We have secured almost £200,000 in government funding to continue our work to encourage active travel and provide better walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure for people in Brighton & Hove
This will help people save money on transport, improve health and reduce their carbon footprints.
Over the next 12 months, the money will be used to support various projects in the city, including:
- eCargo bikes for small and medium sized businesses
- eBike commuter pilot project
- Community engagement on Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan project consultations
- Adult cycling courses for 60 people and family cycling courses with 139 places
- Workplace travel initiatives to improve sustainable access to jobs
- Support for new and existing schools in the ‘School streets’ programme
- Community walking projects
- Dr Bike sessions at places of employment, training and education.
- Led bike rides to explore the city’s cycling network and beyond.
- Support and development of the city’s interactive online cycle map
- Brighton & Hove’s first Walking Festival in June
- The ongoing Active and Inclusive Travel forum
This money will complement the many hours of work that’s already been done to support active travel in the city, including our eCargo bike accelerator project, the ‘Move for Change’ challenge through the BetterPoints app, walking campaigns, our work with local schools and cycle training.
Continue our great work
Councillor Elaine Hills, Co-Chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability committee said: “This is great news and means we can continue the great work that’s being done to encourage people to make sustainable travel choices.
“We’ve seen how things like eCargo bikes can really benefit businesses and the great work schools are doing to get more children, parents and carers to travel actively. We need to do more if we’re to get more people walking, wheeling and cycling.
“If we do that, we can help combat the climate crisis and free up space on the roads for those who really need it.”
The funding has come from Active Travel England, the government’s new agency responsible for making active travel the preferred choice for everyone to get around in England. Its objective is for 50% of trips in England’s towns and cities to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030.
National Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, said: “If we want millions more people to walk, wheel and cycle to schools, shops and workplaces, we need to give them what they need to make the switch.
“Delivering schemes that offer an attractive choice takes technical skill, local knowledge, and community involvement.
“Survey after survey has shown people want the choice to be able to use the car a bit less and would love their kids to have more transport independence, so we aim to ensure they are at the heart of creating the right solution for their area.
“2023 is the year Active Travel England will start to make that happen.”
More information
- Cycling UK estimated that if people cycled short journeys, they’d save an average £126 per year in fuel costs alone and would burn hundreds of extra calories each week.
- A Department for Transport public opinion survey found that 70% of respondents supported a reduction of traffic in their local area.
- Department for Transport walking and cycling statistics show men cycle more often and further than women in all age brackets.
- A Sustrans study found that 79% of women support building more protected cycle lanes.
