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£7.2m to be pumped into Lancashire and Cumbria’s walking and cycling routes
Communities in Lancashire and Cumbria are set to benefit from a cut of more than £47m to improve walking and cycling routes.
The Government is set to inject the large amounts of cash into communities in the North West, helping to boost local economies and transform school runs for thousands of children. As a result, the hope is that it will generate up to 16 million additional walking and cycling trips every year.
Areas in Blackburn and Cumbria will benefit from the money, following extensive consultation with local authorities. The cash will come from the share in the latest round of the Active Travel Fund (ATF4), which sees 39 schemes delivered across the region, including the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Lancashire County Council and former Cumbria County Council areas. Blackpool is not receiving any cash as part of the scheme.
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The package is countrywide and was announced in February this year. All in all, it will include 121 miles of new cycle track, 77 miles of new paths and greenways and initiatives to make streets safer for around 130 schools.
It is also estimated that Active Travel will bring a £36.5 billion boost for the economy in a year, with increased high street spending and better access to jobs. Transport Secretary, Mark Harper said: “We want to make sure everyone across the country can choose cheaper, greener and healthier travel, while we continue to support our high streets and local businesses.
“This £200 million pound investment will improve road safety, ease congestion across the North West and on public transport, and ultimately improve the health and wellbeing of the millions of people choosing active travel.”
The proposed funding for Blackburn will be £157,270 and for Lancashire County Council, it will be £5,529,992. For Cumbria County Council, the proposed funding amount is £1,602,359. Other authorities have explained the benefits of the scheme, with Tamworth in Staffordshire using the funding to enable active and safe modes of travel to schools. For communities in Devon, an unused railway track will be converted into a route to connect rural communities.
National Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman said: “By giving millions of people the freedom of choice to walk, wheel or cycle for everyday trips, this funding will help us improve public health, tackle climate change and give hundreds of thousands of children the independence to travel safely under their own steam. Now our focus is working with councils to get these schemes built swiftly. We’ll be working together to ensure the projects are well designed and effective, so that they bring maximum benefits to communities and help improve lives nationwide.”
Safety will be at the forefront of the new schemes, ensuring women and children are safe when walking anywhere, including to school. People in wheelchairs and mobility scooters will also see street designs become more inclusive. Across England, cycling has continued to thrive and is up 11% since pre-pandemic levels, increasing by more than 20% in the last decade.
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