2 weeks Ago By Carlton Reid, Senior Contributor
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JULY 29: Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves speaks during ...
[+] a press conference following her statement to the House of Commons on the findings of the Treasury audit into the state of the public finances on July 29, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Lucy North-WPA Pool/Getty Images) It’s too late to influence tomorrow’s budget by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves but nevertheless 18 organizations—including academic groups—have issued a public letter urging the new Labour government to invest in cycling and walking. The organizations—including Cycling UK, Greenpeace, The Centre for Mental Health and The Association of Directors of Public Health—have called for the Chancellor to invest 10% of the overall transport budget in walking and cycling to alleviate mounting pressure on the NHS, grow the economy and address the climate crisis.
“To help fill the fiscal black hole, meet the government’s own missions, and embrace the vast benefits of walking and cycling, we urge the government to invest 10% of the overall transport budget in walking, wheeling and cycling by the end of this Parliament,” says the letter. This equates to roughly $3.25 billion per year.
The annual return on this investment, says research , could be up to $49 billion. Cyclists on the cycleway in front of U.K.
parliament. “With health services under strain and immense pressure on public finances, there is no time to waste to bring about investment that will deliver vital financial returns while also bringing about wider societal benefits,” adds the open letter. Google Warns Of New Android And Windows Cyber Attack—1 Thing Stops It CNN Bans Conservative Panelist After He Tells Journalist Mehdi Hasan ‘I Hope Your Beeper Doesn’t Go Off’ Indian Billionaire Yusuff Ali’s Lulu Retail To Raise $1.
4 Billion In U.A.E.
’s Biggest IPO This Year “By scaling up investment to$65 per head, or 10% of the current transport budget, in walking, wheeling and cycling by the end of this Parliament, we can begin to address at least three of the government’s top missions: kickstarting the economy, building an NHS fit for the future and accelerating to net zero.” The experts add: “As a nation we urgently need to build more activity into our daily lives.” Compared to commuting by car, cycling lowers the chance of passing away from cardiovascular disease by as much as 24%, and as much as 16% for cancer.
Transport is also the biggest contributor to air pollution, which causes tens of thousands of deaths in the U.K. each year.
“If the government is serious about supporting the NHS by preventing illness rather than just treating it, it needs to recognise how walking and cycling can help build a service fit for the future in tandem with supporting a stronger workforce that relies on it less,” stresses the letter. Getting people out of cars is also good for the economy, point out the experts. “Research consistently shows that people who walk and cycle into town centres also spend more per month than those who arrive by car,” says the open letter.
“In London, TfL revealed that investment can boost retail spending by up to 30% in some areas. This could contribute to the government’s mission to save our highstreets and boost overall economic growth.” The 18 organisations are: Association of Directors of Public Health British Cycling CamCycle Centre for Mental Health CPRE Cycling UK Edinburgh Napier University , Dr Adrian Davis, Professor of Transport and Health Global Action Plan Greenpeace UK Impact on Urban Health IPPR London Cycling Campaign Mums for Lungs Swansea University , Dr Ian Walker, Professor and Head of School of Psychology Transport Action Network The Ramblers UWE Bristol , Dr Jonathan Flower, Senior Research Fellow UK Health Alliance on Climate Change The letter concludes: “With the right commitment, together we can transform our villages, towns and cities into healthier and more liveable spaces.
Investing in walking and cycling won’t just help to balance the budget—it would be a promise to prioritise our health, our economy, and our planet.”.
