Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the new safer streets guidance for women and girls will help ensure that women feel safer when cycling as well as walking.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
On 25th March, Active Travel England set out its intention to publish guidance during 2026 as part of a programme of work to support authorities to design safer streets for women and girls.
The programme is under development this year with the intention to deliver guidance in a range of formats to ensure it is practical, engaging and easy to adopt.
This will include an introductory guidance document on the topic of gender and active travel, and a revised best practice guide for community consultation and engagement. A schedule of training is expected to follow in the new year for council officers, developers and practitioners. Guidance will consider active travel inclusive of walking, wheeling and cycling.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to help people use cheaper forms of transport such as (a) cycling and (b) walking during continued fuel cost pressures.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government recognises that investment in active travel gives people affordable transport choice to cut the cost of living. In December 2025, the Government announced £626 million funding for local authorities from 2026/27 to 2029/30 to deliver walking, wheeling and cycling schemes. This builds on the almost £300 million funding announced in February 2025 for 2024/25 and 2025/26. A further £108 million was announced in March for cycle training and walk to school programmes over the next three years.
The Government will shortly be publishing the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3) following a consultation in the autumn of 2025.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the Government’s Better Connected transport strategy will ensure that walking and cycling are fully integrated into the wider transport system.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport recognises the crucial role that walking, wheeling and cycling play in connecting people and places, either as the whole trip or as part of accessing the wider transport network. It commits Active Travel England to develop a framework for assessing the quality and connectivity of walking, wheeling and cycling routes to rail stations, as well as cycle parking provision.
The strategy is supported by the Government’s new Local Transport Plan (LTP) guidance, under which local transport authorities should set out in their LTPs how walking, wheeling and cycling will be enabled, prioritised and integrated with other forms of local transport.
The Government is also providing significant investment in active travel, including £626 million funding for local authorities from 2026/27 to 2029/30, and will publish the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3), shortly.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of bringing the UCI Cyclocross World a) Cup and b) Championships to Huntingdon constituency.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government remains committed to delivering major international sporting events with pride - building upon the UK’s global reputation for excellence in event delivery - and seeking new opportunities to do so.
Regarding the cyclo-cross event - in May I ensured a contact for British Cycling, who are in charge of bidding for these events, was shared with your office.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what resources are available to deliver elite-level cycling a) infrastructure, b) resources and c) events in Huntingdon constituency.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
UK Sport, the government's arm's length body, provides funding for events and elite-level cycling on a nationwide basis rather than through constituency-specific allocations.
Sport England, the Government’s arms length body for grassroots sport, has invested £116,588 of funding in the constituency of Huntingdon during 2024/2025.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accessibility to users with disabilities of new public access paths along rivers and canals.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government committed in its manifesto and the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 to create nine new National River Walks, one in each region of England, as part of our plans to improve responsible access to nature. In May 2026, this Government launched the first of these National River Walks, the Mersey Valley Way in Stockport, delivering improved accessibility along a 21.5km route, habitat restoration, new opportunities for access for diverse users, as well as extensive community engagement.
This Government will launch a competition to identify the next National River Walks later in 2026. They will be expected to deliver access which is multi-user, accommodating walking, wheeling, cycling and/or horse riding. An economic assessment of cost, benefits and value for money of the applications received will take place in accordance with the standard government process for the awarding of grant funding.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the economic case for improving access along (1) National River Walks, and (2) other waterways.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government committed in its manifesto and the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 to create nine new National River Walks, one in each region of England, as part of our plans to improve responsible access to nature. In May 2026, this Government launched the first of these National River Walks, the Mersey Valley Way in Stockport, delivering improved accessibility along a 21.5km route, habitat restoration, new opportunities for access for diverse users, as well as extensive community engagement.
This Government will launch a competition to identify the next National River Walks later in 2026. They will be expected to deliver access which is multi-user, accommodating walking, wheeling, cycling and/or horse riding. An economic assessment of cost, benefits and value for money of the applications received will take place in accordance with the standard government process for the awarding of grant funding.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) average cost, and (2) benefits, of new public access paths along rivers and canals.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government committed in its manifesto and the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 to create nine new National River Walks, one in each region of England, as part of our plans to improve responsible access to nature. In May 2026, this Government launched the first of these National River Walks, the Mersey Valley Way in Stockport, delivering improved accessibility along a 21.5km route, habitat restoration, new opportunities for access for diverse users, as well as extensive community engagement.
This Government will launch a competition to identify the next National River Walks later in 2026. They will be expected to deliver access which is multi-user, accommodating walking, wheeling, cycling and/or horse riding. An economic assessment of cost, benefits and value for money of the applications received will take place in accordance with the standard government process for the awarding of grant funding.
Asked by: Lord German (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate the creation of paths along rivers and canals.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government committed in its manifesto and the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 to create nine new National River Walks, one in each region of England, as part of our plans to improve responsible access to nature. In May 2026, this Government launched the first of these National River Walks, the Mersey Valley Way in Stockport, delivering improved accessibility along a 21.5km route, habitat restoration, new opportunities for access for diverse users, as well as extensive community engagement.
This Government will launch a competition to identify the next National River Walks later in 2026. They will be expected to deliver access which is multi-user, accommodating walking, wheeling, cycling and/or horse riding. An economic assessment of cost, benefits and value for money of the applications received will take place in accordance with the standard government process for the awarding of grant funding.
Asked by: Lord Wrigglesworth (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made on the Royal Parks' request of October 2024 to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that the Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Regulations 1997 be amended to ensure the current maximum speed limit of 20mph in the parks is applicable to cyclists as well as motor vehicles.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
DCMS is actively reviewing The Royal Parks (TRP) request for an amendment to The Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Regulations 1997. While statutory speed limits vary by location, TRP currently aims for a 20mph standard in central London parks. Enforcement of the Parks regulations is the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police, and the new Crime and Policing Act 2026 has introduced new statutory offences across Great Britain for causing death or serious injury by dangerous, careless, or inconsiderate cycling, bringing the maximum penalties for irresponsible cyclist behaviour in line with those for motorists.
DCMS is keen to continue working with TRP and other government departments to explore how making the 20mph maximum speed limit applicable to cyclists as well as motor vehicles can be achieved.