Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Accepted
Perceptions of safety are key barriers to increasing active travel uptake
Conclusion
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 2020, the proportion of existing cyclists who agreed that it was dangerous to cycle increased from 48% to 57%.34 We received written evidence from the University of Central Lancashire about its work examining the barriers to active travel. It found that poor infrastructure, roads being very busy with cars, and poor driver knowledge and awareness of cycling had contributed to low uptake of everyday cycling.35 We asked DfT what more that government could do to address concerns about safety. DfT recognised that perceptions of safety were just as important as actual safety when encouraging people to participate in active travel, and that ATE was working on this. ATE explained that it was working with partners around the country, and with colleagues in local authorities and highways authorities, to consider how to design roads and junctions to ensure they are safer for all users, particularly vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.36
Government Response Summary
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 Code awareness campaigns and ongoing monitoring.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
4.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 4.2 The department intends to publish a new road safety strategy document in due course. This will consider ways in which road safety can be improved for vulnerable road users. The department will explore aligning the publication of this document to a broader campaign that promotes the benefits of active travel. The department will also explore whether communications via local authorities and other delivery partners, such as charitable and stakeholder bodies, can deliver similar messaging. 4.3 The department has previously sought to address safety concerns around active travel by communicating the revisions to The Highway Code to the public. The January 2022 changes to The Highway Code have been communicated via: • a factual awareness-raising campaign in February and March 2022, alerting road users to the changes as they came into effect; and, • a further campaign which ran in summer 2022 and 2023, to help embed the changes and encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance. 4.4 The percentage of road users reporting to know either a little or a lot about the Highway Code changes increased from 36% in January 2022 to 58% in August 2022, with 83% of road users having heard of the changes by August 2022. Going forward, the department will continue to monitor attitudes and behaviours to help evidence the prioritisation of THINK! Campaign activity and the level of future communications investment required.