Funviralpark Launched today (January 2, 2023) by active travel minister Jesse Norman, the fund will advance thousands of well-thought-out regional plans created in collaboration with the communities that use it. increase.
Active Travel Minister Jesse Norman said:
Leaving the car and walking or biking is an easy way to get healthy, save money and reduce your carbon footprint.
A better designed scheme that takes into account the views of local people can help achieve improvements that have widespread local support.
Skills training and local community involvement can help local governments make active travel an attractive option for getting around.
The Capacity Fund will help local governments across the country train and maintain local engineers and planners, work effectively with local communities, and have a skilled and active traveling workforce capable of conducting quality engagement and consultation sessions. produces
This multi-million pound investment will not only enable local governments to hire and retain skilled professionals, but also provide professional training, upskill and create active to provide consistent, high quality schemes across England that offer a wide range of travel options.
The funds will also be used to bring travel options to a wider audience by engaging underrepresented groups and offering cycling training and bike rental schemes.
National Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman said:
If millions of people want to walk, drive or bike to school, shop or work, we need to give them what they need to make the transition.
Technical skills, local knowledge and community involvement are required to deliver schemes that offer attractive alternatives. Survey after survey shows that people want to use cars a little less and want their children to be more independent in transportation. 2023 is the year Active Travel England starts to make it happen.
Living Streets CEO Stephen Edwards added:
Our cities are used by everyone and should be designed with everyone in mind. The Capability Fund improves the quality of our places and helps people make cleaner, healthier transportation choices. We look forward to working with local governments to increase walking and car use across the country.
Activities Funded:
- Tailor-made training for local government officials and councilors
- Regional cycling and walking infrastructure planning (LCWIP)
- Network design and planning
- Feasibility study
- Public engagement/consultation and co-design
- Collecting data and evidence
The funds will also be used to reach out to underrepresented groups and enable more children to walk, drive or bike to school. Community engagement programs give individuals the confidence to walk and bike safely through cycle training, school walking groups and bike rental schemes.
People will benefit from better access to jobs and education through initiatives such as outreach to schools and employment centres.
