Low Traffic Nonsense

Ministers have wasted billions on schemes, says watchdog

BILLIONS of pounds of taxpayers’ cash has potentially been wasted on ‘active travel’ schemes such as controversial low-traffic neighbourhoods, according to a report.

Despite an estimated £3.3billion being spent on delivering such measures between 2016 and 2021, cycling and walking rates fell over that period, the National Audit Office study found.

Officials at the Department for Transport did not require town halls to monitor LTN schemes worth less than £2million – meaning it is not even known if many have provided value for money.

Much of the cash handed to local authorities was spent during the pandemic in a bid to encourage more people to walk and cycle.

But anti- car schemes have divided communities across the country, sparking violence in areas with vigilantes dismantling some. Many councils have hailed LTNs, which include pop-up cycle lanes, wider pavements and closing streets to cars, as a success.

But the report found the Government’s active travel schemes have failed to boost walking and cycling rates, with the DfT set to miss three of four such targets by 2025.

It said many were imposed on residents without proper consultation and poorly planned ones have subsequently been scrapped.

The study said: ‘Between 2016 and 2021, DfT spent £2.3billion funding local authorities to build new active travel infrastructure.

‘DfT does not know the totality of what local authorities have achieved through this funding and has identified that infrastructure it has funded may not have been good enough quality. This resulted in some poor value schemes.’

It also said: ‘Some active travel schemes were removed prematurely before they could be tested properly because they proved controversial... it is unlikely that DfT’s objectives for increased active travel by 2025 will be achieved.’

The report found that more than half of town halls were given a level one or below ranking in terms of their ability to effectively deliver schemes. Level zero was the lowest rating and four was the highest.

The DfT estimates that the Government spent £3.3billion on active travel between April 2016 and March 2021. Of this around £2.3billion was handed to town halls to build schemes, including LTNs.

It is expected that ministers will spend another £3.3billion until March 2025. Howard Cox, founder of campaign group FairFuelUK, said: ‘It is staggering how much money has and continues to be squandered by clueless politicians on active travel fantasy projects.’

A DfT spokesman said it is investing more than any previous government to help promote active travel.