The Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street is urging the Government to boost efforts to increase cycling and walking journeys by investing in safe infrastructure. Andy Street and Transport for the West Midlands (TfWM), have committed to increasing levels of walking and cycling to five per cent of all journeys by 2023. In a letter to Under Secretary of State for Transport Jesse Norman MP, the Mayor has asked the Department of Transport to support the West Midlands in increasing investment on cycling to £10 per head by 2023, focused on new and upgraded cycling infrastructure. He has also asked that traffic enforcement powers be devolved directly to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), making it easier to prosecute people who park recklessly and endanger cyclists and pedestrians, for example. It forms part of a call for evidence by the Department for Transport (DfT) ahead of the publication of a new Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. The Mayor commented that significant progress has been made in the West Midlands over the last 12 months in terms of both improving cycling infrastructure as well as promoting walking and cycling. However, there is still progress to be made, Street went on to say that we need to ensure these superhighways become an integrated part of the network, rather than standalone infrastructure. At Sustainability West Midlands, we share this view point. We are passionate about striving forward and making a positive impact on society through developmental schemes such as this one. Being a ‘Sustainability Delivery Partner’ for the WMCA has allowed us to actively play this role and directly contribute to the forward progress being made. Projects like this are likely to continue as an unprecedented level of investment in public transport is currently underway in the West Midlands. As more investment and funding becomes available, the development of exciting schemes such as this one will bring innovative ideas to the forefront of society, something we are very happy to a part of.
