§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many kilometres of dedicated cycle paths have been created in each year since 1992. [152345]
§ Mr. HillInformation about the lengths of cycle lanes created on the carriageway and cycle tracks away from the road is not held centrally.
We are encouraging all local highway authorities to increase the provision of cycle facilities in accordance with a cycling strategy as part of their Local Transport Plans.
§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much has been spent by Government on dedicated cycling infrastructure in each financial year since 1992–93. [152344]
§ Mr. HillThis information is not available in the form requested.
As far as local authority schemes are concerned, no separate funding is made available to encourage cycling. It is for individual authorities to decide the amount to spend on cycling from their overall total allocation of funding. Total allocations, from which spending on schemes to encourage cycling could be made, have been as follows.
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£ million Year Amount available 1992–93 109 1993–94 125 1994–95 70 1995–96 128 1996–97 118 1997–98 79 1998–99 85 1999–2000 160 2000–01 250 2001–02 559
§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much has been spent by Government on schemes in the Cycle Challenge project in each financial year since its creation. [152347]
§ Mr. HillThe Cycle Challenge project was a one-off initiative. Payments were made only in 1995–96 and 1996–97. The Department spent £1,989,694.00 on 74 projects spread around the country. All the projects were designed to promote cycling at a local level.
§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much has been spent by Government on(a) research into promoting cycling and making cycling safer in each financial year since 1992 and (b) the marketing of the National Cycling Strategy in each financial year since its creation. [152346]
§ Mr. HillGovernment spend since 1992 on research into promoting cycling and making cycling safer is shown in the table.
Spend by financial year on cycling research projects Year £000 (gross) 1992–93 186 1993–94 156 1994–95 239 1995–96 432 1996–97 508 1997–98 606 1998–99 283 1999–2000 493 2000–01 1302 1Part year spend only The Highways Agency also conducts research into promoting cycling and making cycling safer, on which we work collaboratively. The estimated spend last financial year was £100,000.
A contract to market the National Cycling Strategy was let in April 2000 and is due for completion in March 2002. The contract, which aims to deliver the main objectives of the Strategy to key decision makers in the public and private sectors, is worth £350,000. In addition, a further £35,000 was spent in 2001 on the production of a promotional video.
§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many kilometres of the London Cycle Network have been created in each year since its creation; and how much has been allocated to London boroughs for the London Cycle Network for each financial year since its creation. [152348]
§ Mr. HillThe figures for kilometres created in individual years before 1997 are unavailable. In 1996–97 the London Cycle Network (LCN) was 908 kilometres long.
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Length (km) 1996–97 908 1997–98 147 1998–99 161 1999–2000 129 The LCN is currently some 1,345 kilometres long.
The following table provides details of the resources that my Department has allocated for the LCN under the Local Transport Settlement. Future allocations will be made by the Mayor and Transport for London.
Allocation (£ million) 1995–96 3.00 1996–97 14.00 1997–98 4.00 1998–99 5.00 1999–2000 5.50 2000–01 6.00 Total 27.50 1Includes £1 million for London Cycling Initiative
§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the timetable and interim targets are for completion of the London Cycle Network; and if he will make a statement. [152343]
§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the timetable and interim targets are for achieving the National Cycling Strategy's objective concerning the proportion of journeys made by bicycle; and if he will make a statement. [152342]
§ Mr. HillThe Government endorsed the targets in the 1996 National Cycling Strategy, to double the number of cycle trips by 2002, and to quadruple them by 2012. To achieve increases on the scale envisaged, major improvements need to be made in the infrastructure for cycling. It has become increasingly clear that the interim target for 2002 did not allow enough time for such improvements to be planned and implemented. The Government remain committed to the target for 2012, and in the 10-Year Transport Plan we have set a new interim target of trebling cycling by 2010.