Wirral Council’s Cycling and Active Travel Spending: A Mess of Mixed Messages

Rory
5 days ago
3 min read

I asked Wirral Council a simple question through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request: how much do they actually spend on cycling and active travel infrastructure? The response was a masterclass in vagueness. No clear answers, no detailed breakdown – just vague references to “community schemes,” “active travel,” and generalised budgets.

So I Dug Deeper

Not satisfied with that response, I gathered every available spend report from the past 12 months, budget statements, governance documents, and audit reports. What did I find? A mess. Payments scattered across various suppliers, vague descriptions, and absolutely no clarity on what was actually being delivered for cycling or active travel.

Who’s Getting Paid – and For What?

From these spend reports, I identified a handful of suppliers consistently receiving money linked to cycling or active travel:

Energise Cycles CIC: £25,900 for “Hired or Contracted Services,” “Care Provision,” and “Arts & Leisure Services.” This is a community-focused organisation known for providing bike maintenance workshops, training, and active travel education. But the descriptions in the council’s spending reports are so vague that it’s impossible to see exactly which of these valuable services are being funded or what outcomes are expected.
Capita Property & Infrastructure Limited: £20,732.60 for “Services” and “Works - Construction, Repair & Maintenance.” Given their role as consultants, this may involve planning or advising on active travel routes, but again, the descriptions lack the detail to confirm this.
Off the Rock Cycles Limited: £5,854 for “General Supplies and Services.” This could cover bike maintenance, equipment, or repairs, but there’s no detail on what’s actually being supplied.
Rock Bike Servicing & Repairs Limited: £8,000 for “Cycles” and “Vehicle Management.” This likely involves bike servicing and repairs, but without a clear description, it’s impossible to see exactly what was delivered.
HALFORDS: £11,594 for “Salary Sacrifice - Cycle2Work.” This is a workplace scheme for council employees to purchase bikes through payroll, promoting active travel.

These payments are scattered across different budget categories, and while some suppliers clearly provide community services (like Energise Cycles CIC), the council’s vague descriptions make it impossible to see what specific services are being funded, what outcomes are being achieved, or how value for money is being ensured.

Where’s the Budget?

But the real kicker is in the council’s own budget documents. Nowhere – and I mean nowhere – is there a dedicated cycling or active travel budget. They talk about “sustainable transport,” “public realm,” and “connectivity improvements,” but these are just broad terms that hide the details.

The Highway Structural Maintenance Programme is a £8 million budget for road and infrastructure improvements, but there is no clear line for cycling or active travel within that.
The Active Travel and Public Realm Projects mention improvements in Grange Rd, Charing Cross, and Conway Street, but again, there is no specific allocation for cycling.
When I looked at the council’s audited accounts, I found more vague references to “infrastructure projects” and “connectivity” – again, nothing specific to cycling.

This is a Transparency Black Hole

How does a council claim to be supporting active travel without being able to show a clear, transparent budget for it? How can they say they are spending on cycling infrastructure when they don’t actually know where the money is going?

And if they don’t know, how are we – the residents – supposed to know?

The Questions Wirral Council Must Answer

How much has the Council actually spent on dedicated cycling and active travel infrastructure in the last five years?
What specific cycling projects have been funded, and what are their outcomes?
Why does the Council’s budget fail to show a clear, dedicated cycling or active travel allocation?
What process does the Council use to ensure payments to suppliers are delivering clear value for money?
Who is responsible for ensuring transparency in active travel spending at the council?

Why This Matters

This isn’t just about bikes. It’s about transparency, accountability, and the basic principle that public money should be spent openly, with clear outcomes. A council that cannot show how it spends on active travel is a council that cannot be trusted to deliver on its promises of sustainability, health, and connectivity.

And right now, Wirral Council looks like it is cycling in circles.