MERSEYSIDE was handed almost £6.5m yesterday to help people travel by bus, bike, or on foot – and to leave the car at home.
Two bids were awarded Government funding for small-scale improvements to cut the carbon emissions linked to global warming, while boosting economic growth.
The cash will pay for everything from new walking and cycling links and loans to buy bikes to car-sharing schemes, better advice and the re-opening of a park-and-ride site.
But the launch of the sustainable transport fund comes hard-on-the-heels of a big cut in overall funding for local transport improvements.
Last November’s spending settlement cut £95m from the block transport grants to councils in 2011-12, down from £473m to £378m.
Merseytravel was warned its funding would be slashed by two-thirds in this financial year, from £32m to just £11.4m, a settlement it described as “financial savagery”.
Nevertheless, the transport authority said yesterday’s grant of £4.88m would form part of a valuable £13.5m package, funding:
In Knowsley, new, safe cycle routes to help workers across the borough reach their jobs in Kirkby, including cycle training.
In Liverpool, the development of a transport hub in Everton, boasting cycle loans, recycling and training and two full-time staff members offering support and advice.
In St Helens, advice to employers on how to encourage staff to travel to work by bike, scooter and car sharing.
In Sefton, the appointment of a business travel advisor to help develop alternative transport travel plans for staff, plus improvements to pedestrian access and cycle paths.
In Wirral, the appointment of a business support officer working alongside firms to cut car journeys to work, including cycle loans.
Separately, Sefton Council was awarded £1.55m for its “visitor economy project”, to improve facilities for pedestrians and cyclists in places such as Formby and Ormskirk town centres.
The plans include the reopening of the Kew park and ride site, during school holidays and weekends initially, to improve travel into Southport town centre.
Merseytravel chief executive Neil Scales said: “The support we received from across the area was phenomenal and we now look forward to the challenge of delivering our objectives.”
