Nearly half a million pounds for walking, cycling and wheeling in West Yorkshire

09 August 2024

Nearly £500,000 has been awarded by the Mayor of West Yorkshire to organisations supporting more people in their communities to walk, cycle and wheel.

Ten community groups received up to £50,000 each to help them become ‘walking and cycling hubs’.

The funding will be used to help these groups become one-stop shops for people to access everything they need to walk, cycle and wheel, including equipment, training and group activities, and advice and support on routes. 

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin awarded the money at an event at the Hollybush Conservation Centre in Kirkstall today (Friday 9^th August). 

She said: “We want to encourage more people to get around our region using healthy active travel choices. 

“Walking, cycling and wheeling as a way of getting around have so many benefits for health and wellbeing, as well as tackling the climate emergency, and these hubs in the heart of our communities will encourage more people to give active travel a go.

“This will help us build a greener and better-connected West Yorkshire.”

The organisations awarded funding include Streetbikes in Liversedge, The Conservation Volunteers at Hollybush Conservation Centre in Kirkstall, and the Unique Community Hub in Halifax.

These will add to the 14 already funded across the region as part of the active travel hubs initiative.

Áine Welsh, Senior Project Officer for Health and Wellbeing at Hollybush Conservation centre, said: “It’s not just about exercise. It’s about those wider health and wellbeing benefits; friendship, exploring new places, spending time with people and, of course, sharing a cup of tea together.

“Lots of different people attend – we decide on a route depending on who comes, and everyone can go at their own pace. 

“Everybody supports each other, everybody cares about each other. It’s a place where people can come and belong.” 

Alongside the active travel hubs network, over £100,000 will also be given to 23 groups via the Combined Authority’s community grants scheme.

These are grants of up to £5,000 each for projects focusing on overcoming specific barriers to walking and cycling in communities.

It is all part of the Combined Authority’s ongoing work to create a modern, greener, integrated transport network with a Mass Transit system, bus services being brought back under public control, and with greater walking and cycling facilities.

More information on walking, cycling and wheeling in West Yorkshire can be found at: https://www.cyclecityconnect.co.uk/