£7.5 million boost to encourage cycling and walking in Sheffield area

Sheffield City Region successfully bid for the huge slice of £64 million in government funding which was announced this week to get more people saddling up or travelling by foot.

The money will be distributed by regional chiefs to the four South Yorkshire councils of Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham, with the exact split yet to be decided.

In Sheffield, the council said the cash would support more than 20 cycle projects over the next three years, including schemes to provide cycling training, bike hire and secure parking for cyclists.

Martin McKervey, a Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership Board member and representative on Transport for the North, described the grant as 'very good news'.

"The region is committed to ensuring we have the best possible quality of life for residents and businesses, and making cycling and walking more attractive are key to this," he added.

"It's also very important in helping people trying to get back into work where the cost of travel is a problem.

"Our successful bid is yet more evidence of the highly focused drive we put behind initiatives to achieve growth and help create jobs, and ensure that we continue to get things done on behalf of the city region."

Sheffield Council leader Julie Dore said: "The funding is a major boost towards our ambitions in Sheffield and will support more than 20 cycle projects in 2017/18 and the following two years, that cover a wide range of initiatives, helping more people to get on and stay on their bikes. These include cycle training, access to bike hire and maintenance, secure cycle parking facilities and a strong cycling community of support.

"We will also build on our popular calendar of 'mass-participation' cycling events, which have already inspired thousands to take up cycling, such as Allez Allez Sheffield, the Magnificent Seven and Sheffield Grand Prix."

On Monday, the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority will be asked to approve an £11.8m plan to provide new or improved dedicated walking and cycling routes in and between the area's town centres.

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