£1 million funding for Sandwell cycle routes and paths
A new programme of cycling and walking schemes will be delivered after a council was awarded more than £1 million of funding from the Department for Transport.
Sandwell Council will deliver the schemes in the borough thanks to the funding called Active Travel Fund, coordinated by the West Midlands Combined Authority.
A consultation into four new schemes started last month and will run for four weeks.
The investment in active travel – the collective term for cycling and walking – also supports Sandwell’s aims of improving the health and wellbeing of residents as well as encouraging the use of cycling and walking for short journeys to ease congestion and help reduce carbon emissions in Sandwell and the wider region as set out in the climate change and air quality strategy.
There are plans to deliver four local infrastructure schemes to improve walking and cycling in Blackheath town centre, Wednesbury town centre, Bearwood High Street and a section of the A4123 Birmingham New Road.
Councillor Jackie Taylor, cabinet member for sustainable transport, said: “It’s fantastic that the DfT have awarded us funding which will help Sandwell and the wider West Midlands to implement plans to bring real improvements to local infrastructure, which will enable people to walk and cycle safely.
“The four new areas we have identified for improvements will include widening pavements in town centres, new crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists and new cycle lanes.
"These improvements will also bring about a significant shift in improving health and wellbeing by getting people more active, as well as having a positive impact on air quality.”
To have a say on the plans, visit sandwellwalking-and-cycling.commonplace.is/ before March 22.
