Representatives from a coalition of cycling groups will call on the government to make good their promise to kick start a cycling revolution and place sustainable cycling provision at the heart of the UK’s transport policy at both Labour and Conservative party conferences on 22 and 29 September.

British Cycling’s policy adviser Chris Boardman and CTC president Jon Snow, will address MPs and local authority representatives at the conference breakfast events as the call is made for decisive action. Shadow Transport Secretary Mary Creagh MP and Transport Minister Robert Goodwill MP will also speak in support of the cycling coalition’s call. As well as British Cycling and the CTC the coalition is supported by Sustrans, the London Cycling Campaign, Cyclenation and the Bicycle Association.

The call comes a year since 100 MP’s unanimously supported the recommendations of the Get Britain Cycling report published by the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group (APPCG) in 2013. The report outlined its recommendations for funding of £10 per person per year and prompted the Prime Minister David Cameron to say that he wanted to launch a 'cycling revolution' which received an unopposed vote of support in parliamentary debate. Publication of the Government’s Cycling Delivery Plan is still awaited.

British Cycling’s policy adviser, Chris Boardman, said:

“The Prime Minister’s announcement last year about his desire to see a cycling revolution in Britain was of course welcome and I have no doubt that MPs of all political persuasions would love to see more people on bikes. Who wouldn’t?

“However, ‘revolution’ is a lofty word carrying real weight – and we know that a revolution cannot be realised on rhetoric alone. One year on, we’re still waiting for cycling to be given the priority it deserves rather than playing second fiddle to rail travel or motorised vehicles.

“At a time when obesity levels are at an all-time high, our local high streets need all the support they can get and the fact that most car journeys today are less than five miles, it defies belief that we’re still waiting for some decisive action from our country’s MPs.”

Following the publication last year of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group’s Get Britain Cycling report, the UK Cycling Alliance has been working to get MPs from all parties signed up to its recommendations.