessary to re-evaluate objectives by 2025 as they will be reviewed in the CWIS 2 report and revised in the third CWIS in 2025.
HM Treasury
13
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted in Part
Active travel infrastructure is highly varied and can include, for example, cycle lanes, pedestrian crossings, pedestrianised zones, cycle parking, and school streets. The NAO reported that between 2016 and 2021, DfT spent £2.3 billion on active travel infrastructure. The NAO found that DfT has known too little about what has …
Government response. The government agreed, noting that schemes between £1m and £2m are now strongly encouraged to undertake evaluation, and those above £750,000 require an economic appraisal. They will also conduct a broader portfolio evaluation for lower-value schemes, and ATE is developing …
HM Treasury
14
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
DfT estimates that for every £1 invested in active travel, government will achieve around £4.30 in benefits. We therefore asked DfT about the benefits of active travel. DfT told us that active travel had many different benefits, including for health, air quality, decarbonisation. It explained that most of the benefits …
Government response. The government accepted the recommendation, noting it has commissioned research to accurately measure funding allocation and impact for active travel interventions from 2016 to 2025. This research, covering various funding streams, is expected to conclude in April 2024.
HM Treasury
15
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
Concerns around safety and confidence to cycle are key barriers to active travel. The NAO reported that, in 2021, around half of respondents to a DfT survey stated that safer roads would encourage them to cycle (53%) and walk (45%) more. Data from DfT surveys show that, between 2017 and …
Government response. The government agrees and states the recommendation is implemented, planning to publish a new road safety strategy focusing on vulnerable road users and explore a broader campaign promoting active travel, in conjunction with local partners. It also highlights previous Highway …
HM Treasury
16
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
In January 2022, DfT made changes to the Highway Code to prioritise vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists.37 However, evidence we received from stakeholders suggested that DfT’s messaging around the changes made to improve safety have not been communicated effectively to the public. Stakeholders told us that a lack …
Government response. The government agrees and states the recommendation is implemented, intending to publish a new road safety strategy and explore aligning it with a broader active travel promotion campaign, delivered with local partners. They also detail past campaigns on Highway Code …
HM Treasury
17
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
We asked DfT if there was more that it could do to promote the changes it had made to improve safety and encourage more people take up cycling. It told us that it recognised that communication was a big part of tackling perceptions and encouraging changes in behaviour. It told …
Government response. The government agreed, stating it intends to publish a new road safety strategy to improve safety for vulnerable road users and will explore aligning it with a broader active travel campaign and partner communications. It also highlighted ongoing Think! campaigns …
HM Treasury
18
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
There are currently 23 trials for e-scooter rentals in England but outside of these areas e-scooters are not legal on roads.44 Despite that, use of e-scooters has increased rapidly in recent years both within and beyond trial areas, sometimes with negative consequences, including safety, for other road users.45 We therefore …
HM Treasury
19
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
DfT has overall responsibility for active travel policy in England and ATE is now responsible for delivering against DfT’s objectives to increase active travel by 2025. Local authorities are key delivery partners who deliver active travel infrastructure in local areas to support increased uptake of active travel. Other organisations are …
Government response. The government agreed, outlining new Network North funding for integrated transport solutions. By April 2024, DfT and ATE will agree on how ATE design tools will support active travel and public transport integration, and how the Inspectorate will review these …
HM Treasury
20
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
Active travel is one of many options of transport that individuals can choose from to make their journeys. In its 2020 publication Gear Change: a bold vision for cycling and walking, DfT identified that limited integration with other transport and planning policy had contributed to inconsistent provision of active travel …
Government response. The government agreed, detailing new Network North funding to encourage integrated local transport solutions. By April 2024, DfT and ATE will establish how ATE design tools can best support active travel and public transport integration and how ATE's Inspectorate will …
HM Treasury
21
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
We asked DfT why there had not been more focus on areas where integration was key to encouraging active travel. DfT told us that it had prioritised activity and investment on the areas where it felt it could have maximum impact on increasing rates of active travel. It explained that …
Government response. The government agrees with the implied recommendation and will encourage local authorities to invest in integrated transport solutions through new funding. By April 2024, DfT and ATE will agree how ATE's design tools and Inspectorate function can best support integration …
HM Treasury
22
Recommendation
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
ATE expects the largest increases in rates of active travel participation will come from more people walking and wheeling, rather than cycling. It recognised that buses and trams can increase the number of walking trips taken..51 However, ATE told us that there had been “countless examples” of new bus or …
Government response. The government accepted the recommendation, outlining plans for research into disabled bus/coach user experience to improve roadside infrastructure. It noted Network North funding enables local authorities to improve access to public transport stops, and ATE will ensure new active travel …
HM Treasury
23
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Acknowledged
The NAO reported that DfT expects ATE to have a key role in developing the capability of local authorities. This includes the ability of local authorities to plan local transport networks where active travel is integrated with other modes. ATE has begun its work with local authorities that it deemed …
Government response. The government agrees with the implied recommendation regarding local authority capability, stating it is implemented. It details current scheme monitoring and evaluation thresholds, and notes ATE is developing revised evaluation approaches while continuing to assess and rate local authority capability, …
HM Treasury
24
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Rejected
In 2018, as part of our examination of the financial sustainability of local authorities, we said that good financial planning within local authorities relied on certainty and stability of funds, while financial uncertainty created risks to value for money.55 Active travel investment has not escaped funding-related issues, which the NAO …
Government response. The government disagrees with the implied recommendation to resolve funding uncertainty for active travel. While some multi-year funding exists, other dedicated active travel grants remain annual due to HM Treasury approvals, which cannot be revisited until the next Spending Review.
