While we make no excuse for focusing on walking and cycling strategies which can help children walk and cycle to school, young people can also benefit from many of our other initiatives to encourage people to walk and cycle more. Cycle training teaches young people a life skill which enables them to undertake a range of journeys, not just to school. Evidence shows our safe routes to school are also being used by the wider population to access other locations on foot or by bike.
Many of the improvements local authorities are making to local cycling infrastructure and cycle networks can also benefit young people. One of our 6 Cycle Demonstration owns, Derby, has a specific focus on targeting improvements to encourage those under 25 to cycle.
We are also continuing to monitor progress on our Walking and Cycling Action Plan which aims to increase levels of walking and cycling to reduce congestion, improve public health and provide for more pleasant public space. Progress reports on the action plan are placed on the Department for Transport website at:
The next update will be in October 2007.
As part of the public consultation into the draft Local Transport Bill, the British Youth Council, the National Black Boys Can Association, the National Youth Agency and the Regional Work Unit (North East) were all sent the consultation documents and invited to submit their views.
I have also been consulting with a number of stakeholders about the draft Bill as part of a regional tour over the summer. One group that I met in Newcastle were the Bus Buddies, a group of young people with an interest in public transport, who were given the opportunity to ask questions about the Bill.