Welsh Government announces funding for active travel on Clean Air Day

Welsh deputy climate change minister Lee Waters has confirmed that more than £58m will be invested into ways to help people choose to walk and cycle for local journeys.

The funding will be used for new and improved active travel routes across Wales, with the construction of 37 new active travel routes and the detailed development of a further 22. There will also be 30 local authority Safe Routes in Communities schemes, with £3m for the Strategic Road Network.

Visiting Flintshire to see the new Sandy Lane to Saltney Ferry active travel route, Waters said: "Walking and cycling provides a practical and vital response to help Wales meet its environmental and health targets.

"The Active Travel (Wales) Act puts pressure on us to deliver on high-quality active travel networks that encourage more and more people to regularly walk and cycle for journeys instead of using a car.

"Today’s funding is another substantial investment that will help us deliver ambitious plans across Wales that have all been designed to connect people with where they love and where they need to go."

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetscene and the regional transport strategy, Councillor Dave Hughes said: "I am delighted to receive confirmation of Welsh Government’s further funding for two very important Safe Routes in Communities schemes which aim to improve accessibility within Holywell and Flint. With these proposals we aim to improve conditions for walking and cycling by reducing traffic speeds, improving pedestrian priority and widening footways. With the addition of green infrastructure these areas will provide an attractive and safe environment, encouraging more people to walk and cycle more frequently."

Image by Mabel Amber from Pixabay