South Shropshire MP Philip Dunne has welcomed news that the county is set to receive an additional £259,500 from the Government’s Active Travel Fund – designed to create safe space for cycling and walking.
The money will be provided to the local council and could be used to fund measures such as School Streets, Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and segregated cycle lanes. In total, £175 million is being allocated to local authorities across England in the latest round of allocations from the fund.
Following discussions with local MPs, the Government has stipulated that councils receiving money will have to meet tough new conditions to ensure that schemes are properly thought out and that their impact on other road users are closely weighed up. Councils will also have longer to spend the money, ensuring there is time to consult local communities. If these conditions are not met, future funding allocations will be reduced and the Government could clawback some of the money already provided.
The Government has pledged a revolution in walking and cycling as part of its plans to level up the whole county, with the Prime Minister pledging a record £2 billion investment to double cycling and increase walking by 2025. This comes on top of more than £27 billion that will be invested in England’s roads over the next five years, ensuring the road network is safe, reliable and efficient.
Mr Dunne said: “Walking and cycling have always been popular locally due to the magnificent beauty of our county, but we’ve seen even more people opting to walk or get on their bike when moving around during the pandemic.
“I am delighted Shropshire will benefit from additional funding to make our local area more bike and pedestrian-friendly while maintaining the access and space other road users still need. Where we can encourage people to use environmentally friendly transport, that also doubles as a good way to stay in shape, we should be looking to do so.
“I look forward to seeing how this investment will be brought forward in Shropshire.”
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