Cycling group claims support for bike lanes
Opposition to bike lanes on local roads is overestimated, a survey commissioned by a cycling charity claims.
The majority of people (56%) support schemes to promote cycling and walking, with just 19% objecting, according to a YouGov poll on behalf of Cycling UK.
But just 33% think the public is generally in favour of such measures, with 29% believing there is overall opposition.
Since May the Government has made a total of £250m available to councils to fund the introduction of initiatives to encourage active travel in response to fears that the coronavirus pandemic would lead to more people travelling by car.
Many local authorities have installed segregated cycle lanes, wider pavements and closed roads to motor traffic, with opponents claim they are making congestion worse.
Cycling UK's head of campaigns Duncan Dollimore said: "Too many councils are overestimating the opposition to these schemes and overlooking the evidence.
"In recent months we have seen multiple reports of people claiming there is widespread opposition to the building of new bike lanes, but this and other surveys shows there's nothing widespread about it - just a small number of loud voices.
"This survey shows people clearly want safer, cleaner streets where they feel confident their children can play and exercise without threat of danger, but they overestimate public opposition to bike lanes massively."
Transport Secretary Grant Shappsh as threatened to reclaim cash from councils if they fail to consult communities about ‘low traffic neighbourhood’ projects and ordered local authorities who receive funding to submit monitoring reports on their schemes.