THE transport secretary says there can also be a 'green recovery' as we recover from a pandemic that has now killed more than 31,000 people.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps gave the coronavirus update at Downing Street today as he announced that walkers and cyclists would be placed at the heart of a transport strategy to recover from the pandemic.

He told the nation there had now been more than 1.7 million Covid-19 tests in the UK, of which 96,878 tests were carried out yesterday.

So far 215,260 people have tested positive, an increase of 3,896 since yesterday. In total 11,809 people are in UK hospitals with Covid-19, down from 12,284 yesterday.

In total, across all settings, that there have been 31,587 deaths from Covid-19, an increase of 346 fatalities since yesterday.

Mr Shapps said: "These deaths are devastating for the families, friends and victims and our thoughts and prayers are with all of them every day."

He said that moving beyond Covid-19 would be a gradual process and 'not a single leap to freedom' with public transport capacity severely restricted because of the need for social distancing.

The transport secretary announced a £2 billion 'once in a generation' package to put cycling and walking at the heart of transport policy, the first stage being a £250 million emergency intervention to make cycling and walking safer.

He said this would include pop-up bike lanes, wider pavements and cyclist-only streets. Statutory advice will be published for councils.

The transport secretary said one of the positives of the pandemic had been a fall in the levels of air population.

He intends to fast-track the trial the use of e-scooters, to set up rental schemes as soon as possible. Mr Shapps also spoke of improved standards for cycling infrastructure and a national cycling champion. Also announced was £10 million additional support for electric car charging points.

He accepted that, despite this, the car would remain an 'absolutely vital form of transport'.

He advised people to wait for the Prime Minister's 'road map' tomorrow night for 'going forward' and said social distancing remained one of 'the absolute key ways to beat this virus in order that we can get Britain moving again'.