Nick Clegg has announced that millions of pounds will be pumped into cycling infrastructure throughout the UK.

A total of £214 million has been marked for various cycling projects. £114 million will support the Cycling Ambition Cities Programme for the next three years. This programme will enable Bristol, Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich and Oxford to improve their cycling networks.

A further £100 million will be dedicated to the Strategic Road Network – an initiative aiming to improve conditions for cyclist travelling on Britain’s busiest roads.

Nick Clegg said: “I’m committed to helping our dream of becoming a cycling nation, similar to places like Denmark and the Netherlands, become a reality.”

Chris Boardman was also present at the announcement, which took place during a cycling summit in Bristol today, in his capacity as British Cycling‘s policy advisor.

He said: “If we want to a cycling revolution, something I truly believe we can achieve, we have to invest in it, commit to it long term.

“To that end, the next step […] is to make investment like this one a permanent, embedded and an ongoing part of our transport strategy. If we do, then the benefits for our nation’s health, wealth and environment will be monumental.”

You can read Boardman’s full speech here.

@Chris_Boardman absolutely inspirational speech on cycling as a solution.Wants more ambitious target than 4% of trips pic.twitter.com/2q03ehKBHt

— nick cavill (@cavilln) November 27, 2014

 

But is £214 million enough to make a difference? CTC chief executive Paul Tuohy warned against complacency:

“This has been a hard fought interim victory, not just for the cycling campaign community but also for the Department of Transport staff and MPs who’ve worked hard with us to Get Britain Cycling.

“We now need to keep pushing leading politicians in all parties to raise the annual funding for cycling up to the level of at least £10 per person, increasing progressively to £20 as cycle use rises – not just for 8 cities but for the whole of Britain.”

More cycling in the news:

3 Female Cyclists Nominated for BBC Wales Sports Personality 2014

Record Numbers of Brits are Cycling and 39% of them are Women

Have Your Say: 37 Miles of New Cycle Routes for Manchester