National Highways is being accused of a “systemic failure” on cycling provision, after freedom of information requests showed the organisation does not know whether its infrastructure meets its own design standards.

The Guardian Newspaper reports the Department for Transport has also admitted the government-owned body in charge of trunk roads has been using a loophole “to deliver substandard shared use paths in rural areas instead”.

The Guardian’s report says National Highways has spent £84m on 160 cycling and walking projects since 2015, but has said via written questions and FOIs that it is unable to say exactly what it spent the money on, or the impact of the investment on cycle use and safety.

The report adds that National Highways’ cycle traffic design standards (collectively called IAN/CD195) have required, since 2016, the inclusion of high-quality “active travel” infrastructure to mitigate the impact of its roads, but it appears to be leaning heavily on a loophole that states the standards do not apply to shared-use paths.

Read the Guardian’s write-up here.

(Picture – National Highways)