The enquiry, launched by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cycling and Walking (APPGCW) and backed by us, alongside our partners Leigh Day, sets out to investigate barriers that prevent equitable access to cycling, walking and wheeling.

The group is seeking evidence to better understand how infrastructure, policy, and social factors influence who benefits from active travel and who remains excluded. This will help to build a case to take to government and shape recommendations intended to make active travel accessible and appealing to all communities.

We are encouraging our members as well as the wider cycling community to contribute their own experiences to the inquiry and are urging people to share the opportunity more widely amongst any interested networks, groups or individuals.

Despite the well documented benefits of travelling by bike or on foot - from improved health, environment, and community wellbeing - currently there are large disparities in those who can or choose to travel this way and those benefits are enjoyed by a select few.

Physical barriers, such as inaccessible footways or unsuitable cycling infrastructure, financial obstacles, and social perceptions can prevent certain groups from engaging in active travel.

The APPGCW aims to address these issues and invites insights from experts, and advocates, as well as from organisations and members of the public.

The inquiry seeks written evidence on the following topics/themes including:

• Groups currently excluded from active travel and the reasons for this exclusion.
• How factors like poverty, disability, and local infrastructure impact active travel access and safety.
• Successful initiatives, in the UK or internationally, that have improved inclusivity in active travel.
• Actions, policies, or resources that could help overcome barriers to active travel for all, whether through infrastructure, funding, or community engagement.

The inquiry will have an advisory board (of between five and eight members) which, as far as possible will represent the range of work being done at present in the UK to widen participation in active travel. The members’ main role will be to give their views on the principal findings of the investigation and resultant recommendations.

For more information on how to submit evidence, click here