England Targets 60% School Active Travel by 2035 With £4.5 Billion Plan
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jun 12
England Targets 60% School Active Travel by 2035 With £4.5 Billion Plan
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jun 12
Summary
47% of children aged 5 to 16 in England walked or cycled to school in 2023; ministers now want that share to reach at least 60% by 2035.
£4.5 billion in planned investment underpins the strategy, including 5,000 walking, wheeling and cycling routes and 10,000 safer crossings by 2030.
£135 million will fund school travel plans and child safety training, while a national walking and cycling network is due to appear on route-mapping apps within five years.
55% of short trips in towns and cities are also meant to be active by 2035, up from 48% now—a shift the government says would get 5.3 million more people physically active.
Beyond new routes, how will the UK convince millions of drivers to actually switch to walking and cycling?
Will the UK's record investment create safer streets for all, or intensify conflict on reshaped roads?
England’s £4.5 Billion Active Travel Strategy: Transforming Cycling and Walking Nationwide by 2026
Overview
In June 2026, England launched its ambitious Active Travel Strategy, backed by a record £4.5 billion investment from the UK Government. As part of the broader Pride in Place programme, this strategy aims to empower local communities and create vibrant, accessible environments where walking and cycling become the preferred ways to travel. The investment will help build safer and better-connected active travel networks, supporting the core goals of improving public health and advancing environmental sustainability. By focusing on local empowerment and extensive infrastructure, England is making active travel easier, safer, and more appealing for everyone.