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30
Jun
Mayor announces £4 million active travel fund
The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire has set up a £4 million active travel fund to encourage walking and cycling.
Labour mayor David Skaith has allocated the funding from the mayoral investment fund, which is worth £540 million over 30 years.
It will include the appointment of an active travel commissioner, who is expected to be appointed on a consultancy basis.
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority said the fund could be used for such initiatives as secure cycle parking, repairing or updating facilities and travel behaviour change schemes, such as School Streets.
Mr Skaith said:
Everyone should be able to enjoy walking, wheeling and cycling, but we need to work harder to make it the natural choice for more journeys.
We recently boosted existing projects with £20 million. Now we are recruiting a dedicated active travel commissioner and we’re doubling the funding available for new initiatives.
This isn't just about moving people around. It means affordable, sustainable choices for everyone, safer journeys to school, and reducing our environmental impact.
A report before the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority board today (June 30) said the fund will be used “to accelerate delivery of active travel solutions” over the next two-and-a-half years.
The report added that 30% of the fund will be used to support ongoing revenue funded activities and 70% will support capital investment.
Funding will be allocated over the next three financial years, with £500,000 in 2025/26 and £1,750,000 in each of 2026/27 and 2027/28.
‘It would not be my priority’
At a combined authority board meeting today, Cllr Gareth Dadd, Conservative executive councillor for finance at North Yorkshire Council, said, while he supported promoting active travel, it would not be a “priority” for him.
He said:
It would not be my priority, but I absolutely respect your position wanting to promote this agenda and we will do everything we can as a local authority to facilitate that.
But, I want it on public record that it is somewhat difficult at times for us given the financial outlook as an authority that we are facing. We have got a great long list, as you will know, of active travel schemes that we cannot fund either capital or revenue.
I very much hope that when we get a report back as to how it is going to be deployed that you will place great weight on the work that is already been done by the local authorities for achievable schemes that are going to support tangible outcomes.
Cllr Dadd also asked whether the active travel commissioner would be appointed through an external consultancy.
Mike Scott, transport lead at York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, confirmed that the authority was looking to “bring in somebody with expertise, probably through a consultancy arrangement”.
The Stray Ferret has asked the combined authority how much the commissioner will be paid.
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