“It is councils who know their local areas best, so they should be given the freedom to work with their local communities to get on with planning active travel infrastructure such as cycling schemes."
Responding to the measures announced by the Prime Minister today to boost cycling and walking, Cllr David Renard, LGA transport spokesman, said:
“It is good that the Government is introducing measures to boost cycling and walking, which brings a series of benefits to public health and to the environment, by reducing congestion and air pollution. As we recover from coronavirus, alternative ways of travel will continue to be hugely important.
“It is councils who know their local areas best, so they should be given the freedom to work with their local communities to get on with planning active travel infrastructure such as cycling schemes.
“It is also right that all councils will be able to enforce moving traffic offences. This is something that the LGA has long called for as it is already improving road networks in areas where this is in place, so we are pleased this can now be rolled out nationwide.”
Notes to editors
The LGA represents more than 330 councils of all types across England. We work on behalf of our members to support, promote and improve local government.
It is councils who had led communities through the COVID-19 crisis. Our recent polling shows that 71 per cent of residents trust their council and three quarters are satisfied with the way their local council runs things in their area. Our new discussion paper - Re-thinking Local - sets out how councils must now be empowered to locally-lead the COVID-19 recovery and tackle the economic, environmental and community challenges that we will face as a result of the pandemic.