Open consultation

The third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3)

Published 3 November 2025

Applies to England

Government is seeking views on the development of its third cycling and walking investment strategy (CWIS3). This includes:

• CWIS3 vision
• the objectives of CWIS3
• how local authorities will provide active travel capital and revenue programmes

This consultation will inform the CWIS3 strategy, which will run from 2025 to 2030.

Ministerial foreword

Investing in active travel delivers benefits across every aspect of life – improving physical and mental health, boosting economic growth, cleaning up our air and giving people more choice about how to travel. These outcomes are all critical to delivering our Plan for Change. That’s why, by 2035, we want walking, wheeling and cycling to be a safe, easy and accessible option for everyone.

Our 10-year national vision will set out a long-term, strategic approach to making these choices a reality. It will lead to improved health, give our children greater freedom to get around safely and increase access to jobs and training – helping to raise living standards across the country.

To make this vision a reality, we are empowering local government across England to embed active travel into their local transport systems – ensuring its benefits can be felt by all. Indeed, this shift is already underway, backed by record levels of investment:

• £616 million in capital funding for active travel 
• £15.6 billion for Transport for City Regions 
• £2.3 billion through the Local Transport Grant 
• £900 million a year to maintain and improve bus services 
• £24 billion for strategic and local roads, including pavements and cycling infrastructure

Places like Greater Manchester and the West Midlands are already demonstrating what’s possible when devolved funding and powers are used to unlock local ambition. This is the principle behind CWIS3 – a locally designed national strategy.

With our support, councils can integrate walking, wheeling and cycling into their broader transport plans and set bold, inclusive targets. Through Active Travel England, the government will back ambition and ensure consistently high standards for active travel infrastructure across the country.

I encourage local authorities and everyone with an interest in boosting walking, wheeling and cycling to respond to this consultation and help co-create the future of active travel over the next decade. Let’s build health back into our streets.

Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport.

Lilian Greenwood, Active Travel Minister.

Investing in an affordable, sustainable future

In the June Spending Review, the government committed £616 million in capital funding ^{[footnote 1]} to Active Travel England (ATE) from 2026 to 2030 to support councils in building and maintaining walking and cycling infrastructure. This is on top of the £300 million of funding for 2024 to 2026, which was announced in February 2025.

This investment complements wider transport funding over the Spending Review period, which can be used to support active travel, including:

• £15.6 billion through the Transport for City Regions fund (TCR) 
• £2.3 billion via Local Transport Grants 
• £24 billion for strategic and local roads 
• £900 million per year to improve and maintain bus services

Raising the standards of local delivery

Since its creation in 2022, ATE has supported councils by building technical capability, offering design and planning advice and embedding active travel in local planning. From 2026, in response to the devolution agenda, ATE will expand its services to: 

• improve data reporting processes 
• update design assessment tools 
• launch a pre-application and spatial plan service

These changes will make it easier for councils to deliver safe, high-quality and cost-effective active travel infrastructure – accelerating progress and increasing value for money.

Delivering the Plan for Change

Government’s active travel ambitions will be achieved through a mission-based, cross-government approach, involving several departments, including the:

• Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) 
• Department for Education (DfE) 
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) 
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) 
• Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) 
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

See how active travel supports government missions section for more information.

Walking, wheeling and cycling are among the most accessible and cost-effective ways to meet the chief medical officer’s guideline of 150 minutes of weekly activity. This strategy reflects government’s commitment to ensuring everyone, regardless of background, can be active. Our priority is to support people and places with the greatest need, where inactivity is highest. Making low cost, active travel options appealing and safe will be especially effective in areas where inactivity levels remain stubbornly high, while also tackling wider inequalities. A place-based approach – bringing partners together locally – will embed these changes.

Increasing active travel is the DfT’s most direct contribution to the government’s 10-year health plan, which recognises physical activity as essential to improving the nation’s health and reducing NHS pressures – worth an estimated £10.5 billion in savings each year.

