We have secured nearly a quarter of a million pounds to bring forward a range of new walking and cycling measures, including a segregated cycling link through the city centre to a new pop-up cycle parking facility outside the Guildhall.
We've been awarded our full allocation of £249,000 from the Department for Transport’s Emergency Active Travel Fund, which we bid for earlier this month.
The funding will be used to deliver a package of measures to support walking and cycling as part of the city’s COVID-19 recovery plans.
The Armada Way scheme, which will run from the railway station to the Guildhall, will help reduce potential conflict between an increasing number of pedestrians and cyclists and support a vibrant city centre, with active travel at its heart.
It will be complemented by a number of other measures, including increased cycle parking at Milehouse park and ride, new ‘20mph when lights flash’ signs outside schools, the removal of unnecessary barriers on footpaths and cycleways and steps to tackle parking in cycle lanes.
The bid is the first of two phases of funding available to support walking and cycling from the Emergency Active Travel Fund. Following its approval, we will now be eligible to bid for an ‘indicative’ £995,000 in phase two, for more permanent schemes, later in the year.
Councillor Mark Coker, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Infrastructure said: “This council has a very good track record of delivering walking and cycling improvements in the city and has a current sustainable transport programme of over £5 million.
“We are looking to align this, and future investments, to the transport strategy we have already put in place for our city, set out in the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan.
“We remain committed to providing active, sustainable travel options for residents and visitors and we’re really pleased the government has approved our full funding allocation, demonstrating the strength of our bid.
“This will enable us to press ahead with a range of projects that will help people get to back to work and school on foot and by bike and support Plymouth’s COVID-19 recovery.
“Work will get under way as soon as possible to start delivering these measures on the ground, enhancing our current walking and cycling programme, which is already set to deliver more than 16km of new and improved traffic-free links by April 2021.
“This will build on the £8.95 million of investment we have secured since 2016 that has helped achieve a 56 per cent increase in cycling in Plymouth over the past seven years.
“We are eagerly looking forward to the government publishing its guidance and criteria on the second phase of funding, where we will be able to bid for a further £995,000 for more permanent measures.”