Cycling England will cease to exist in March 2011 at the end of this financial year, with most of its key functions being taken into the Department for Transport, including the National Cycling Proficiency training, Bikeability.
The Department for Transport has confirmed that the future of Bikeability is secure during the life of this Parliament, but no guarantees beyond this have been forthcoming.
Cycling England Board Member Lynn Sloman commented: “If the Government is to build on the last five years’ progress in getting more people cycling, it will need to do more than simply allocate grants.”
She went on “Cycling England’s experience is that in order to get results, you need to cut through the red tape, and really support, engage, enthuse and challenge. You need to combine the energy and passion of the cycling NGOs with the expertise of professional local authority teams; you need to share ideas and experience; you need visionary leadership. We appeal to the Government to recognise this challenge.”