More active travel projects in Wales given funding

The Scottish Government has announced £14.5 million of active travel projects across Wales.

The funding will improve and create active travel routes and facilities in Wales, as part of efforts to encourage more people to walk and cycle.

The Deputy Minister has called on local authorities to be radical and ambitious to create infrastructure enabling people to choose walking and cycling as the most natural way to undertake shorter journeys.

In total 66 active travel projects, as well as six multimodal schemes, will benefit.

Projects include £1,200,000 for Swansea Central Bridge; and £256,000 to improve cycle measures linking Flint Railway Station, Aber Industrial Estate, the Wales Coastal Path, route 5 of the National Cycle Network and Flint Castle.

£1,688,500 will go to Old Colwyn Promenade in Conwy to deliver improved active travel facilities while also protecting the infrastructure from being damaged or lost to coastal erosion.

The £14.5 million investment is part of the second round of capital funding from the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan (WIIP) this year. It brings the total grant funding the Welsh Government has allocated to active travel schemes in 2019/20 to more than £40 million.

Lee Waters, Deputy Economy and Transport Minister, said: "We are facing a climate emergency, an obesity epidemic and an air quality crisis – and active travel can help us address all of these.

"Across Wales we need to do things differently. I have been clear that we need to think big, show ambition and be radical. These projects are a step in the right direction to achieve the change we need, and we will continue to make significant investment to make active travel the obvious choice for more journeys in Wales."