Member Article

Warrington awarded £865,000 for sustainable transport projects

The Department for Transport has confirmed that Warrington Borough Council is to receive £865,000 in the latest round of its Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) allocations for 2015/16.

Warrington Borough Council will provide match funding for these projects from its capital programme to supplement each scheme.

To be considered for funding, projects had to demonstrate how they would boost economic growth, reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality and encourage higher levels of cycling and walking to improve public health.

The funding announcement will enable a number of key projects to be delivered including:

· A programme of direction signs on strategic links of the Warrington cycle and walking network

· Extension of the Personalised Travel Planning (PTP) project into west Warrington to help people plan their journeys

· Grants to businesses to deliver on site sustainable travel facilities

· Extension of the Travel Warrington Business Support into the emerging employment areas of Omega

· Cycle training and tuition for adults

· Improvements to public transport connectivity to help people use buses and trains

Warrington was one of only five local authorities in the North West to be granted funding.

Councillor Linda Dirir, Executive Member, Highways Transportation and Climate Change, Warrington Borough Council, said: “Warrington already has an enviable record of winning bids for sustainable transport.

“On top of the Local Transport Plan (LTP) annual capital programme, we obtained over £ 1m of Community Infrastructure Funding (CIF) in 2010, and £4.6m from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund in 2012 and now this.

“Our ever-expanding and well-used network of walking and cycle routes is testimony to our success. This funding allows us to make the network even easier to use and complements the other projects to encourage more people to travel sustainably in comfort and safety.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .