Cyclists in the North East and Yorkshire will get around safely and easily as the Government invests an extra £32m to tackle potholes and build new cycle lanes in the region.
On 6 June the Minister for the Future of Roads will be in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire, to speak to local schools, cycling clubs and female cycling champions during Stage 2 of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Women - the UK's biggest women's road cycling race.
The Minister will show how the Government is taking action to resurface roads and emphasise the need to make them safer and more accessible for all road users, including female cyclists. Her visit follows the £15.6 billion boost announced earlier this week to empower local leaders to invest in local transport projects that will make a real difference across England’s city regions – including South Yorkshire, the North East, and Tees Valley.
Pothole-ridden roads put off everyone from cycling, with this impact felt the most by women. According to research from Cycling UK, more than half of women (58%) said their cycle journeys were limited by safety concerns and a lack of suitable infrastructure, with 36% of women pointing to poor roads as a main factor.
The Government is investing an extra £20m to resurface roads across the North East and Yorkshire so that cyclists and all road users can get around more safely, more easily and with confidence.
On top of this uplift, local cyclists are also benefitting from an almost £13m boost to build new cycle lanes and pavements in the North East.
Better roads and new cycle lanes will make it easier and safer for people to cycle. This will lead to 43,000 less sick days a year across the country and add £1.4bn to the UK economy, putting money in the pockets of hardworking families to help deliver the Government’s Plan for Change.
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said: “Safer roads mean safer spaces to cycle. The Lloyds Tour of Britain Women is a fantastic way to show women and girls the power of cycling, and the difference it can make to their lives.
“By investing in better roads, we’re delivering our Plan for Change—encouraging more women and girls to hop on a bike, easing pressure on the NHS, and building healthier, stronger communities.”
Across the country, the Government is investing a total of £1.6bn to resurface roads – enough to fill 7 million extra potholes – which includes an extra £500m boost to go above and beyond the Government’s manifesto commitment.
Lizzie Deignan MBE, Olympic silver medallist and world champion, said: “I am incredibly passionate about getting more women and girls on bikes, whatever their background or ability. The benefits of cycling are vast, from improving your health, meeting new people and developing new skills and confidence.
"Having better cycling infrastructure across the UK will definitely break down barriers which currently prevent women and girls participating in cycling.
“Programmes like British Cycling’s Breeze and Go-Ride clubs are reaching out to local communities and creating opportunities to make it easier for women and girls to access cycling, so we can enable safe and fun environments to make sure that everyone can enjoy the freedom of riding a bike. With more investment to our roads and cycle lanes, programmes like this can go further as we bring the joy of cycling to more people across the country.”
The £13m for new cycle lanes and pavements in the North East comes from a £291 million package to build new active travel infrastructure across the whole country and encourage more people to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle.
The improvements will help people across the country make 30 million more journeys by bike or foot every year, including more than 20 million new walk-to-school journeys by children and their parents.
Caroline Julian, director of brand and engagement at British Cycling said: "Significant barriers still exist that prevent many people from accessing the health, economic and social benefits that cycling brings. We know from our research that road safety is the biggest reason that holds people back from getting on a bike. This is, unfortunately, particularly the case for women.
“We are encouraged to see the significant Government investment into road and cycle lane infrastructure in the north-east and Yorkshire regions. Investing in infrastructure and places to ride, alongside strengthened promotion and enforcement of the Highway Code, is of critical importance to make cycling accessible to all.”
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: “Whether on two wheels or four, the quality of the nation’s roads must be improved to make journeys smoother and safer. It’s crucial now that councils use this cash as effectively possible.
“While dangerous potholes must be filled quickly, councils need to do more surface dressing work to ensure decent roads stay in a better state for longer and resurface those that are beyond repair.”
IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: “Poorly maintained roads are not just a nuisance; they are a road safety hazard particularly for those on two wheels. We welcome this additional funding that focuses not just on smoother surfaces but safer infrastructure which will improve journey choice for people.”
