The Government and Active Travel England have announced £32.9m of funding for active travel schemes, which enable people to walk, wheel, and cycle more, in England.
In the announcement, made on Monday (January 2) Greater Manchester was told it will receive £3,395,312 from the Capability & Ambition Fund – 10 per cent more than its initial allocation following a bid submitted to Active Travel England in the autumn.
The £3.4m revenue funding is for one year and aims to support an infrastructure programme to enable everyone in Greater Manchester walk, use wheelchairs, and cycle more.
Greater Manchester’s active travel commissioner, Dame Sarah Storey, said: “This funding announcement is a vote of confidence in Greater Manchester’s plans for active travel.
“In November, I launched my refreshed mission for active travel – to ensure walking, wheeling and cycling is possible for everyone. This new funding will be used across the region to further develop active travel work in 2023.
"From helping increase cycle hire facilities to building a comprehensive and cohesive pipeline of high-quality schemes, and also to ensure there is better publicity to ensure people can use existing active travel routes.
“I look forward to working with the Mayor, local authority leaders, the Transport Commissioner and community groups to continue the work that has been underway to make Greater Manchester the best place in the country to walk, wheel and cycle.”
The allocation of the money to each of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs has yet to be agreed.
ALSO READ: Trial of bikes on trams coming as commissioner sets out active travel plan.
Launched in January 2022, Active Travel England is a government agency which has been given the task of increasing the standards of cycling and walking infrastructure across the country.
The organisation will inspect and publish reports on infrastructure, and help to train staff at local authorities.
Cyclist Chris Boardman became its first commissioner when it launched after he left his role as Greater Manchester’s walking and cycling commissioner.
Its advisors include Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and West Midlands Mayor Andy Street.
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