Consultation outcome

Developing the third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3) – summary of responses

Updated 12 June 2026

Government sought views on the development of its third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3). This included the:

• CWIS3 vision
• objectives of CWIS3
• KPIs and performance indicators

Responses received

The consultation on the approach to developing CWIS3 was open between 3 November and 15 December 2025. The consultation was supplemented by workshops with local authorities, active travel and disability rights stakeholders.

The feedback received through this consultation has informed the development of the final strategy and Active Travel England’s business plan.

Specifically, the final strategy includes measurable and time-bound targets for increasing the percentage of short stages walked and cycled in towns and cities by 2035 and increasing the percentage of school children aged 5 to 16 who regularly walk or cycle to school by 2035. The final strategy also includes a commitment for Active Travel England (ATE) to establish the basis for a national active travel network by 2030.

A total of 1,660 responses were received from a range of organisations and members of the public (table 1).

We received 1,216 responses through the online smart survey and 443 responses were received through email. One response was received by post.

Table 1 shows respondents by type.

Table 1: Responses to consultation broken down by respondent type

Respondent type	Number of responses
Member of the public	1,425
Third sector organisations	83
Another type of organisation	71
Local authorities	56
Private sector	16
Professional/trade/industry bodies	9

Analysis methodology

The CWIS3 consultation included both closed and free text responses. Analysis of closed questions involved calculating a summary count and percentage statistics.

The Department for Transport (DfT) AI consultation analysis tool (CAT) was used to extract themes from free-text responses and, following human review by the policy team, classify (map) human-validated themes to responses and produce summary statistics (estimated number of theme mentions).

The CAT was developed by the DfT AI and data science team in collaboration with the Alan Turing Institute. Details on the CAT methodology and evaluation results can be found in the AI consultation analysis tool evaluation.

Question by question breakdown

Question 1: Do you agree or disagree with the proposed national vision for active travel?

The majority of respondents disagreed with the proposed national vision (61%), with just over a third agreeing (34%).

Table 2: responses to question 1

Answer	Number of responses (%)
Agree	34%
Disagree	61%
Neither agree/disagree	4%
Don’t know	1%

Question 2: If you disagree, why do you disagree with the proposed national vision for active travel and what potential alternatives do you suggest?

The most common theme was that the vision was vague, with a particular focus on the lack of specific and measurable targets. The second most common theme was the need for a transformational national network.

The third most common theme was that a plan should be set out for transforming streets and places.

Several other themes were raised by respondents, including:

• inadequate funding – noting that the vision was unrealistic with current funding for active travel
• unrealistic timescale – the vision for 2035 was unrealistic and a longer-term vision to 2050 should be used instead
• insufficient government leadership – government should use influence and political leadership to direct investment and guide design
• lack of a tailored approach for rural areas
• the focus on inclusion and accessibility was welcomed
• the ambition of the vision was welcomed

Question 3: Do you agree or disagree with the objective: ‘Ensure people are safe to travel actively’?

Just over half of respondents disagreed with the proposed objective ‘ensure people are safe to travel actively’ (53%), with 44% agreeing.

Table 3: responses to question 3

Answer	Number of responses (%)
Agree	44%
Disagree	53%
Neither agree/disagree	2%
Don’t know	1%

Question 4:  If you disagree, why do you disagree with the objective: ‘Ensure people are safe to travel actively’ and what potential alternatives do you suggest?

The most common theme was that there was a need for objectives that were specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

The second most common theme was the need to focus on safe networks and routes. The third was a suggestion to add an objective concerning the delivery of a national network.

Several other themes were raised by respondents, including:

• ensure accessibility for disabled people – to address the barriers faced by disabled people, such as step-free routes
• add an objective to address the cycling gender gap – specifically to increase cycling participation amongst women
• reflect perceptions of safety within the definition of safety, such as personal safety and fear of traffic

Question 5:  Do you agree or disagree with the objective: ‘Ensure people feel it is an easy choice’?

Just over half of respondents disagreed with the proposed objective: ‘Ensure people feel it is an easy choice’ (52%), with 43% agreeing.

Table 4: responses to question 5

Answer	Number of responses (%)
Agree	43%
Disagree	52%
Neither agree/disagree	4%
Don’t know	1%

Question 6:  If you disagree, why do you disagree with the objective: ‘Ensure people feel it is an easy choice’ and what potential alternatives do you suggest?

The most common theme was the need for specific and measurable objectives. The second most common theme was that active travel should be positioned as a more attractive, convenient and easier choice than driving.

The third most common theme was that public transport should be the easier choice for longer journeys and that active travel is a key component of an integrated transport system.

Several other themes were raised by respondents, including:

• explicitly incorporate accessibility to ensure infrastructure is designed for everyone
• the focus on making active travel the easy choice was welcomed
• prioritise high-quality infrastructure to improve safety
• rephrase the objective to make active travel an ‘attractive’, ‘natural’ or ‘obvious’ choice

Question 7: Do you agree or disagree with the proposed key performance indicators?

The majority of respondents agreed with all 5 proposed KPIs (Table 5). The highest percentage of respondents agreed with the KPI concerning increasing walking and cycling trips to school (71%), followed by:

• increasing the percentage of people who achieve 150 mins a week of activity (69%)
• increasing the percentage of walking and cycling stages per person (68%)
• decreasing the percentage of people walking and cycling concerned about safety (67%)
• decreasing the rate of cyclists and pedestrians killed or seriously injured (58%)

This last KPI also received the highest percentage of respondents who neither agreed/disagreed (39%).

