The British government has launched an entirely new agency dedicated to the practice of cycling and walking. Called Active Travel England, it aims to make cycling and walking 50% of all British travel by 2030.

Led by former cyclist Chris Boardman (world champion and Olympic pursuit champion), this government agency will work on everything related to new standards for cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. It will also be able to fund various projects promoting the practice of cycling or walking that meet these standards. Finally, it will be responsible for identifying dangerous violations of the Highway Code concerning cyclists and pedestrians.

The choice of Chris Boardman is prudent as he has already participated in the development of the “B Network” scheme, the first integrated cycling and walking network in the United Kingdom, accumulating over 2800 km of dedicated infrastructure.

The decision follows recent adjustments to the UK Highway Code to favor pedestrians and cyclists, as well as investments in new infrastructure to encourage cycling. It is accompanied by new funding for local authorities, rail operators and businesses to encourage cycling on their own.

The aim of the development of soft mobility is to provide more comfort to the population with less traffic jams, pollution and deaths on the roads. This is clearly part of a larger plan to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the UK over the next 30 years.

(ETX Daily Up)