£1m fund announced for Oxford sustainable transport

Oxfordshire county council has announced a boost to green transport in the county thanks to a £1 million investment through the local sustainable transport fund.

The UK government created the sustainable transport fund after the ‘creating growth, cutting carbon’ white paper in 2011, which aimed to cut carbon emissions along with helping local economies.

Many councils across the UK have benefitted from the fund and the successful bid from Oxfordshire county council means they will receive £1 million to help improve sustainable transport around the county.

Some areas of investment include, enhancing public transport between Didcot station and high employment areas, improving bus routes, a new cycle hire scheme and delivering a wheels to work scheme aimed to help young people who are not in education, training or employment.

Some of the money will also go towards improving the Science Vale cycle network. Science Vale is a ‘hotspot’ of enterprise and innovation in southern Oxfordshire so this investment hopes to improve the local economy along with cutting harmful emissions.

County councillor David Nimmo Smith, cabinet member for transport, said, “This is really good news and means that we can develop some really worthwhile projects which will contribute to the success of the area.

“The money will all go towards sustainable transport and making alternatives to the car more feasible and attractive for the growing number of people that will be working there.”

The investment follows the announcement of a government local growth deal to provide funds to Oxfordshire local enterprise partnership to help local projects.

The £108.6 million fund for Oxfordshire aims to build on links between industry and academic research. It is said to have the potential to create 5,700 jobs and build 4,000 new homes in the county.

The local growth fund will go towards improving the county’s transport infrastructure, improved flood protection and money for University of Oxford scientific development.

Photo: Tejvan Pettinger via Flickr

Further reading:

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