Table 5: Answers to question 7

KPI	Agree (%)	Disagree (%)	Neither agree/disagree (%)	Don’t know (%)
Increase the percentage of people who achieve 150 mins a week of activity through active travel by 2030	69%	6%	24%	1%
Increase the percentage of walking and cycling stages per person by 2030	68%	5%	26%	1%
Increase the percentage of walking and cycling trips per person to and from school	71%	5%	24%	0%
Decrease the rate of cyclists and pedestrians killed on England’s roads, measured as the number of fatalities per billion miles walked and cycled	58%	3%	39%	0%
Decrease the percentage of people walking and cycling concerned about safety	67%	5%	27%	1%

Question 8: If you disagree, explain why

The most common theme was the need for infrastructure-focused KPIs. The second most common theme was the need for a clear strategic framework to explain how initiatives will deliver outcomes.

The third most common theme was a call to adopt a vision zero safety goal, reflecting that it was felt that the safety KPI was not ambitious enough.

Several other themes were raised by respondents, including:

• the KPIs were vague and unambitious
• a mode shift objective should be included from car to active travel – referencing interventions such as school streets
• KPIs should reflect Active Travel England’s impact – particularly that ATE planning advice was being followed in new developments
• broaden the scope of the safety key performance indicator to reflect other modes
• equestrian safety must also be considered

Question 9: Do you agree or disagree with the proposed approach to performance monitoring of LTA outcomes frameworks using the performance indicators outlined?

The majority of respondents agreed with all 4 proposed performance indicators (Table 6). The highest percentage of respondents indicated the same level of agreement across 3 performance indicators:

• percentage increase in active travel stages taken by walking and cycling
• an increase in miles of compliant new and improved active travel network produced
• maintained or improved active travel capability rating (all 91%)

The remaining performance indicator concerning reducing the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed or seriously injured (KSI) was agreed by 88% of respondents.

Table 6: Answers to question 9

Performance indicator	Agree (%)	Disagree (%)	Neither agree/disagree (%)	Don’t know (%)
Reducing the number of pedestrians and cyclists KSI	88%	7%	5%	0%
A percentage increase in active travel stages taken by walking and cycling	91%	6%	3%	0%
An increase in miles of compliant new and improved active travel network produced	91%	7%	2%	0%
A maintained or improved active travel capability rating	91%	7%	2%	0%

Question 10: If you disagree with the proposed approach to performance monitoring of LTA outcomes frameworks using the performance indicators outlined above, explain why

The most common theme was the need to introduce a broader performance indicator set beyond network length.

The second most common theme was the need to adopt rate-based safety metrics. The third most common theme was that data should be disaggregated by mode and demographics.

Several other themes were raised by respondents, including:

• a need to acknowledge that local authority performance on the delivery of safety key indicators is impacted by factors outside its control (such as vehicle design)
• the framework should incorporate perception and user experience metrics

Question 11: How can ATE support local authorities in delivering local targets?

The most common theme was the concept of strategic planning integration through the integration of active travel in the early stages of strategic spatial and transport planning.

The second most common theme was that active travel schemes must integrate with public transport. The third most common theme was that ATE should provide local authorities with data and tools to set evidence-based local targets.

Several other themes were raised by respondents, including:

• long-term and flexible funding settlements
• provision of guidance and best practice
• support the development of local authority capability and skills through training and technical support for officers and elected members

Question 12: Do you agree or disagree with the indicators relating to the work of ATE?

The majority of respondents agreed with all 6 proposed performance indicators.

The highest percentage of respondents agreed with the performance indicator concerning increasing the number of people actively engaged via activation programmes (67%), followed by:

• improving local authority active travel capability ratings and increasing the number of trained active travel professionals, including local authority officers (both 65%)
• increasing the percentage of ATE capital projects completed on schedule (63%)
• percentage of average increase in scheme quality (62%)
• percentage of planning applications within our thresholds responded to within the statutory timescale (60%)

Table 7: Answers to question 12

Performance indicator	Agree (%)	Disagree (%)	Neither agree/disagree (%)	Don’t know (%)
Improved local authority active travel capability ratings	65%	23%	9%	3%
Percentage of average increase in scheme quality	62%	24%	11%	3%
Percentage of planning applications within our thresholds responded to within the statutory timescale	60%	24%	12%	4%
Increased number of people actively engaged via activation programmes (including bikeability)	67%	22%	9%	2%
Increased percentage of ATE capital projects completed on schedule	63%	23%	10%	4%
Increasing the number of trained active travel professionals, including local authority officers	65%	23%	10%	2%

Question 13: If you disagree, explain why

The most common theme was the need for ATE to review local and spatial transport plans, not just planning applications.

The second most common theme was a concern about a potential conflict of interest if capability ratings were used as a performance indicator, specifically the need for an independent monitoring process. The third most common theme was that the infrastructure performance indicator should include maintenance and improvement.

Several other themes were raised by respondents, including:

• the need for specific and measurable performance indicators
• the introduction of a metric to measure local authority satisfaction with ATE – specifically on its service provision

Question 14: Do you have any other comments?

The most common theme was to address motor vehicle dominance through the implementation of measures to reduce car dominance and encourage modal shift.

The second most common theme was the need to build and maintain a coherent, consistent, safe and high-quality network. The third most common theme was that active travel policy and infrastructure must be designed to be inclusive and accessible.

Several other themes were raised by respondents, including:

• the setting of specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound targets
• multi-year sustainable and stable funding
• improving driver behaviour and compliance with the Highway Code
• better integration with public transport
• addressing the needs of rural areas