Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help reduce the number of fatal cycling accidents on rural roads in West Dorset constituency.

On 12 February, the Department and Active Travel England announced local authority allocations of the Consolidated Active Travel Fund. Of this funding, Dorset Unitary Authority has been awarded £774,233 in revenue and capital funding. It will be for the local authority to allocate this funding in line with local investment priorities, such as improving safety for cyclists in West Dorset.

The Government is committed to improving the safety of all road users, especially the most vulnerable such as pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists. This is a key priority for the Department which was reflected in the updated Highway Code in January 2022, with the implementation of a Hierarchy of Road Users.

We are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. The Department is developing our Road Safety Strategy and will set out more details in due course.