Government cycling cash will bring ‘huge benefits’ to Sussex

No doubt you will have heard that the Government is to put £250million into walking and cycling across England.

Of this, £25million is to enable people to put their bikes in a roadworthy condition. That leaves £225million for schemes using pop up and temporary interventions to create an environment that is safe for walking and cycling, and to allow people to maintain social distancing; and will enable people to avoid overcrowding on public transport.

For West Sussex, that is £3.19million split into two tranches.The first 20 per cent (£784,000) is for schemes that are quickly done – bids for the money need to be with the DfT by June 5.

If approved, then the schemes must be started within four weeks. The remainder of the money is for schemes that will be longer lasting.

The reason I’m writing is to ask that people try to understand the huge benefits that all this will bring.

The immediate need is for people to be able to move about but with social distancing in mind. That’s impossible on crowded trains and buses, and even on our pavements and in our precincts.

Car use will clog the streets. An alternative is either cycling or walking; but for cycling, the traffic on the roads puts off all but the determined; and for walking, the pavements are too narrow to allow a two-metre distance.

And of course the pavements would otherwise be too narrow for mobility scooters.

So – assuming the county council’s bid for the money is successful, I’d ask that people understand why this is happening and give it a bit of time to be established.

People who drive might get very cross that road space is being reallocated. It’ll take a little while for people – who are normally too scared to cycle – to try it. All this is not about giving in to cyclists.

It isn’t for cyclists, because they’ll cycle anyway.

This is about a choice for people who don’t cycle now – car drivers, public transport users, and people who are nervous about cycling on the roads.

And it’s not anti car – most of us do have cars; but it will promote a healthy balance.

An added bonus is for people who live in our towns – it means they can wake up and smell flowers and not fumes.