Eight cities and four national parks share bike cash

Eight cities and four national parks in England will share £94m of DfT funding?over the next two years to boost cycling.

In a clear sign of the high political profile cycling enjoys at the moment, the winners of the  £77m Cycle Cities Ambition Fund and the £17m national parks funding were announced by the Prime Minister, David Cameron. The Government said  local contributions would take the total expenditure on cycling in the areas to £148m.

Greater Manchester secured the biggest slice of the city funding – £20m. This will complement a local contribution of £11.1m. The funding will deliver a network of new routes leading out from the city centre to the M60, some of which will be segregated from other traffic. In addition, bike parking facilities and better cycle access?will be provided at Gatley, Irlam, Flixton and Guide Bridge rail stations and the Prestwich, Hollinwood and East Didsbury Metrolink stops.

West Yorkshire received £18.1m, complementing a local contribution of £11.2m. The area’s bid, drawn up with the assistance of consultant  AECOM, includes a new segregated cycle way from east Leeds to Bradford city centre, together with secure cycle parking.

Birmingham has been awarded £17m, with a local contribution pledged of a further £7.3m. The cash will fund the first phase of a city-wide cycle network along radial corridors, with the initial focus being on encouraging journeys 20 minutes or less cycle time from the city centre.

Three of the four West of England authorities (Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset and  South Gloucestershire) have been awarded £7.8m, which will be complemented by a local contribution of £3.3m.

The cash will deliver three schemes:

• a new pedestrian and cycle promenade following the route of the River Avon through Bristol city centre from the Avon Bridge to Bristol Temple Meads train station and the Temple Quay Enterprise Zone. This will feature five new or improved river crossings.
• a Cribbs Causeway to Emerson’s Green cycle route in South Gloucestershire
• a new set of contra-flow cycle routes around the Shared Dials shared space in Bath to join up existing on-road cycle routes

Newcastle City Council has received £5.7m, which, together with a £6m local contribution, will fund seven new cycle routes.

Cambridgeshire will use its £4.1m award, together with a local contribution of £4.1m to install segregated cycle lanes on some main roads in Cambridge and provide good quality cycle links to business parks in South Cambridgeshire.

Norwich and Norfolk have received £3.7m,  which, together with a local contribution of £1.8m, will fund an eight-mile cross-city route.

Oxfordshire secured £800,000 from the DfT, which will be complemented by a local contribution of £580,000. The funding will improve the safety of the Plain roundabout, a five-arm roundabout on the edge of Oxford city centre, reducing the width of the circulatory carriageway.

Four national parks will share £17m:

• Peak District – £5m, local contribution £2.5m. This will fund four new bike trails.
• Dartmoor – £4.4m, local contribution £3m. This will fund major improvements to 93 miles of cycleways and smaller upgrades to 86 miles of route.
• South Downs – £3.8m, local contribution £1.3m. The focus is on improving cycle access from major rail stations and 55km of new routes will be built.
• New Forest – £3.6m, local contribution £2.2m

One surprising omission from the list of winners was Cumbria’s bid for the Lake District. In July Cumbria said it had won a £4.67m slice of the funding.