Seventy-Fifth Report - Active travel in England

Select Committee

Public Accounts Committee HC 1335 3 November 2023

Report Status Government responded

Conclusions & Recommendations 31 items (4 recs)

Source View on Parliament website

Government Response (AI assessment · 30 of 31 classified)

Accepted 18

Accepted in Part 1

Acknowledged 2

Deferred 1

Rejected 8

Government response

Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Seventy-fifth report from Session 2022-23 · published 14 Feb 2024

Read the government response ↗ Response on the tracker

Recommendations & Conclusions

8 results

6 Recommendation Rejected

Provide local authorities with greater funding certainty and simplify active travel grant schemes.

Recommendation

Local authorities are being held back from delivering successful active travel interventions by the considerable uncertainty in the funding available for schemes. Since 2016, funding for active travel has been provided to local authorities through more than 36 active travel … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government disagrees with the recommendation, explaining that while some longer-term funding exists for certain authorities via CRSTS and Network North, dedicated active travel grants are annual due to the 2021 Spending Review and cannot be changed until the next review. It expresses an ambition to simplify grant schemes in the longer term.

HM Treasury

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8 Conclusion Rejected

DfT established specific objectives for increasing active travel rates by 2025

Conclusion

DfT set out its most recent objectives for active travel in 2022. These are to: • increase the percentage of short journeys in towns and cities that are walked or cycled from 41% in 2019 to 46% in 2025; • … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government disagrees with the implicit recommendation to re-evaluate the active travel objectives, stating that these will be reviewed in the 2025 report to Parliament on CWIS 2 and revised in the third CWIS, with research commissioned to inform this process.

HM Treasury

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9 Conclusion Rejected

Little progress made against DfT's active travel targets for 2025

Conclusion

In June 2023, the NAO found that the latest data showed little progress had been made against the targets set by DfT. In 2021, DfT was close to only one of its targets – to increase the percentage of short … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government disagrees with the implicit recommendation to re-evaluate its active travel objectives, stating this will be reviewed and revised in the 2025 report to Parliament on CWIS 2 and the third CWIS, for which research has been commissioned.

HM Treasury

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11 Conclusion Rejected

DfT funding cuts for active travel likely hinder achieving 2025 objectives

Conclusion

In March 2023 in response to significant inflationary pressure, DfT announced changes to various transport investment plans. This included a £233 million reduction in its dedicated funding for active travel up to April 2025.19 We received written evidence from the … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government disagrees with the implicit recommendation to address funding as a constraint on targets or re-evaluate objectives, stating these will be reviewed in the 2025 report to Parliament on CWIS 2 and revised in the third CWIS, with research commissioned to inform this.

HM Treasury

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12 Conclusion Rejected

DfT cannot deliver all Gear Change actions due to funding and shifting priorities

Conclusion

We also asked DfT about progress in delivering the Gear Change programme. The NAO found that DfT made progress against most (22 out of 33) Gear Change actions, with most progress made on measures targeting capability, including the formation of … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government rejected the recommendation, stating it does not consider it necessary to re-evaluate objectives by 2025 as they will be reviewed in the CWIS 2 report and revised in the third CWIS in 2025.

HM Treasury

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24 Conclusion Rejected

Funding uncertainty for active travel hinders local authorities' strategic planning and scheme delivery.

Conclusion

In 2018, as part of our examination of the financial sustainability of local authorities, we said that good financial planning within local authorities relied on certainty and stability of funds, while financial uncertainty created risks to value for money.55 Active … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government disagrees with the implied recommendation to resolve funding uncertainty for active travel. While some multi-year funding exists, other dedicated active travel grants remain annual due to HM Treasury approvals, which cannot be revisited until the next Spending Review.

HM Treasury

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25 Recommendation Rejected

Examine simplifying active travel grant schemes and requirements for all local authorities.

Recommendation

The NAO’s analysis identified that there had been 36 different central government funds for active travel since 2016, some of which had multiple funding rounds. These funds often had different conditions and bidding requirements which local authorities must navigate to … Read more

Government Response Summary

The government rejected the recommendation to simplify grant schemes, citing HM Treasury's annual funding approvals for dedicated active travel grants. While recognising the need for multi-year certainty and aiming for fewer, more joined-up schemes in the longer term, current constraints prevent immediate simplification.

HM Treasury

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26 Conclusion Rejected

Short-term active travel funding hinders strategic planning and risks misprioritisation.

Conclusion

The short-term nature of funding for active travel is also problematic and this was a recurrent theme in the submissions that we received from stakeholders.60 The Local Government Association told us that “uncertainty over the level or duration of funding … Read more The short-term nature of funding for active travel is also problematic and this was a recurrent theme in the submissions that we received from stakeholders.60 The Local Government Association told us that “uncertainty over the level or duration of funding 54 Qq 32, 61, 70, 75; C&AG’s Report, para 3.15 55 Public Accounts Committee, Financial sustainability of local authorities, Fiftieth Report of Session 2017-19, HC 970, 4 July 2018 56 C&AG’s Report, para 20 57 C&AG’s Report, para 3.18, Figure 12 58 ATE0007, Written evidence submitted by Leicester City Council 59 Qq 73, 74; ATE0007, Written evidence submitted by Leicester City Council 60 ATE0007, Written evidence submitted by Leicester City Council; ATE0003, Written evidence submitted by Local Government Association; ATE0006, Written evidence submitted by Sustrans; ATE0012, Written evidence submitted by Liverpool John Moores University; ATE0001, Written evidence submitted by Walking and Cycling Alliance Active travel in England 17 makes it extremely challenging for councils to build in-house capacity to plan and deliver a pipeline of projects, with proper time for engagement and design that can deliver the greatest benefits and value for money”.61 The NAO found that funds were often provided through one-year settlements and that the lack of long-term investment certainty was undermining the ability of local authorities to plan strategic, integrated, networks. There is a risk that local authorities may prioritise funding for schemes which are easiest to deliver within a funding window rather than those with higher strategic value.62 For example, Leicester City Council told us that to deliver within the annual bidding cycle for active travel investment, local authorities may prioritise schemes for ease of construction, or expectations of smoother consultation and engagement pathways, over strategic need.63 The Local Government Association also told us that year-on-year instability of funding was not conducive to delive Show less

Government Response Summary

The government disagrees with the implicit recommendation, acknowledging the need for multi-year funding but stating that dedicated active travel grants are yearly due to Treasury approvals. They will seek to manage fewer, more joined-up grant schemes long-term, reflected in the 2025 CWIS.

HM Treasury

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