Cash boost is a 'huge signal' for active travel in Dearne Valley

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority has secured a total of £4.86m from the government agency Active Travel England, with £3.36 million allocated for improvements to walking, wheeling and cycling, a nearly £1million investment in bike hire, training and maintenance, and half a million to run an e-bike loan scheme, helping people in the region to get around more.

SYMCA is one of only a handful of authorities in England to receive the e-bike funding.

The quarter-of-a-million pound package for Bolton-on-Dearne is for the Active Travel Links scheme improve walking, wheeling and cycling routes to schools, alongside a similar scheme in Athersley which has been awarded £161,863.

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said:“If we are going to give people the freedom and choice to move more and move differently, we need the funding to improve not just infrastructure but offer the training, skills and support for people who want to make that change for themselves.

“This is a huge signal that we are now making real progress, and important partners like Active Travel England are beginning to see that too.”

South Yorkshire’s active travel commissioner Ed Clancy added: “Active Travel England’s funding will help us build on the transformative plans we are already taking forward to create a revised strategic vision for walking, wheeling and cycling in South Yorkshire with real people at the heart of our new network plan.