Cycling Facilities (Hansard, 15 June 1988)

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, the Government intend to maintain a high priority for safer cycling. This is being done by a continuous programme of research as well as advisory and promotional activities. A major new demonstration cycle route is to be opened in Exeter this Friday 17th June, and the Department of Transport has helped sponsor the Cyclists' Touring Club's new guide, Positive Cycling.

§ Lord Dormand of Easington
My Lords, are the Minister and your Lordships aware that this is National Bike Week, and therefore a splendid opportunity for the Government to express their support for that healthy, cheap and non-polluting form of transport? Is he further aware that cyclists' present priorities are the provision of more cycle lanes and. perhaps even more importantly, the repair of some of our disastrous roads? As both of those matters are the responsibility of the local authorities, will the Government consider reintroducing the financial incentives to local councils to improve cycling facilities?

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Dormand of Easington, for asking that Question as it gives me an opportunity to congratulate the voluntary bodies which have organised National Bike Week on their success in raising the profile of cycling issues. As regards the state of roads, on the whole local authorities are well underspent on road maintenance. They must do better. I strongly advise cyclists and cycling organisations to let their local authorities know where there are potholes so that they can do something about them.
The department is engaged in a large programme of research into the provision of cycling facilities. This of course includes cycling lanes, which are just one of the techniques which can make cycling safer.

§ Lord Underhill
My Lords, will the Minister confirm that his department has studied very carefully the cycling schemes in the Netherlands, which I visit most Easters? Their schemes not only cover most of the towns, small and large, but also cross-country routes. Has the department learned anything from them?
On the question of finance for local authorities, is the Minister satisfied that, with the change of transport supplementary grants, local authorities have sufficient money to cover the question of underspend which the noble Viscount himself raised and which authorities say gives rise to the problem of balancing certain needs against other essential needs?

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, yes, of course the Government have studied the situation in Holland, 273 which has a very much stronger history of cycling than we have in this country. The geography there is slightly different. The Government are promoting this project at Exeter which is a large-scale urban route, 6 kilometres long, which is part of the cycle routes programme. There are four other projects under way in Stockton, Bedford, Cambridge and Nottingham.
So far as funding is concerned, I must say to the noble Lord that it is up to the local authorities to decide their priorities. From the cyclists' point of view, it is up to them to let their local authorities know where they should mend the roads.

Lord Winstanley
My Lords, can the noble Viscount tell the House what part his right honourable friend Mr. Tebbit is playing in National Bike Week?

§ Viscount Davidson
My Lords, I do not know how many people "got on their bikes", either real or metaphorical, but I know that since that phrase was used unemployment has fallen and the economy is flourishing.

§ Lord Gisborough
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that 300 cyclists are killed a year? Only yesterday I passed the police removing a bicycle from the crossroads at Sloane Square. In view of the contribution that cyclists make to road safety, it is a very good sign that measures are being taken to promote cycling. Is my noble friend aware that there is a pothole just outside the Peers' entrance?

§ Viscount Davidson
Perhaps my noble friend would like to write to the local authority.