Green growth gets £113 million transport boost
30 carbon cutting local transport schemes given go ahead.
30 carbon cutting, growth boosting local transport schemes were given the green light today by Transport Minister Norman Baker.
The projects have won funding totalling £113 million as part of the second allocation from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. They are led by 29 English local authorities with many more as partners and cover 8 regions. All projects are designed to create a sustainable transport package that delivers economic growth and reduces carbon emissions.
The successful schemes include a variety of measures including improving sustainable transport options for commuters, creating public transport hubs, building better cycling infrastructure and even providing a new ferry service.
Norman Baker said:
The schemes we are funding today will benefit communities from Devon to Durham by cutting carbon emissions, reducing congestion and stimulating economic growth in these areas.
By investing in these projects we are signalling our commitment to green growth which will help to kick-start economic activity in local areas while improving access to healthier forms of transport and addressing the problem of climate change.
The schemes to be funded include:
- Smarter Travel Slough which will reduce congestion on main roads in the rush hour by increasing the use of walking, cycling and public transport. This will improve air quality and health while supporting business efficiency.
- Walk to School Outreach will see Durham County Council working with national charity Living Streets and eight other councils to increase the number of children walking to school in 854 primary and 182 secondary schools nationally. The project aims to reduce congestion and improve health through exercise.
- Travel Torbay Regeneration Project will deliver a new fast ferry service between Torbay and Brixham which will see journey times cut by half, a new cycle route to encourage more low carbon journeys and a supporting package of employer based travel planning to help increase use of public transport.
- Access to Jobs, Training and Services in Stafford will aim to reduce congestion at peak times in Stafford by improving access to walking, cycling and public transport. People will be encouraged to reconsider their travel habits through offers of discounted bus travel and a new mobile cycle centre providing cyclists with information and advice as well as selling reconditioned bikes.
- Sustainable Transport Access to Tourism on the Isle of Wight will improve the island’s sustainable transport network to support its bid to become a leading destination for green tourism. This will include the provision of transport hubs and easily-accessible live travel information to help visitors and local people plan their journeys. Walking and cycling routes will also receive a boost.
A full list of the successful bids can be found below. All the schemes for which funding has been confirmed today are also receiving contributions from the local council or the private sector. In total, the £113 million provided by DfT is allowing more than double that amount to be invested in these important projects.
These local schemes will bring national benefits. In addition to supporting economic growth enabling and encouraging people to make more sustainable travel choices, the projects will reduce delays on the roads in urban areas, delays which cost the economy around £11 billion a year. They will also help tackle problems such as poor air quality and improved cycling and walking infrastructure will help to improve the health of the nation.
Notes to editors
Today’s announcement relates to schemes seeking contributions from the Department of less than £5 million. Large projects which have been allocated funding of more than £5 million from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund will be announced by the end of June 2012.
For every £1 of DfT funding provided for these schemes, £1.19 is being contributed by local authorities and other partners.
A full list of bids are available
The schemes for which funding has been announced today are listed below:
| Sponsoring local authority | DfT funding (£) |
| Bournemouth Borough Council | 4.636 million |
| Bracknell Forest Council | 1.664 million |
| Cambridgeshire County Council | 5 million |
| Central Bedfordshire Council | 4.954 million |
| Cheshire East Council | 3.509 million |
| Cheshire West and Chester Council | 4.578 million |
| Cornwall Council | 2.299 million |
| Coventry City Council | 3.496 million |
| Derby City Council | 4.922 million |
| Devon County Council | 4.999 million |
| Dorset County Council | 2.409 million |
| Durham County Council | 4.761 million |
| East Riding of Yorkshire Council | 0.942 million |
| Gloucestershire County Council | 4.969 million |
| Isle of Wight Council | 3.950 million |
| Kingston upon Hull City Council | 1.870 million |
| Lancashire County Council | 5 million |
| Leicestershire County Council | 4 million |
| Lincolnshire County Council | 4.899 million |
| North East Lincolnshire Council | 4.330 million |
| Northumberland County Council | 2.842 million |
| Portsmouth City Council | 5 million |
| Slough Borough Council | 4.305 million |
| Somerset County Council | 3.891 million |
| Staffordshire County Council | 4.239 million |
| Stockton on Tees Borough Council | 4.458 million |
| Torbay Council | 2.750 million |
| Warrington Borough Council | 4.650 million |
| Wokingham Borough Council | 2.750 million |
| Wokingham Borough Council | 0.868 million |
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