Cycling

A total of 44 sustainable transport schemes across England are to share a £64m investment from the UK Government’s 2015-2016 Local Sustainable Transport Fund.

Selected by the UK Department of Transport (DoT), the projects will provide matching funds, thereby, increasing the total investment to roughly £375m. Approximately £100m of these funds will be provided by the local governments from their Local Growth Fund.

The DoT said in a statement: "This means that for every £1 the Department for Transport will invest through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, local authorities will contribute £5.80 over the six years."

"We want more people to choose to travel in a way that cuts congestion and carbon, delivering economic and environmental benefits."

The schemes that have been selected for the funds include an extension of Birmingham’s Cycling Ambition programme, Devon’s Access 2 Education project that encourages students to use sustainable transport to school, East Lancashire’s enhanced strategic cycle network and Tamworth’s plan to improve employment through cycling training and transport interchanges.

The local authorities were required to demonstrate that their projects deliver economic growth, benefit the environment, encourage cycling and walking, improve health and create better transport interchanges.

Transport minister Baroness Kramer said: "We want more people to choose to travel in a way that cuts congestion and carbon, delivering economic and environmental benefits. This funding will make that choice easier for millions of people across the country by delivering new sustainable transport schemes throughout England."

Image: The sustainable transport fund seeks to encourage cycling and walking in the UK. Photo: courtesy of Crown.