Walking and cycling in local communities will be boosted by a £60 million government competition launched today (Tuesday, 5 July 2016).
Councils across England are being asked to bid for a share of the Department for Transport’s green sustainable travel access fund.
The fund has been launched to encourage councils to offer sustainable transport initiatives which can improve access to jobs, skills, training and education.
The cash, which will support projects over 3 years from 2017 to 2020, is part of a wider government fund of over £300 million to boost walking and cycling during the current parliament.
Councils are being encouraged to look at opportunities to work together on devising schemes. The successful authorities will be asked to contribute 10 per cent of their scheme costs.
They are encouraged to work alongside Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), many of whom will be including sustainable transport measures, including walking and cycling investment, proposals to be submitted next month in a further round of Growth Deals where up to £1.8 billion will be available.
Cycling and walking Minister Robert Goodwill said: "Green sustainable transport schemes cut congestion, improve air quality and can make it easier for people to get around more efficiently and effectively."
"We are investing over £300 million to support cycling and walking schemes in this parliament, and this new scheme is aimed at kick-starting innovative and sustainable council projects."
The results of an earlier competition were announced in May, with 23 local councils or combined authority projects sharing in £20.6 million of government cash to support a total of nearly £33.4 million worth of new projects up and down England – including Let’s Get to Work in Greater Manchester, Connecting Hampshire to Grow Rural Prosperity and Go Smarter across the north-east.
The closing date for councils to bid for a share of the new fund is Friday 9 September. Councils across England can apply, excluding London which falls under the jurisdiction of the Mayor.
For more information on how to apply, click here.