The government and Active Travel England has announced £32.9m of funding for active travel schemes across England which will enable people to walk, wheel and cycle more.
Greater Manchester will receive just under £3.4m from the Capability & Ambition Fund – 10% more than its initial allocation following a high-quality bid submitted to Active Travel England in autumn 2022.
This revenue funding is for one year and is to support infrastructure development, helping to encourage everyone in GM walk, wheel and cycle more by providing better and safer routes.
Greater Manchester has already introduced cycle hire bikes and plans to expand the scheme in line with the Bee Network ambitions. The Bee Network will be an integrated London-style transport system which will join together buses, trams, cycling and walking and rail.
Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “This funding announcement is a vote of confidence in Greater Manchester’s plans for active travel.
“In November, I launched my refreshed mission for active travel – to ensure walking, wheeling and cycling is possible for everyone. This new funding will be used across the region to further develop active travel work in 2023.
“From helping increase cycle hire facilities to building a comprehensive and cohesive pipeline of high-quality schemes, and also to ensure there is better publicity to ensure people can use existing active travel routes.
“I look forward to working with the Mayor, local authority leaders, the Transport Commissioner and community groups to continue the work that has been underway to make Greater Manchester the best place in the country to walk, wheel and cycle.”
The allocation of the money to each of Greater Manchester’s 10 boroughs has yet to be agreed.
