Cycling and pedestrian infrastructure must become vital to our recovery post-pandemic, as we seek to improve people’s health and reduce emissions for the future.

Whilst cities across the UK have accelerated with their cycling infrastructure, areas like St Helens borough have not received the right investment from central government to ensure residents can enjoy the benefits cycling and walking has to offer.

We already know there is a massive funding gap between the capital and the North, with a mere £376 spent for residents in the North on transport, compared to £903 for those in London. Talk of “levelling up” our region means nothing unless this chronic underinvestment in our public transport is swiftly bridged.

Many constituents have rightly written to me about this issue, and in turn the Government must now understand that our borough needs tailored plans; not a one-size fits all model.

As we come out of lockdown, we cannot go back to business as usual. That’s why I will keep working closely with Labour colleagues and the shadow Transport team to ensure buses, trains, cycling and walking can work well for everybody.