‘Plan for the motorist’ sparks controversy with British Cycling and other outdoor organisations

Rishi Sunak’s government has outlined its plan to ‘back drivers’ and end some anti-car measures, prioritising car owners over other road users.

British Cycling and other organisations such as Sustrans and the Ramblers have criticised this plan, saying that it negatively impacts those who want cheap, reliable and sustainable travel.

The plan wishes to ‘prevent schemes which aggressively restrict where people can drive’ and it goes against other schemes trying to prevent car usage and ease congestion and pollution on the roads. It essentially will prevent local councils from implementing measures in order for roads to be a safer place for bus passengers, cyclists and pedestrians.

A publication on the British Cycling website has stuck up for cyclists in response to the Conservative Party's proposals.

“When the government could respect people’s freedom to choose how they travel, it’s removing the alternatives," their statement reads. "This is a plan that looks no further than one way of travelling and will make the roads worse for those occasions when people do need to drive. Having a reliable bus route to work, the freedom to cycle to the park, or to be able to let your children walk to school safely while breathing clean air should not be beyond us.

"This plan restricts people’s travel choices, setting the country on cruise control towards missed net zero targets and a worsening health and inactivity crisis, while denying our children of their independence and freedom to move around their local area safely.”

If implemented, it will see the UK turn in the opposite direction from other developed countries, who have been promoting cycling and public transport usage over cars for some time and who also have far better cycling and walking infrastructure than in Britain.

An opposite trajectory would likely have an adverse effect on the cost of living crisis and the climate crisis if people were to start using cars more often for shorter journeys.