Funding for new transport schemes in West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Combined Authority to invest £127m into sustainable transport and regeneration schemes. 

Members of the authority’s investment committee will consider various projects, including a £13.6m scheme in Wakefield city centre to deliver segregated cycling and walking infrastructure. 

A £14.47m package will be considered for York Rail Station. Plans for this scheme include cycle routes between the rail station and new cycle lanes and improved journey times. 

The meeting will also hear details of a £10m package of Emergency Active Travel Fund measures, which include trial walking and cycling infrastructure and behaviour change initiatives to help people move around the region safely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cllr Denise Jeffery, chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Investment Committee and Leader of Wakefield Council, said: ‘The Combined Authority is committed to leading the economic recovery from the pandemic and it is crucial we accelerate schemes to help create new employment opportunities and support supply industries — vital work, which will help pave a way forward for our region.

‘Building the future we want with a transport system fit for the 21st century is more important than ever, not only as we look to address the health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, but also in helping us achieve our aim of becoming a net-zero carbon economy by 2038.

‘We need to reduce car trips by 21% and increase cycling trips by 2,000%, walking trips by 78%, bus strips by 39% and rail trips by 53% if we are to achieve our ambitious net-zero targets in this time frame.’

Photo Credit – Pixabay