A PROJECT to improve walking and cycling alongside the Avon Ring Road has been awarded a share of £3.5 million in funding for ‘active travel’ schemes in the region.
The West of England Combined Authority has allocated £50,000 to design better cycling routes, including improved lighting, alongside the Avon Ring Road between Bristol Parkway and the Bristol & Bath Science Park.
A further £230,000 will be spent on 21 new cycle hangars to provide lockable storage for up to 126 more bikes – adding to the 85, including 10 in South Gloucestershire, recently funded by the regional authority and installed by local councils.
There will be £1.3m available across the region for cycle training and maintenance, grants, and bike loan schemes for people who want to take up cycling;
Another £250,000 will be spent on six new Schools Streets where cars are banned during pick-up and drop-off times to make travelling to school on foot or two wheels safer for parents and children. Two of the School Streets will be in South Gloucestershire, but a council spokesperson said no decision has been taken yet on which schools will be involved.
Details of the A4174 design have also not yet been finalised, although the spokesperson said the scheme was not related to the work currently under construction between the Wick Wick roundabout and Abbey Wood.
Metro Mayor Helen Godwin said: “Walking, cycling, and wheeling are an important part of how people get around, with real health benefits.
“Getting the basics right now will lay the foundations for a better transport system overall for the West of England.
“We secured £752 million for that next stage in the recent Spending Review. That means that the West can get out of the slow lane on transport and start to catch up with other city-regions.”