Active Travel England have announced a new package of funding to help create better active travel infrastructure and cycling and walking schemes.
£32.9 million pounds has been allocated to help train new engineers and planners to work with councils to launch high quality projects.
The new active travel minister Jesse Norman, who launched the scheme last week, said:
“Better designed schemes, which take into account the views of local people will help deliver improvements that have widespread local support.
Skills training and local community engagement will help local authorities to make active travel an attractive choice for getting around.”
Up to 1,300 new green jobs
The “Capability fund” will support local authorities to implement training for local engineers and planners so that they’ll be better placed to deliver active travel projects and infrastructure.
The government has said this could create up to 1,300 jobs. The hope is to enable local authorities to retain top talent, as well as training their own new team of active travel experts.
Alongside that budget for training, money will be set aside for developing Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs), network design and planning, feasibility studies, public engagement, and evidence collection.
First of ambitious new Active Travel England announcements for 2023
Chris Boardman told Forbes that active travel is “highly valued” in the Department for Transport, stressing that there is a high level of support on a political level.
Since the pandemic helped accelerate political will for active travel schemes, momentum seems to have grown within the DfT to help address air pollution, congestion, climate change, and public health.
“Active travel is a huge part of the solution,” added Boardman. “It is the transport mode that punches above its weight.”
Active Travel England are expected to announce funding for further projects this year. We will endeavour to keep you up to date with all future developments. Keep in touch via our newsletter for the latest news straight to your inbox.