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13
Nov 2020
Government awards North Yorkshire £1 million for walking and cycling
The government has awarded North Yorkshire more than £1 million as part of plans to encourage more walking and cycling.
The funding is part of a five-year, £2 billion programme by the Department for Transport.
It has awarded £19 million of that sum to councils in Yorkshire. North Yorkshire County Council will be given £1,011,750 as part of the deal.
In the Harrogate district, Oatlands Drive, Victoria Avenue and the A59 connecting Starbeck to Knaresborough by Maple Close could benefit from the funding.
The government said the funding was aimed at creating measures to support walking and cycling, such as segregated cycle lanes, closing off streets around schools and improvements for pedestrians.
Read more:
Growing frustration in Harrogate’s cycling community
Could cars be banned outside primary schools in Harrogate?
Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, said:
The county council made a second bid for £1 million worth of funding in August amid criticism it was not ambitious enough in the first phase.
In the first wave of emergency funding, the authority received £133,000 from government - half the potential amount available.
As part of the second bid, the county council outlined five roads it intended to improve with walkways and segregated cycle lanes.
Three roads in Harrogate were put forward, including Oatlands Drive, Victoria Avenue and the A59 connecting Starbeck to Knaresborough by Maple Close.
'Excellent news'
Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access at the county council, welcomed the further funding.
He said:
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