It’s great news for Warwickshire residents who are set to benefit from a share of a £161 million investment in cycling and walking schemes that was announced by the Government on Saturday 14 May 2022.
Warwickshire County Council has secured £1.4 million from the Government's Active Travel Fund towards the cost of delivering walking and cycling routes along Harbury Lane between Europa Way and the new primary and secondary schools being built at Oakley Grove on Oakley Wood Road.
This vital funding will be used to bring forward new or improved footways and cycleways and crossings helping people to cycle or walk to the new school and connecting more people to the growing network of cycling and walking routes across the area.
Walking and cycling as an alternative to using motorised vehicles, particularly for short journeys has a wide range of benefits that include:
- Providing daily exercise, which improves overall health outcomes by improving both physical and mental wellbeing;
- Reducing the number of vehicles on the roads, which in turn reduces the number of accidents and improves air quality; and
- Increasing social cohesion while reducing incidences of social isolation.
Along with this funding announcement, the Government also revealed £79,000 funding to support the preparation of a "mini-Holland" feasibility study which will assess how Leamington Spa could be made as pedestrian and cycle-friendly as many Dutch towns and cities.
The County Council is one of 19 authorities to receive funding to pay for a study and report to be produced, which will be submitted to the Department for Transport for assessment, with a small number of authorities set to be selected to receive intensive investment to bring forward mini-Holland schemes.
Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured this funding that will further enhance our active travel aspirations for Warwickshire.
“As a Council, we have ambitious plans to extend the reach and quality of our cycling network so that cycling can be the go-to travel choice, particularly for short urban journeys, and this is perfectly complemented by this important funding boost.”
Find out more about active travel in Warwickshire on the new active travel webpages
Find out more about: developing Warwickshire’s cycling network
Find out more about this Government funding: Healthy, cost-effective travel for millions as walking and cycling projects get the green light