Cllr Scott Smith
Environment and Climate Change
Highways and Transport

Lancashire awarded new funding for walking and cycling

Lancashire County Council will get £1.1m from Active Travel England to boost cycling and walking across the county.

The council has been allocated the full amount of active travel revenue funding from the Department for Transport, plus an additional 25% due to the quality of their bid.

The funding is from Active Travel England's Capability and Ambition Fund (CAF), which focuses on two main areas: the production of Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) and the development of related cycle schemes; as well as behaviour change activities to encourage cycling and walking. 

The council is currently developing proposals for seven LCWIPs covering all areas of the county, which will join up the gaps in our existing network of footpaths and cycle routes and provide safe, direct and convenient routes.

Cllr Scott Smith, Lead Member for Active Travel at Lancashire County Council said:

"We are really pleased to have been successful in this funding bid which will greatly help us in delivering the LCWIPs, and our planning team are currently busy preparing these for public comment in the summer. The additional funding is a welcome bonus and testament to the team who have worked hard to put together such a strong bid.

"We have ambitious targets to increase the number of people regularly cycling and walking across the county and make active travel part of everyone's everyday lives. Active Travel offers physical and mental health benefits, reduces traffic congestion as well as helping the environment with better air quality for everyone.

"At the moment nationally, over 60% of all journeys of between one and two miles are made by car. But with the right infrastructure in place, we want to make it easier our residents to make more short journeys on foot or by bike.

"The funding will also be used for a behaviour change and promotion programme to help more people choose active travel for short journeys, which will mean we get the greatest possible impact from any investment in new or improved infrastructure."

You can find out more about active travel in Lancashire at www.lancashire.gov.uk/activetravel

 

 

 

 

 

Notes to editors

Active Travel England's Capability and Ambition Fund (CAF) is a £32.9 million government funding pot to create a national network of walking and cycling experts and accelerate walking and cycling schemes across the country.

Lancashire County Council's bid focussed on two main areas:

  1. Completion of seven LCWIPs (Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plans) and the further development of a pipeline of schemes, with early design work, to help inform delivery of capital/infrastructure schemes; and,
  2. A behaviour change and promotion programme to help facilitate more people choosing active travel for short journeys, including:
  • Love to Ride;
  • School Streets;
  • Business Engagement/Grants;
  • Adult cycle training;
  • Cycle maintenance training; and
  • Communications/promotion campaigns.

One of the principles behind the funding is that it will help to develop skills and expertise ('capability') within councils which should ensure there is a legacy of better quality design for active travel schemes, which can proliferate to all Highways schemes.