The Welsh Assembly has said local authorities across Wales must spend 5% of their road maintenance grant on maintaining cycleways from April.

Sustrans, the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity, has been calling for changes in the way Wales’ highways authorities deal with the needs of pedestrians and cyclists for two years.

Sustrans Cymru director Lee Waters said: “As a direct result of Sustrans’ work over the last two years, supported by other organisations in Wales, local authorities now have a financial incentive to maintain cycle paths in the same way, if not on the same scale, as they do for roads.

“If we want to encourage people to lead more active lives then we need to make walking and cycling more attractive alternatives to the car for short journeys.”

The 5% commitment amounts to around £10,000 per local authority for the maintenance of on-road cycle routes.

  • For more information about Sustrans, visit www.sustrans.org.uk.