HC Deb 30 March 1981 vol 2 cc39-40W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give consideration to preparing a scheme comparable to the "Cycle-friendly town" scheme in the Federal Republic of Germany and the "American bike way" scheme in the United States of America, in which Government funds are available to assist local authorities which opt to implement schemes to promote the safe use of the bicycle; and if he will issue a statement.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Government funds are made available to local authorities for this purpose, both through the block transport supplementary grant and through a research programme of aid and technical advice to innovatory schemes. In its encouragement of experiment and new ideas, our programme is similar to the larger scale "American bike way" scheme and the Federal Republic of Germany's "Cycle-friendly town" scheme. However, in this country it is local authorities which decide on the priority to be given to cycling facilities in their area.