HM Treasury
25
Recommendation
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Rejected
The NAO’s analysis identified that there had been 36 different central government funds for active travel since 2016, some of which had multiple funding rounds. These funds often had different conditions and bidding requirements which local authorities must navigate to access funding for their active travel schemes. They also often …
Government response. The government rejected the recommendation to simplify grant schemes, citing HM Treasury's annual funding approvals for dedicated active travel grants. While recognising the need for multi-year certainty and aiming for fewer, more joined-up schemes in the longer term, current constraints …
HM Treasury
26
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Rejected
The short-term nature of funding for active travel is also problematic and this was a recurrent theme in the submissions that we received from stakeholders.60 The Local Government Association told us that “uncertainty over the level or duration of funding 54 Qq 32, 61, 70, 75; C&AG’s Report, para 3.15 …
Government response. The government disagrees with the implicit recommendation, acknowledging the need for multi-year funding but stating that dedicated active travel grants are yearly due to Treasury approvals. They will seek to manage fewer, more joined-up grant schemes long-term, reflected in the …
HM Treasury
27
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
The Bikeability Programme plays an important role in providing children and adults with cycle training and skills, helping develop confidence to cycle safely.67 It helps teach practical skills through instructor-led training sessions. The Bikeability Programme is managed and developed by Bikeability Trust, a charitable organisation, on behalf of DfT. The …
Government response. The government agrees and states the recommendation is implemented, providing a 2-year, £50 million funding package for the Bikeability programme until March 2025. A review has also been commissioned to improve the programme's efficiency and effectiveness.
HM Treasury
28
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
In 2020, DfT announced it would expand its Bikeability programme and committed to offering cycling skills to all children in England. However, DfT has not yet completed its plans for expanding the Bikeability Programme and could not tell us when the commitment will be met. In 2022–23, 51% of children …
Government response. The government agrees and states the recommendation is implemented, providing a 2-year, £50 million funding package for the Bikeability programme until March 2025. A review has also been commissioned to improve the programme's efficiency and effectiveness.
HM Treasury
29
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
Written evidence from Bikeability Trust told us that funding for the Bikeability Programme was provided through a multi-year settlement between 2016 and 2020, but since then funding had been provided in single year extensions often confirmed just before the start of the financial year. Bikeability Trust told us that there …
Government response. The government accepted the recommendation, noting that ATE has already announced a 2-year, £50 million funding package for Bikeability until March 2025, providing funding certainty. ATE has also commissioned a review to improve programme efficiency.
HM Treasury
30
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
We asked DfT for the details about its plans to fund the Bikeability Programme for 2023–24. It told us that it had been increasing the amount of funding available for the Programme over the last decade, and would do the same again this year, but recognised that the funding would …
Government response. The government has agreed and implemented the recommendation by announcing a 2-year, £50 million funding package for the Bikeability programme until March 2025. A review has also been commissioned to enhance the programme's efficiency and effectiveness.
HM Treasury
31
Conclusion
Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in…
Accepted
Bikeability Trust uses trainers to deliver cycle training. ATE and the Bikeability Trust, in their written submission to us, told us that often, local authorities do not directly employ these trainers and there can be complicated arrangements and criteria for becoming a trainer and delivering Bikeability training. In its written …
Government response. The government has agreed and implemented the recommendation, providing a 2-year, £50 million funding package for Bikeability until March 2025. Additionally, ATE has commissioned a review to increase the programme's efficiency and effectiveness, focusing on management arrangements and delivery systems.
HM Treasury