As well as realising health benefits for a nation, active travel also supports: 

• boosting local businesses by increasing high street footfall 
• meeting net zero and environmental improvement targets by reducing emissions 
• increasing social mobility, by improving access to jobs and education for people without cars 
• improving personal safety – especially for women and girls – by creating safer streets
• making roads safer through better design and lower speeds, especially around homes and busy areas
• providing transport choice in new housing developments while reducing congestion and pollution

Devolution in action

CWIS3 will mark a fundamental shift in how active travel aspirations are created, delivered and integrated into local transport networks. CWIS3 will be the first ‘locally-designed national strategy’.

This is in line with our English devolution white paper, which outlines how we will give local leaders and communities the tools they need to provide growth in their area – taking powers and decision-making out of Whitehall and putting them in the hands of those who know their areas best.

Mayors have already embraced this model by signing a landmark joint statement to work with DfT and ATE that sets clear, regionally-owned goals that combined create an ambition for the country: 

• giving 20 million more people who live in those areas the opportunity to get active daily 
• creating over 3,500 miles of safer routes connecting schools, neighbourhoods, high streets and transport hubs, with work here beginning in the autumn of 2025

This vision is a first step and will be supported through the funding outlined above, with local authorities empowered and supported to integrate walking, wheeling and cycling into wider transport priorities and local health plans.

Legislative framework

Under Section 21(5) of the Infrastructure Act 2015, the Secretary of State must consult on any cycling and walking investment strategy. This document constitutes that consultation.

While primarily aimed at councils providing active travel programmes, the government also welcomes views from: 

• third sector partners 
• stakeholders 
• members of the public

Although final funding allocations for CWIS3 will be confirmed later, it has been decided to conduct this consultation at this time to ensure timely input and alignment with the priorities and plans of local authorities.

Long-term national vision: proposals for CWIS3

By 2035, the government wants walking, wheeling and cycling to be a safe, easy and accessible option for everyone – allowing people to embed the economic, health and environmental benefits of active travel into their daily life if they choose.

While this consultation covers the CWIS3 investment period (2025 to 2030) this 10-year vision reflects a bold but pragmatic commitment to this goal, which also aligns with broader strategies, including the:

• Plan for Change
• pride in place strategy
• national infrastructure strategy
• 10-year health plan for England

The long-term certainty afforded by this approach, paired with sustained investment and ATE’s ongoing support, will give councils the tools, time and flexibility to co-design ambitious local networks with their communities.

National vision proposal questions

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

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

CWIS3 objectives

Section 21 (3a) of the Infrastructure Act 2015 requires the government to set objectives to be achieved during the period to which a CWIS relates. It explains that objectives may include ‘activities to be performed, results to be achieved and standards to be met’.

This government proposes 2 new objectives for CWIS3 that will support the long-term vision for active travel:  

1. Ensure people are safe to travel actively.
2. Ensure people feel it is an easy choice.

These proposed objectives capture the main barriers preventing people from walking, wheeling and cycling, particularly for women and children. Progress towards these objectives will be measured through the performance monitoring approach outlined below.

Objectives questions

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

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?

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

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?

Performance monitoring

The 10-year vision for active travel represents a new approach where local leaders and communities define the plans and targets that make up CWIS3. A new performance monitoring methodology will be used to track what has been delivered and what it means for the take-up of active travel, amongst other metrics, up to the end of the Spending Review period in 2030.

At a national level, we need to understand the overall impact of funding support for active travel from government. For example, if this means people are walking or cycling more often and if the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed or seriously injured is reduced. This consists of 5 key performance indicators that are based on a range of official statistics and are intended to demonstrate whether our objectives for CWIS3 – active travel should be safer and easier – has been achieved.

Achieving our objectives for CWIS3 at national level is only possible through the cumulative impact of locally delivered active travel schemes, and it is, therefore, important that we understand what is happening at the local level. We will do this by holding local transport authorities to account through a transport-specific accountability framework. This framework will set out the outcomes we expect to be achieved (including active travel and other forms of local transport) and accompanying metrics. These frameworks will align with 4 performance indicators outlined below.

The detailed output metrics will be published in the final strategy once the projection of funding across government has concluded.

