AA Chief Says More Cycle Routes Would Benefit Drivers As More Riders Choosing To Bicycle Could Help To Reduce Congestion

The AA’s chief has said more cycle routes will help British motorists as they will ease congestion and save money, as the Government discusses cutting walking and cycling scheme budgets.

The motoring organisation’s president Edmund King said that drivers taking fewer short car journeys and cycling instead would decrease road congestion and spending on home fuel costs.

Edmund King said every motorist is a pedestrian and most cyclists are motorists, therefore it’s in everyone’s interest to level up walking and cycling infrastructure.

He said by creating new routes, as well as investing in existing paths and footways, they can create a safer, greener transportation network that aids all road users, and that maintaining the £4 billion funding for those projects will also enable motorists to save money on fuel or electricity.

According to AA research, their members are most likely to consider replacing one car trip a week with a bicycle ride, with 47 per cent considering the possibility.

Replacing car journeys with an e-bike ride comes in a close second with 41 per cent of members stating they would do so.

His comments came after a call on the Transport Secretary’s ‘protect and build’ on £3.8 billion of funding for active transport development in England ahead of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s budget-balancing later this month.

The call in a letter to Anne Marie Trevelyn spearheaded by walking and cycling charity Sustrans was co-signed by Mr King alongside pro cycling and road safety charities, the Federation of Small Businesses, the CPRE and other campaigns.

According to research by Sustrans, walking and cycling generated an economic benefit of £36.5 billion in the UK.

In a new report, they urged the Government to improve pavements and cycle paths and introduce a voucher scheme for walking, cycling and wheeling equipment.

The letter co-signed by Mr King said that the AA, along with other signatories needed to stop pitting motoring against walking, wheeling and cycling.

It read that cycling and walking infrastructure unlocks housing developments giving people more choices in how they travel and connecting them to work and education.

He said that walking, wheeling and cycling also revitalise the high street with people walking on average spending 40 per cent more than those who drive.

The letter continued that they have to continue to invest in active travel programmes and infrastructure to give people a genuine choice to leave the car at home for shorter trips and better link them to public transportation, saving fuel costs for when they actually need it whilst also ensuring access to jobs and services for those without access to a car.

This chimes like an extremely good idea because there would be more cycle lanes and fewer motor vehicles. It’s good for fitness, air pollution and motorists sick of being stuck in traffic jams or trying to get around cyclists, but who’s going to pay for all of this?

And if this does happen, when is McDonald’s going to let cyclists in the drive-thru?

The problem is bicycles haven’t caught on as a transport solution, and if it’s raining there are no cyclists about. Oh, look, it’s winter, no cyclists about.

The other thing is that those people making these decisions need to tackle the issue of accountability for cyclists as well, especially if they use parts of the road, then why shouldn’t they have to pay something for it? What happens if a cyclist hits a car? There’s no insurance or identification on a bike either, running red lights and listening to music, all these problems need to be addressed.