Over £20 million to be spent on cycling and walking schemes across West Midlands
29 schemes have successfully bid for government funding
Last updated 19th May 2023
Communities across the West Midlands are set to benefit from £21.3million of Government funding for cycling and walking schemes.
It's hoped it'll help boost local economies and transform the school run for thousands of children, generating up to 16 million extra walking and cycling trips a year across the country.
Following consultation with local authorities, areas including Birmingham, Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Shropshire will benefit from a share of the latest round of the Active Travel Fund (ATF4) and the £21.3million of investment.
29 schemes will be delivered across the region.
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 West Midlands and on public transport, and ultimately improve the health and wellbeing of the millions of people choosing active travel.”
National Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman added:
“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.”
The winning projects have demonstrated they provide people with attractive choices to use cycling and walking for local journeys, and do not include any Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes. Local authorities have worked closely with local people to ensure the schemes benefit the community as a whole.