Cash boost to get England cycling
An extra £20 million for cycle infrastructure
Cities, towns and villages across England are set to benefit from an extra £20 million for cycle infrastructure. The new funding was announced today (28 November 2012) by Transport Minister Norman Baker, at a conference in Leicester.
This new funding will help people take to 2 wheels. Projects could include better cycle facilities at railway stations, improved cycle links, or projects to improve the layout of road junctions to make them more cycle-friendly. Previous investment has seen some great projects making a real difference in communities, including better cycle routes from residential areas to schools to encourage the next generation of cyclists to cycle more regularly.
Today’s conference in Leicester, attended by Public Health Minister Anna Soubry and Norman Baker, explores how councils’ health and transport officials can work better together to deliver better options for cycling and walking in their local areas.
Norman Baker said:
Cycling is great for your health, the economy, and for the environment so we are determined to make it easier for people to cycle whether for leisure, getting to the shops or as part of their commute to work.
Following the success of the Olympics, there is a huge appetite for more cycling provision from the travelling public and we need to capitalise on this enthusiasm at local and national level.
That is why we are investing £20 million in cycling infrastructure and getting councils to bring an end to silo working in their offices.
Public Health Minister Anna Soubry said:
Being active helps us stay healthy and protects against life threatening conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
Cycling is a great way for adults to get their recommended 150 minutes of physical activity each week and this funding will help encourage more people to get involved.
The £20 million announced today is in addition to £30 million already announced for similar projects this year which drew in an additional £15 million in matched funding from local sources. The projects to be funded will be announced later in the year.
Notes to editors
A written statement was laid in Parliament this morning.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence today also published new guidance on public health for local authorities
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