Too many temporary cycle lanes installed under Covid have been “unused” due to poor location and design, while future schemes must take more account of the needs of motorists, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said in a letter to councils.

The letter comes as the Department for Transport is preparing to allocate the second round of emergency active travel funding to local authorities. Grant Shapps wrote that funding would only go to those demonstrating consultation with local communities and balancing the needs of cyclists and pedestrians with other road users.

The letter comes five months after authorities were instructed to reallocate roadspace for significantly increased numbers of cyclists and pedestrians when the emergency fund first launched in May.

In July, upon publication of the Government’s ‘Gear Change’ strategy, Grant Shapps said: “We’ve got a once in a lifetime opportunity to create a shift in attitudes for generations to come, and get more people choosing to cycle or walk as part of their daily routine.”

But a line from his latest letter to councils states: “No one should be in doubt about our support for motorists.”

He wrote: “I want to be absolutely clear: we are not prepared to tolerate hastily introduced schemes which will create sweeping changes to communities without consultation, and ones where the benefits to cycling and walking do not outweigh the dis-benefits for other road users.”

He stated that a “notable number” of councils have used their allocations from the first round of funding poorly, delivering schemes which were “frankly, not good enough” and “out of step” with local needs.

In too many instances he said he had received reports of temporary cycle lanes being unused due to their location and design, while their creation left motor traffic backed up alongside. He was also told of wide pavements causing “unnecessary” congestion in town centres.

“Some weeks ago I asked my officials to engage with local authorities where I had concerns. Since then, numerous schemes have been scaled back and revised. I am pleased with this but the work will continue where local residents continue to have concerns,” he wrote.

The Transport Secretary added: “If we want people to see this funding – a substantial amount designed to redesign transport space to benefit all road users – in a positive light, then we have to ensure it is used well.”

The Local Government Association declined to comment.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “We expect local authorities to engage constructively with residents to make sure any changes they make, such as introducing low traffic neighbourhoods, are the right ones for everyone.

“As the Transport Secretary has made clear, we have not hesitated to withhold funding from councils who did not demonstrate their schemes would be genuine improvements – and we will continue to scrutinise future applications very closely.”

(Photograph: Texturemaster - Shutterstock)