01.02.13
£62m cycling boost for cities
The Government has announced £62m investment to improve cycling facilities, including significant work to integrate cycling with public transport and make it easier and safer for people to cycle through cities.
New cycle hubs will be built at Leicester, Nottingham, Redhill and Upminster stations with bike hire, storage, lockers and changing facilities. A flagship centre will be created at Sheffield station and a cycling route network will be developed in Leeds city centre.
£550,000 government funding will go towards a cycle hub at Brighton station, including a cycle repair workshop.
Up to three cities are to benefit from funding of up to £30m to make cycling easier and safer for people in urban areas, improving cycle-rail integration and conditions for cyclists.
A £12m fund will be made available to local authorities working in partnership with National Parks to improve conditions for cyclists, the Community Linking Places Fund will receive a £15m boost to support cycle-rail integration schemes and encourage community cycling.
£5m will be added to a fund tackling 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.”
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]