Seven additional communities are set to benefit from government funding as their proposals to create sustainable transport have been accepted.
The Department for Transport has allocated more than £900,000 to support these proposed projects as a part of its Local Sustainable Transport Fund, a month after it announced it was providing £440 million to support this type of scheme.
The announcement, made by Transport Minister Baroness Kramer, will see a number of local authorities given the funding to aid projects to improve transport links, services and information, create dedicated cycle routes and encourage people to use alternative transport methods.
Baroness Kramer added, “We’re serious about making transport better for the environment, whether that is cutting carbon or improving air quality. Encouraging more people to cycle or use public transport makes sense for local economies, because it reduces congestion and improves public health.
“That is why we’re providing record levels of funding for communities wanting to make their transport networks cleaner and greener.”
Of the seven proposals selected to receive government funding, Lincolnshire County Council will be given £350,000 to build on its already successful projects encouraging the increased use of alternative transport methods.
Councillor Richard Davies, Executive Councillor for Highways and Transportation at Lincolnshire County Council said that the money would be invested in upgrading the bus shelter facilities across the city and to improve Lincoln’s cycling infrastructure.
“For a long time, people living and working outside the city have been asking for further investment in other areas of Lincoln,” he said. “As well as continuing successfully to encourage more people in LN6 to travel sustainably, we will also use this funding to expand our offer to the wider city and build on positive achievements of Access LN6.”
Both Leicestershire County Council and Hertfordshire County Council are set to receive in excess of £100,000 each to put towards their sustainable transport projects, with Leicestershire County Council investing in providing better travel information at bus stops.
Shropshire, Wokingham, Bournemouth and Dorset councils will also be granted money, ranging from £50,000 to £84,000, to help fund their sustainable transport schemes.
In July, DfT provided more than £64 million worth of funding support for 44 sustainable projects across the country, with Greater Manchester and Black Country being the biggest benefactors, receiving £5 million and £3 million respectively.
