UK councils have secured almost £21 million of government funding to advocate green forms of transport, says the Department for Transport.
The cash injection will go towards council projects aimed at reducing the number of cars on the roads by improving transport services.
The aim of the project is to reduce emissions and congestion, while creating a transport infrastructure that will encourage sustainable and healthy travel.
Among the measures set out in the scheme are workplace travel plans with large employers, personalised journey planning and supporting children and parents walking to school.
Robert Goodwill, Transport Minister, said that more green transport will reduce congestion and improve air quality, particularly in cities.
He said that the green travel schemes that are to be introduced will make a big difference to the community and added that the Government’s £21 million funding throughout England indicates their commitment to improving life quality through transport.
The Department for Transport said that the successful bidders were selected for offering the cheapest and cleanest travel options for their communities.
The department added that its commitment to greener forms of transport has seen over £300 million pledged to support walking and cycling over the course of this parliament and that their £6 billion input will provide local road maintenance for the next five years.
This, they said, will ensure well-surfaced cycle paths and roads, meanwhile the Government aims to make almost all cars and vans emission-free by 2050.
The Government added that it has already plunged £2 billion into green transport schemes over the course of the last five years, including the funding of thousands of low-emissions buses across the country.
Among the successful bidders for this round of government funding were Sheffield, Bristol, the North East, Portsmouth and Birmingham, which has been given £2.48 million for its ‘Walk To’ travel scheme aimed at promoting sustainable transport.

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