Oral Answers to Questions

Joe Powell Excerpts

Thursday 11th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander]

Unlike the previous Government, who took £200 million out of the active travel budget, this Government are putting £600 million into improving walking and cycling and ensuring safer routes to school and safer crossings more generally. We are making sure that we invest in safe infrastructure to enable more people to walk and cycle more often. It is a priority for the Government to get this right. Walking and cycling will save people money, since they will not have to fork out at petrol stations, and it is better for the country’s long-term health and the environment. What’s not to like?

[Joe Powell (Kensington and Bayswater) (Lab)]

T5. We are seeing Lime bike leg injuries, antisocial parking, and pedestrian crossings being ignored—and one constituent of mine has even had multiple surgeries after a hit and run by a child on a hacked Lime bike. Every week the costs to the NHS and local authorities soar, while profits for the venture capitalists in California who started these companies go through the roof. I am really keen to see safer cycling in London—I am a keen cyclist myself—so will the Minister set out when the really important new regulations for the dockless e-bike sector will kick in for Londoners?

[Simon Lightwood]

I, too, want to see more cycling in London, and in towns and cities across the UK. Dockless cycles are one way to support that aim. We want to empower local leaders to shape shared cycle schemes so that they can deliver the greatest possible benefits and mitigate any possible issues. We will introduce local licensing regulations and guidance in the coming months.