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£108 Million Active Travel Boost: What New Government Funding Means for Cycle Storage
The UK government confirmed over £108 million in multi-year active travel funding on 30 March 2026, including £78 million for the Bikeability cycle training programme and significant investment in community walking and cycling initiatives across England. For architects, facility managers, and local authority specifiers, this funding signals a sustained increase in cycling participation that directly drives demand for secure, high-quality cycle storage infrastructure.
What the £108 Million Funding Package Includes
The government has confirmed more than £108 million in funding to deliver hands-on cycle training, school walking programmes, and community cycling initiatives over a three-year period. UK Government – Active Travel England. The package is structured across several delivery partners:
£78 million for Bikeability — the government’s flagship on-road cycle training programme, which has trained more than five million children since its launch in 2007. The Bikeability Trust, the charity that oversees the programme, reports that 93 per cent of parents expressed greater confidence in their child’s cycling ability after Level 2 training, with 72 per cent more likely to encourage on-road cycling. Source: Zag Daily. This three-year settlement gives the Bikeability Trust the certainty it needs to retain qualified instructors and plan effectively.
£16.1 million for Living Streets Walk to School Outreach — working with primary schools to help children and families make walking part of their daily routine.
£8 million for Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival — targeting adults who have lapsed from cycling, particularly women and disabled people. Since its inception, the programme has supported more than 800,000 people back onto bikes, replaced nearly ten million car trips, cut over 9,000 tonnes of CO2, and delivered more than £56 million in wider economic and social benefits. Source: GOV.UK
£3.1 million for Modeshift STARS — the Sustainable Travel Accreditation and Recognition scheme, plus Active Travel Ambassadors for secondary school students.
£2 million for National Park Authorities — to develop accessible active travel networks across England’s ten National Parks.
Up to £1 million for ports and airports — to develop active travel network plans for employees and visitors.
“This is a practical investment that changes how people move every day,” said Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman. “It’s a child gaining the confidence to ride to school, a family choosing to walk, or someone getting back on a bike because it finally feels possible.” Source: GOV.UK
Why This Funding Matters for Cycle Storage Demand
The £108 million funding boost increases cycle storage demand because every newly-trained cyclist needs somewhere safe to park. More people cycling and walking means more demand for cycle stands, bike shelters, and secure parking.
The £108 million package sits within a wider government commitment of £626 million over four years for local authority walking and cycling schemes, allocated by Active Travel England. That larger capital programme is expected to deliver 500 miles of new and upgraded walking and cycling routes and enable 170,000 more active trips per day. Source: Active Travel England
Every child who completes Bikeability training, every adult who returns to cycling through the Big Bike Revival, and every family who walks to school becomes a potential cyclist who needs somewhere safe to park at their destination. The link between training funding and storage demand is well established: when participation rises, so does the requirement for cycle stands, bike shelters, and secure parking.
Local authorities are already responding. West Berkshire Council has invested in additional cycle parking across its towns and villages as part of its active travel programme, and expects to invest up to £1.8 million in further active travel schemes in 2026-27. Source: West Berkshire Council. Hull City Council has approved a near-£100 million three-year highways capital programme, with £38.7 million allocated for 2026-27, including active travel infrastructure. Source: Highways Industry. These local investments typically include cycle parking expansions as a core component.
Comparison: Behaviour Change Funding vs Infrastructure Funding
| Funding Stream | Amount | Duration | Primary Focus | Storage Implication |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bikeability + behaviour change | £108 million | 3 years | Training, schools, community programmes | Drives participation, increasing long-term storage demand |
| Local authority capital schemes | £626 million | 4 years | New routes, infrastructure, cycle parking | Funds direct installation of bike parking and storage |
| Future uplifts (ATE top-ups) | £25.6 million | 2026-27 | High-performing councils | Enables fast-response storage projects |
Our Take: What Specifiers Should be Preparing For
“We have seen over 200 commercial bike store installations across the UK, and the clearest pattern is that cycling participation always follows training investment,” says Ashley Prescott, Managing Director of Secure Cycle Store. “When a local authority funds Bikeability and community cycling programmes, the number of people riding increases within 12 to 18 months. Those new cyclists need somewhere to park at schools, workplaces, train stations, and shopping centres. Specifiers should be planning for that demand now, not reacting when the bike racks are already overflowing.”
