Kirklees at a Crossroads: Investing in Walking, Cycling, and Wheeling and the IPPR Report
Imagine a future where Kirklees’ streets are safer, cleaner, healthier, and more accessible to all, no matter your age or ability. Active travel—cycling, walking, and wheeling—has the power to make this a reality. With undeniable returns on investment, reductions in transport emissions, and its potential to tackle regional inequalities in health and economics, active travel should no longer be just a side note to road schemes designed to move more motor cars, more quickly; normalising active travel is now recognised by international communities as a win-win approach to delivering sustainable transport along with many other benefits to communities, and to cash-strapped council and household budgets alike.
Yet, despite the overwhelming evidence supporting a rethink in how we move, as highlighted in this detailed IPPR report, the UK has begun to fall behind other European nations in promoting walking, cycling, and wheeling. Worse still, Kirklees Council is now lagging behind its neighbouring authorities in delivering these essential schemes. It has so far failed to make good on opportunities afforded to it by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and its enviable Level 3 designation.
Building world-class active travel infrastructure requires not only increased funding but also a strong political commitment to long-term investment from both the UK Government and our council leaders. Leadership and vision are essential; it’s not just about the money. The council’s lack of political will to promptly deliver on plans for high-quality cycling infrastructure has significantly hindered progress. Cycle Kirklees argues, failure to effectively plan, secure public support, and attract and retain the right talent to realise a transformative vision for travel has let down residents of Kirklees.
However, Cycle Kirklees recognises that funding is part of the problem. The IPPR report highlights significant disparities in national cycling investment across England. Over the past five years, London has received £24 per head for cycling initiatives, while the rest of England has averaged only £10 per head. Cycle Kirklees is deeply concerned that these financial inequalities may be even more pronounced locally, with Kirklees now falling behind neighbouring areas due to the lack of an effective and comprehensive regional cycling network plan and the absence of tangible progress on infrastructure development following shelving of key projects in the region.
The failure to implement plans has significantly hindered the delivery of cycling infrastructure, which has impeded the uptake of cycling and done little to enhance cyclists’ perceptions of safety across the region. We urge local decision-makers to reassess their investment priorities and recognise the long-term benefits of a well-connected, user-friendly, and coherent cycling network that meets modern standards, which are being implemented elsewhere with real results. It’s time to move beyond worn-out excuses about how “it can’t be done here.”
The IPPR report calls for increased investment of £50 per head for active travel, with £35 of that allocated for cycling infrastructure annually by the end of the decade, which could spur significant change in national and local transport priorities. With the Government’s Autumn spending review approaching, could this be the moment for a national transport funding overhaul? Research has shown that investing in active travel yields a return of £5.62 for every £1 spent—far greater than road projects. This raises a pressing question: where is Kirklees’ plan for an integrated and connected cycling network? Would it be ready to make use of new funding? And why is the council doing so little to advocate for cycling and actively engage and communicate with community members in favour of active travel?
To drive this change, leaders across different sectors must work collaboratively, demonstrating clear and unified leadership. Council leaders, transport, planning and environment officers, public health directors, and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority must now align their efforts to create a cohesive strategy. By working together, they can overcome near term barriers in funding, planning, and public perception, ensuring that active travel isn’t treated as an afterthought, but as a fundamental part of Kirklees’ vision for healthier, more sustainable communities.
Strong leadership and collaboration are essential to securing public support, attracting investment, and delivering the infrastructure necessary for a connected, safe, and accessible cycling network. Only through this collective effort can Kirklees effectively transition from lagging behind to becoming a player in active travel.
Reducing car dependency through strategic investment could significantly enhance public health, save the nation and the NHS over £17 billion over 20 years, and alleviate the strain on stretched council budgets for social and mental health care. This investment would ultimately help many of us live healthier, longer lives—something few of us would put a price on. Yet the team at IPPR has quantified it for us. Furthermore, prioritising active travel would effectively tackle transport poverty in the district, ensuring all communities have equitable access to safe and reliable transport options. By fostering healthier, happier, and more cohesive communities while improving social and mental health outcomes, cycling also plays a pivotal role in achieving our climate targets by offering a route out of carbon intensive transport traps.
IPPR lays out five key commitments that would be required to make this vision a reality:
1. 10-Year Funding Guarantee: The UK government should establish a 10-year funding guarantee for active travel, committing to at least £50 per head in England by 2029-30, with a minimum of £35 allocated to physical infrastructure. Over the CWIS4 period (2030-2035), at least 10% of the total transport budget, approximately £2 billion annually, should be dedicated to active travel, yielding a return on investment of £8-38 billion each year.
2. Diverse Funding Sources: Active travel funding should come from various sources, including new green investments of at least £225 million per year, reallocation of funds from road expansion, local revenue schemes, and contributions from multiple government departments. Private sector investment, particularly through developer contributions, should also support local and regional active travel initiatives.
3. Support for the National Cycle Network: A 10-year investment plan should be established for the National Cycle Network, managed by Active Travel England to prioritise schemes, monitor progress, and evaluate impact.
4. Long-Term Funding for Local Authorities: Active travel funds should be part of single-pot, long-term funding settlements for local and regional authorities. These settlements must ensure minimum investment levels and have outcome-based requirements assessed by Active Travel England, which will also help enhance local capability to deliver infrastructure over the next decade.
5. Integrated National Transport Strategy: The next UK government should urgently develop an integrated national transport strategy to guide all investments and decision-making in the coming decades. This strategy must connect active travel with other transport modes, moving beyond token investments to create a comprehensive framework that promotes healthier, more fulfilling lifestyles while achieving climate commitments.
This new Government has the opportunity to initiate real change. Kirklees Council must also seize this moment and show the leadership required deliver the strategy, vision and execute a plan to deliver an effective regional cycling network plan.
Cycle Kirklees is here to represent you and support the council with their vision for active travel and cycling, with real world experience of cycling in the region, advocating for those who do, and want to cycle in Kirklees. If you are not yet a member, we encourage you to sign up, and join the campaign, and of course we encourage you to see all the evidence for yourself in this detailed report.
The calibre of infrastructure an effective network plan might bring to Kirklees. Stockport Interchange Bridge – Image credit: Stockport Council
Source: Singer Hobbs M and Frost S (2024) Stride and ride: England’s path from laggard to leader in walking, wheeling, and cycling, IPPR. http://www.ippr.org/articles/stride-and-ride