Cycling England is one of 192 quangos to be axed as part of the government’s spending cuts.

The Coalition Programme for Government commits to “support sustainable travel initiatives, including cycling and walking”.

But, with the end of Cycling England in sight, up to £20 million of funding for cycling initiatives is set to be scrapped, with current funding running out in April 2011.

CTC chief executive and Cycling England board member Kevin Mayne said: “At a time when the government is asking for programmes that use Big Society approaches to cut the deficit and promote economic recovery, it is crazy to put all of Cycling England’s programmes in jeopardy.

“These cycling projects demonstrate how the public, private and voluntary sectors can work together to achieve results and amazing value for money.”

CTC has highlighted the future of Bikeability as particular cause for concern. In England, more than 300,000 schoolchildren a year receive national standard cycle training.

But Transport Minister Norman Baker MP said Bikeability funding will be ring-fenced for the duration of the current parliament, although the future of the cycling towns and cities initiative is less certain.

“It is at a local level that most can be done to change patterns of behaviour and encourage more sustainable travel, especially for short journeys,” said Baker.

“And in an environment of tighter budgets and greater local flexibility, the government is determined to reduce bureaucracy and make local transport funding more efficient.

“That is why we intend to pool the myriad of centrally funded local transport grants, to create fewer but larger funding streams, largely formula based, and a new Local Sustainable Transport Fund.”

Specific details of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund will be revealed in the Comprehensive Spending Revue on October 20.