The three-year funding settlement for the behaviour change programmes is particularly significant. Multi-year funding gives Active Travel England’s delivery partners the confidence to retain staff and plan long-term programmes, which should produce sustained increases in cycling participation rather than the short-term spikes associated with single-year funding cycles. The £626 million local authority capital programme follows a similar multi-year structure, enabling councils to plan coordinated infrastructure projects that include bike lockers, two-tier bike racks, and e-bike solutions as standard.
What This Means for Different Sectors
The impact of this funding will vary across sectors, but three areas stand out as early beneficiaries.
Education. Schools, colleges, and universities are at the centre of the funding. The Bikeability programme operates primarily through schools, Living Streets works with primary schools, and the Modeshift STARS programme targets secondary school students. Education institutions receiving trained cyclists will need to provide adequate parking. The Department for Education recommends two cycle spaces per 10 pupils for new secondary schools, and the numbers are likely to rise as active travel participation grows. (Secure Cycle Store sector guidance). See our education sector page for detailed guidance.
Healthcare and NHS. The government has emphasised public health as a core objective of the active travel investment. Regular walking and cycling have been shown to cut sick days and reduce pressure on the NHS. Hospital trusts and healthcare facilities should expect increased staff cycling numbers as behaviour change programmes take effect. Every new cyclist travelling to an NHS site needs secure parking and end-of-trip facilities. See our healthcare sector page for NHS-specific guidance.
Residential developments. Housing developers building in areas receiving active travel funding should factor in higher cycling uptake than standard planning ratios suggest. Active Travel England expects local authorities to integrate planning conditions with active travel infrastructure. The £626 million local authority programme will deliver new routes connecting residential areas to town centres, schools, and employment sites, making cycling a practical option for more residents. See our residential sector page for guidance on meeting planning requirements.
Maintenance and Longevity Considerations
As more cycling infrastructure is installed through these funding programmes, maintenance standards become critical. Public bike repair stands are an increasingly popular addition to active travel corridors, providing basic maintenance tools for cyclists on the go. Durable, weather-resistant cycle parking products designed for high-frequency public use will deliver better value over the long term than cheaper alternatives requiring replacement within five years.
The £108 million announcement funds behaviour change programmes (training, school initiatives, community schemes), not storage infrastructure directly. However, the £626 million local authority capital programme does fund physical infrastructure, including cycle parking. The two programmes work together: training creates more cyclists, and the capital programme funds the infrastructure those cyclists need. (Based on funding announcements from GOV.UK and Active Travel England)
Yes. Local authorities receive capital funding allocations from Active Travel England based on their capability rating, and these funds can be used for cycle parking and storage infrastructure. Higher-rated authorities receive greater proportions of capital funding. Nine local authorities improved their capability rating in 2025, contributing to a 10 per cent improvement on the previous year. Source: Active Travel England. Developers and businesses cannot typically access this funding directly but can work with their local authority to identify priorities.
Almost certainly. Bikeability has trained over 5 million children since 2007, and the new three-year £78 million settlement will extend that reach significantly. Schools with active Bikeability programmes report higher levels of cycling among pupils, which increases demand for secure cycle parking. The Department for Education’s output specification for school cycle storage recommends covered, secure parking proportional to pupil numbers.
For transport hubs, town centres, and active travel corridors, cycle stands (particularly Sheffield stands) remain the most practical option for short-term parking due to their durability and ease of use. For workplaces, schools, and residential settings where bikes are parked for longer periods, bike lockers and covered bike shelters provide better weather protection and security.
Start by reviewing current cycle parking capacity against projected uptake in your area. The local authority LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan) is a good starting point for understanding planned active travel routes and connections. Recent e-bike solutions should also be factored into planning, as e-bike ownership continues to grow and heavier bikes require appropriate storage infrastructure.
Last updated: 2026-05-07. Based on government announcements published 30 March 2026 and 10 December 2025, plus local authority investment data from April 2026.
Plan Your Storage Capacity Now
The £108 million active travel funding package and the wider £626 million local authority programme represent the most significant government investment in walking and cycling infrastructure in a generation. Specifiers who plan now for increased cycling demand will be ahead of the curve when new routes open and participation rises.
Secure Cycle Store supplies commercial-grade cycle storage to councils, schools, NHS trusts, housing developers, and workplaces across the UK. Whether you need cycle stands for a transport hub, bike shelters for a school, or a full e-bike solution for a workplace, we can help you specify the right products for your project.
Get a Quote for your cycle storage project today.
