The West Midlands Combined Authority has secured £36 million to invest in active travel projects, aiming to get more people cycling and walking across the region.
The funding will be used by Transport for West Midlands and local councils to:
- Build safe cycling and walking routes
- Deliver programmes such as School Streets and Bikeability to encourage active travel for everyday journeys
Alongside the four-year funding package, Active Travel England has awarded TfWM a capability rating of 3 – the joint-highest rating achieved by any authority. This reflects strong local leadership, skilled staff, comprehensive plans, and a growing network that is already encouraging more people to walk, wheel, or cycle.
Mayor Richard Parker said:
“This extra funding and high rating is a great show of confidence in our ability to deliver on active travel – and we will. This means more cycle lanes, road crossings, and better pathways to make it easier and safer for everyone to walk and cycle, especially for those shorter journeys like the school run or a trip to the local shops.
“Investing in active travel is how we will reduce gridlock on our streets, clean our air, and build a happier and healthier community."
Earlier this year, the Mayor appointed Beccy Marston as the West Midlands Active Travel Commissioner to work with councils, organisations, and communities to further boost walking and cycling levels. Commenting on the funding, she said:
“This funding allows us to further improve the safety and accessibility of walking, wheeling and cycling within our communities. I’m proud of the commitment demonstrated by our regional officers and the politicians who have championed this work, resulting in the retention of our capability rating.
“We will invest this money to continue building a connected, safe network that supports independent travel for young people and helps people make healthy choices for short trips, baking physical activity into daily routines.”
The funding forms part of a £626 million national investment announced today by the government and Active Travel England to support councils across the country in delivering safer, greener travel options.
Image credit: iStock
