Recommendations & Conclusions
8 items
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
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
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
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