Ultimately, the success of local transport schemes will, in large part, depend on how effective ATE has been in working with local government in making sure that local leadership has put active travel funding to good use and achieved value for money. This means, for example, more schemes are delivered on time, to the right quality and the overall capability of local government to do this is improved.

This comprises 6 further performance indicators, based on annual reporting metrics reported at a national level.

Table 1: summary of performance metrics and purpose

Performance metric	Purpose
Key performance indicators	Measures progress towards CWIS3 objectives
Performance indicators (local transport authorities)	Measures effect of active travel schemes and programmes that will deliver the CWIS3 objectives. Aligns with broader transport outcomes frameworks
Performance indicators (ATE)	Measures effectiveness of ATE in providing advice and guidance to local transport authorities

CWIS3 objectives: measured by national key performance indicators

Proposed KPIs are: 

• increase the percentage of people who achieve 150 minutes of activity a week through active travel by 2030 (Active Lives Survey) 
• increase the percentage of walking and cycling stages per person by 2030 (National Travel Survey) 
• increase the percentage of walking and cycling trips per person to and from school (primary and secondary) (National Travel Survey) 
• decrease the rate of cyclists/pedestrians killed or seriously injured on England’s roads, measured as the number of fatalities and serious injuries per billion miles walked and cycled (Road Safety Statistics) 
• decrease the percentage of people walking/cycling concerned about safety (National Transport Attitudes Survey and National Travel Survey)

The selection of these 5 key performance indicators reflects their status within official statistics, including the Active Lives Survey, National Travel Survey and Road Safety Statistics.

Performance indicators

Delivery of active travel schemes by LTAs: measured by performance indicators

Proposed LTA’s performance indicators are:  

• reduce the number of pedestrians/cyclists killed or seriously injured (KSI) 
• percentage increase in travel stages taken by walking, wheeling and cycling 
• increase in miles of compliant new/improved active travel network delivered 
• maintained or improved active travel capability rating 

The 4 LTA performance indicators align with this government’s approach to devolution, whereby in return for increased decision making over funding, it will hold the most mature mayoral combined authorities to account through a transport-specific accountability framework with a proportionate outcomes framework and metrics.

ATE will work with the next wave of Mayoral-led strategic authorities and local authorities to support them in developing their own locally developed targets for active travel based on the ATE Model of Active Travel England (MATE). This will enable councils to set their own locally determined contribution to the government’s 10-year active travel vision.

Support from ATE in the delivery of local schemes: measured by performance indicators

Proposed ATE performance indicators are:

• improved local authority active travel capability ratings  
• percentage of average increase in scheme quality  
• percentage of planning applications within our thresholds responded to within the statutory timescale  
• increased number of people actively engaged via activation programmes (including Bikeability)  
• increased percentage of ATE capital projects completed on schedule  
• increased number of trained active travel professionals/local authority officers

The 6 ATE support performance indicators reflect its contribution to delivering change across England and its value for money. These indicators cover ATE’s impact on a range of areas, including local authority capability, scheme quality, planning and infrastructure delivery.

Performance indicator questions

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

Question 8: If you disagree, explain why.

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

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

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

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

Question 13: If you disagree, explain why.

Question 14: Do you have any other comments?

How to respond

See the Ways to respond section of the consultation page on GOV.UK to find out how you can respond to this consultation. 

The consultation period began on 3 November 2025 and will run until 23:59 on 15 December 2025. Ensure that your response reaches us before the closing date.

What will happen next

We will publish a summary of responses and the government response on the homepage for this consultation. Paper copies will be available on request. 

If you have questions about this consultation, contact:

CWIS 3 consultation
3rd floor, Great Minster House 
33 Horseferry Road 
London, SW1P 4DR

Alternatively, you can email: CWIS3consultation@dft.gov.uk.

Full list of questions

These questions are listed here to give you an overview of what we are asking. The consultation response form may include more questions, for example, questions about who you are. 

See the Ways to respond section of the GOV.UK home page for this consultation to read a full list of questions and find out how you can respond to them.

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

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

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

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?

