A reprioritisation of funds under the Traffic Management Bill has resulted in funds being raided from the Non-Motorised User (NMU) Crossings Improvement Programme. All funds set aside for the NMU programme have been redirected to fund the deployment of traffic officers to take over from the police in managing incidents on motorways and trunk roads, according to the CTC.

Bizarrely, the NMU Crossings Improvement programme is having its funding axed even though it was listed as a commitment in the government’s ‘Action Plan for Walking and Cycling’ published last month.

 CTC Campaigns and Policy Manager, Roger Geffen, said: “This is a kick in the teeth for those CTC, Ramblers and British Horse Society members who put many voluntary hours into identifying and prioritising problem crossings. This represents a £250,000 subsidy from walkers, cyclists and horse-riders to keep trunk road and motorway traffic moving.” The CTC, together with the Ramblers Association, Living Streets and the British Horse Society, is writing to Roads Minister, David Jamieson, calling on him to ensure the funding is reinstated.