South Lincolnshire Liberal DemocratsCambridge MP Julian Huppert has welcomed the news that cycling has increased across the country as a whole and that £15 million of government money is to be match funded to achieve more.
Julian wanted to make sure that local authorities would play their part in improving towns and cities for cyclists when he quizzed Transport Minister, Norman Baker yesterday (Thursday, June 28).
And he quoted the latest figures from Sustrans which show a 40 million increase in the number of cycling trips in 2011 compared with 2010 - an 18 per cent rise.
Julian asked Transport Minister, Norman Baker - who announced £15 million to make dangerous junctions safer for cyclists - what steps he was taking to make sure local authorities matched the funding so that more work could be carried out.
Mr Baker said: "The sum of £15 million will be available to local authorities on a match-funding basis. We are encouraging them to contribute, and the more theY contribute the more likely it is that they will be successful in securing money from the government for their dangerous junctions."
"I and many others, including British Cycling, welcome the funding that has been provided by the government," he told MPs in the House of Commons.
And he reminded them that the £15 million announced for work on dangerous junctions around the county was a key feature of the Times' safer cycling campaign.
Later Julian said: "I am delighted that cycling across the county - not just our city - is increasing. It is clear that people are starting to see travelling by bike as an alternative to other forms of transport. This brings huge benefits for health and our environment as a whole.
"I want to make sure that when local authorities are successful in bids for this government money that they make it work for their towns and cities to achieve real improvements. Local authorities match funding this money means bigger projects can be tackled making roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians."
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