In the largest ever allocation of funding for cycling to date, Transport Minister Norman Baker has unveiled details of a £62 million investment to make travelling on two wheels more attractive for people throughout England.
Over the last 12 months the government has announced £107 million will be made available for cycling during this Parliament. Today the government confirmed the allocation of £57 million from this:
- up to 3 cities will be invited to bid for a fund of up to £30 million to make cycling easier and safer for people in urban areas
- a fund worth up to £12 million is being made available to local authorities working in partnership with National Parks to improve conditions for cyclists
- a £15 million boost is being given to the Community Linking Places Fund to support schemes that improve cycle-rail integration and enhance community cycling (a full list of the schemes and breakdown of funding can be found on the GOV.UK website
- the green light is being given for funding towards a new £500,000 cycle hub at Brighton station offering 500 new cycle parking spaces, cycle hire, changing facilities and a cycle repair workshop.
In addition to the £57 million allocation, £5 million will be added to the fund already earmarked to tackle dangerous junctions, with allocations to follow in the near future.
Transport Minister Norman Baker said: "We are serious about cycling, as this latest wave of funding shows. We have already seen how schemes can quickly deliver economic and environmental benefits, as well as improving public health.
"Anyone who rides a bike will know it is important to keep the impetus going and this record level of funding will provide a shot in the arm to cycling in England.
"Our ambition is to get people cycling more safely and more often and today's announcements will help us to make that vision a reality."
Schemes receiving funding in this latest cash boost for cycling will include cycle hubs at Redhill, Upminster, Nottingham and Leicester stations which will see hundreds of new cycle parking places and bikes for hire plus a high quality cycle route network for Leeds city centre.
The new projects will build on the success of those previously funded by the department which have promoted links between cycling and train use and looked at local needs to make cycling easier and more attractive in communities around the country.
Most of the schemes receiving funding from the department will also receive local contributions, making the true value of the fund to cyclists considerably higher.
