Active Travel: Lighting
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help tackle potential barriers to the provision of lighting on (a) walking, (b) wheeling and (c) cycling paths.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood
Active Travel England (ATE) recognises that good lighting is essential for enabling safe and inclusive walking, wheeling and cycling, particularly during winter months and after dark.
The Spending Review in June 2025 allocated £616 million for Active Travel England to support local authorities to build and maintain walking and cycling infrastructure from 2026/27 onwards. This comes on top of £222.5 million announced in February 2025 for local authorities over 2024/25-25/26, which can be used by authorities to reduce barriers to the provision of lighting.
In addition, to address potential barriers to providing lighting, ATE Supports local authorities in relation to designing active travel schemes through guidance and our tools ensure that lighting is integrated into street design. Guidance is available such as in LTN 1/20 - Cycle Infrastructure Design (LTN 1/20), Manual for Streets, and Inclusive Mobility. In addition, the ATE Route Check Tool includes metrics for lighting coverage, visibility, and light pollution.
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