‘Green’ transport schemes get Government cash

FOUR North West transport projects have been given the go ahead at part of a £155m nationwide Government commitment.

Schemes in Merseyside, Lancashire, Manchester and Cumbria are among 39 that have won funding as part of the first allocation from the local sustainable transport fund.

Manchester will get £4.8m for a “commuter cycle project” that will create 650 bike spaces at seven new centres that will have lockers, toilets and showers for cyclists. Another 450 will be built inside secure compounds.

Cumbria has also been allocated £4.8m for its Lake District sustainable visitor transport beacon area which will seek to reduce carbon emissions in the Lakes with a “green” transport network. The money will be spent on joining up transport services, improving paths for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users and creating a network of pay-as-you-go electric bikes.

The Sefton and West Lancashire visitor economy project, which will seek to improve cycling and walking networks, secured £1.5m, and Merseytravel’s sustainable access to employment scheme picked up £4.8m.

Cllr Tim Knowles, Cumbria County Council’s cabinet member responsible for environment, said: “This money will allow us to work with the Lake District National Park Authority to make the Lakes a truly pioneering hub of sustainable transport and encourage a step change in the way people visit and travel around the Lakes.”