Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram offers £1.4m to encourage more walking and cycling in Liverpool city region and reveals he has given up his own car for public transport. Tony McDonough reports
Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham is investing an extra £1.4m into walking and cycling projects in Liverpool city region.
And Mr Rotheram has revealed he has abandoned his car and instead travels by public transport. He said: “I want to kickstart an active travel revolution in our area that makes it easy for people to choose greener, cleaner ways to get about.”
He adds the Combined Authority has already invested more than £50m into active travel infrastructure across Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St Helens and Halton.
This latest cash injection will help pay for a variety of active travel related projects, including:
- Secure cycle parking trials: new bike parking hangers to be installed in some residential areas.
- Local cycling and walking plans: detailed local route and infrastructure plans will be developed with the six boroughs.
- Cycle safety training: free lessons for city region residents of all ages to help people cycle safely and with confidence.
Mr Rotheram added: “Having given up my own car a few years ago, I know first-hand the benefits that travelling by public transport can bring.
“But I’m under no illusion about the scale of the challenge ahead of us to encourage more people in our area to swap their car for walking or cycling short journeys. By better connecting our active travel routes to the rest of our transport network we’re making it easier than ever to get around.”
The money was secured by the Combined Authority from the Government’s Active Travel Capability and Ambition Fund, with an additional 25% of funding being unlocked based on the strength of the bid.
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Simon O’Brien, Liverpool City Region Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “It’s fantastic to see these additional funds being awarded to the Liverpool city region. It’s also an amazing opportunity to help change the way we think about travelling around our local area.
The kind of schemes that will be delivered by this funding will encourage people to get out of their cars and help to create a whole new generation of walkers and cyclists.”