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

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?

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

Question 8: If you disagree, explain why.

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

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

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

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

Question 13: If you disagree, explain why.

Question 14: Do you have any other comments?

How active travel supports government missions

DCMS

The government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, has access to and benefits from quality sport and physical activity opportunities. As part of the government’s place-based approach to physical activity, Sport England annually invests up to £250 million of National Lottery and Exchequer funding in areas of greatest need to tackle inactivity levels through community-led solutions.

DCMS will invest at least £400 million in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities that promote health, wellbeing and community cohesion.

DfE

Working with DfT and ATE, the delivery of safe, high-quality walking, wheeling and cycling routes to schools, colleges, other educational settings and employment provides low-cost, accessible travel options for pupils, students and staff. This supports the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and aligns with the work of DfE to improve access to education, training and wider family services.

These routes help expand access to learning, skills development and extracurricular activities – particularly for children and young people from disadvantaged families, those without access to a car, or those living in areas with limited public transport. They also promote healthier lifestyles and improve attendance by making the journey to school safer and more reliable.

DESNZ and Defra

This government’s 10-year infrastructure strategy and the latest report by the Committee on Climate Change recognise the contribution of active travel to the government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

Investment helps reduce both greenhouse gas and air pollutant transport emissions by giving people the choice to choose a more sustainable way to travel by enabling more people to walk, wheel and cycle. Investment in active travel will also increase access to green spaces, including national parks and national landscapes, through measures such as the ATE-led programme of support to national parks, including the development of local cycling and walking infrastructure plans and the design of priority schemes.  

Active travel plays a vital role in improving air quality by reducing reliance on motor vehicles, which are a major source of harmful air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. By enabling more people to walk, wheel and cycle, investment in active travel directly supports Defra’s commitments in the environmental improvement plan and contributes to meeting statutory air quality targets.

Cleaner air leads to better public health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children and older adults and helps create more liveable, resilient communities.

DHSC

The 10-year health plan for England outlines the opportunities active travel brings for improving health as part of a fundamental change in the health system from sickness to prevention. Physical activity helps to reduce the prevalence of certain health conditions by 20% to 40%, including: 

• cardiovascular disease  
• stroke 
• type 2 diabetes  
• dementia  
• obesity 

Safe, high-quality walking, wheeling and cycling routes mean increased safety and reductions in the number of people killed or seriously injured, thereby making an important contribution to this government’s forthcoming road safety strategy.

Home Office

Investment in well-lit, safe, high-quality walking, wheeling and cycling routes increases feelings of personal safety, as well as improving road safety and supports the government’s mission to take back our streets.  

It also contributes to the government’s wider work of tackling violence against women and girls.

MHCLG

Active travel makes our neighbourhoods healthier, safer and more connected. With funding from the plan for neighbourhoods – which will deliver £2 million to 75 of the most in-need places across the country over 10 years – more communities can choose to invest in footways and cycle routes.

Investing in active travel boosts economic growth and supports the work of MHCLG by encouraging more people to use the high street and increasing the attractiveness of new housing developments through the provision of safe and attractive active travel infrastructure.

Through the Plan for Change, the government is set to deliver 1.5 million new homes this Parliament. By ensuring that new homes are well supported by active travel infrastructure from the outset, we build in modal choice, which in turn can reduce congestion, pollution and other negative environmental consequences.

Freedom of information

Information provided in response to this consultation, including personal information, may be subject to publication or disclosure in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. 

If you want information that you provide to be treated as confidential, please be aware that, under the FOIA, there is a statutory code of practice with which public authorities must comply and which deals, amongst other things, with obligations of confidence. 

In view of this, it would be helpful if you could explain to us why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information, we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not, of itself, be regarded as binding on the department.

Data protection

Your consultation response and the processing of personal data that it entails are necessary for the exercise of our functions as a government department. DfT will, under data protection law, be the controller for this information.

 DfT’s privacy policy has more information about your rights in relation to your personal data, how to complain and how to contact the Data Protection Officer.

1. Revenue funding details will follow in due course. ↩