Work is set to begin on a proposed 600km network of cycling and walking routes, after the Combined Authority agreed £8.3m funding for the first 55km phase.

The proposed network will upgrade more than 30 key routes over the next ten years.  It will cover the whole city region, improving links to the public transport network and between residential areas, employment, training and retail sites.

Meanwhile, work is already underway on bidding for funding for the next phase of the network with the launch of a questionnaire on people’s cycling and walking habits to help shape what a wider network would look like. It can be accessed here.

Speaking following the announcement, Steve Rotheram, said:

“We are at a pivotal stage in transforming provision for cycling and walking. Getting the infrastructure right to make it a real choice for more people means less congestion, cleaner air and better health.

“There are also wider benefits to the economy. Safe, pleasant cycling and walking areas, linking well to public transport and key locations, help create those places where people want to live, work and invest.

“We can’t transform the situation overnight, but devolution gives us the powers to plan strategically to improve facilities for walking and cycling across the city region, putting our investment in the right places so we can make a difference.”

This first 55km phase of the network is expected to be completed by the end of 2020, with each local authority responsible for the works in their area. Funding for the project comes from the European Regional Development Fund’s Sustainable Urban Development.