The 25-year Bicycle Strategy Delivery Plan, announced today (Tuesday) by the Department for Regional Development, aims to encourage more people to use bicycles for everyday journeys here.
Mr Lyttle, who is Chair of the Assembly’s All-Party Group on Cycling, said “huge” potential benefits could come from a properly resourced cycling network but more work was needed to deliver it successfully.
“Today’s announcement is a good first step of a vision we want to see but the Department has a long way to go yet. In my role as Chair, I regularly engage with those in the cycling community and know there are a number of barriers preventing cycling becoming a main mode of transport for many people.
“The main problems are safety and the need to rebalance the amount of cycling provision we have on our roads. Any strategy needs to tackle these issues so we can advance cycling as a viable, active and sustainable means of transport.
“There is a lot of work to do to allow us to catch up with other European cities where bold infrastructure makes cycling an attractive everyday form of travel. It is a fantastic, affordable and interesting way to travel, but now we need to see a strategy of action and not just words.”