Council invests £2.6m into Travel Telford Sustainable Transport fund

Telford & Wrekin Council is to invest £2.6 million into a Travel Telford Sustainable Travel Fund as part of its work to boost more sustainable travel such as cycling, walking and use of public transport.

The investment will lead to a range of improvements over the next four years and support the Council’s coronavirus recovery plans to help boost business in town centres and high streets.

The council says there are also a number of “quick wins” to encourage more people to walk and cycling and increase footfall in high streets as the lockdown eases. These  include:

- A new cycle parking scheme to provide an extra 300 cycle parking places across the borough. Where these go will be determined after discussions with councillors, Parish & Town councils and businesses.

- A wide ranging inspection and maintenance review of the borough cycling and walking routes, starting with our cycling network, to identify any immediate and longer term improvements needed

- An online reporting tool to help residents spot any issues

In the longer term, there will be improved publicity and mapping of the network as well as connecting more walking and cycling paths to make an even better network alongside work to improve public transport in the borough. 

The Council has also secured a further £76,000 of emergency Government funding to support more cycling and walking which it is due to receive soon. As well as the quick wins, the fund will see the Council trial new facilities which could include cycle lanes and bike parking in areas such as the Wrekin, and also bring forward improvements for pedestrian and cyclists outside schools. 

Councillor David Wright, cabinet member with responsibility for Transport and Infrastructure, said: “The good transport links we have are one of the things that makes the borough special and attractive to inward investors.

“We’re always striving to improve on what we have and ensure our transport infrastructure is as modern and varied as possible, but we must make sure the existing routes that people use every day are as good as they can be.

“While the extra Government funding is welcomed, and will bolster to our existing proposals to make a real difference. Such investment from the Council’s fund in our network over a number of years will help create a better borough. 

Cllr Carolyn Healy, cabinet member for Visitor Economy, Historic & Natural Environment and Climate Change, said: “Improving and investing in sustainable transport bring a range of benefits for residents and businesses and a real opportunity for sustained change over a number of years.

“It will also encourage more people to use greener ways of getting about, helping to tackle climate change and towards our goal of becoming a carbon neutral borough by 2030.”