£60 million for sustainable travel initiatives

Councils are invited to apply for a share of £60 million of new funding to encourage walking and cycling.

The Department for Transport’s green Sustainable Travel Access Fund has been launched to encourage councils to offer sustainable transport initiatives which can improve access to jobs, skills, training and education.

The money, which will support projects from 2017 to 2020, is part of a wider government fund of over £300 million to boost walking and cycling during the current parliament.

Councils are being encouraged to look at opportunities to work together on devising schemes. The successful authorities will be asked to contribute ten per cent of their scheme costs.

They are encouraged to work alongside Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), many of whom will be including sustainable transport measures, including walking and cycling investment, proposals to be submitted next month in a further round of Growth Deals where up to £1.8 billion will be available.

The closing date for councils to bid for a share of the new fund is Friday 9 September. Councils across England can apply, excluding London which falls under the jurisdiction of the Mayor.