Active Travel: Rural Areas
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Active Travel England funding allocation formula on (a) rural and (b) semi-rural areas; and whether she plans to review the use of per capita weighting.
Answered by Simon Lightwood
Local authority allocations for Active Travel England (ATE) funding are calculated using a formula based on both population and capability level. This enables investment to be focused on cost effective schemes that have high potential to convert short vehicles journeys to walking and cycling. Since 2020, approximately 9% of schemes with mapping data are in predominantly rural areas. This represents 7% of dedicated investment by the Department for Transport. However, more than 50% of ATE funding has been invested in areas within the highest quintile for deprivation, which are the most likely to have poor health. There are no plans to review the formula.
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