Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to build cycle paths in (a) the North East and (b) Houghton and Sunderland South constituency.

The construction of cycle paths is a matter for local authorities. Decisions on future funding for cycling and walking infrastructure will be a matter for the Budget and forthcoming Spending Review.

However, on 11 February the Prime Minister announced £5 billion of new funding to overhaul bus and cycle links for every region outside London.

In addition, in the last Parliament the Department for Transport provided support to 46 local authorities across England to help them develop Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure plans (LCWIPs). Four Local Authorities in the North East - Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and Tees Valley - have produced draft LCWIPs. The Department is currently working with the sector to develop further support for authorities on LCWIP scheme development.