£266 million investment in local sustainable transport schemes
£266 million additional funding to support authorities in delivering local economic growth whilst cutting carbon emissions.
I am pleased to announce today (27 June 2012) that I am awarding a further £266 million to support authorities in delivering local economic growth whilst cutting carbon emissions from transport. This funding unlocks further local funding sources to deliver £460 million investment in local sustainable transport schemes.
Today’s announcement (27 June 2012) is the third and final instalment of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, which is now delivering over £1 billion investment in sustainable travel across England, and demonstrating that economic growth and carbon reduction go hand in hand. To facilitate today’s announcements, I have secured an additional £40 million for the fund, on top of the original £560 million allocation.
On 20 December 2011, the department received 13 business cases for large projects for the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
I have decided to announce £225 million for 12 large projects today, and I have also reserved up to £5 million funding for a small project from Tyne and Wear ITA, which my officials will progress with officers from Tyne and Wear during the coming weeks. The list of decisions made today regarding large projects is attached.
On 24 February 2012, the department received 53 small project bids to Tranche 2. On 24 May 2012 I announced £113 million to fund 30 small projects, and I am today committing a further £41 million to fund 15 more. The list of decisions made today regarding the remaining Tranche 2 bids is also attached.
I am very pleased that every single eligible local authority across England has applied for funding to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, either as a lead bidder, or as a partner authority to a large project. The fund has been well received by local government and I am confident that it will be effective in addressing the two key objectives of creating growth and cutting carbon.
All projects were assessed against published criteria. Successful projects were those judged to perform well against the twin objectives of supporting the local economy and facilitating economic development, while reducing carbon emissions. They also demonstrated potential to deliver wider social and economic benefits, to improve safety, to bring about improvements to air quality, or to promote increased levels of physical activity.
All large projects included a full economic appraisal based on the department’s WebTAG guidance. The vast majority of funded large projects offer at least high value for money, with several offering very high value for money.
Large projects
Projects approved for funding
| Local authority | LSTF project name | DfT funding 2012-15 (£ million) |
|---|---|---|
| North East | ||
| Tyne and Wear ITA 2 | Addressing the barriers that transport creates to economic growth and accessing employment | Up to 5.000 |
| North West | ||
| Merseyside ITA 1 | Supporting sustainable access to opportunity in Merseyside | 19.990 |
| Transport for Greater Manchester 1 | Let’s Get to Work | 32.460 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | ||
| South Yorkshire ITA | A sustainable journey to work | 24.598 |
| East Midlands | ||
| Nottingham City Council 1 | Nottingham urban area LSTF main bid | 10.320 |
| West Midlands | ||
| Centro 1 | Smart network, smarter choices | 33.218 |
| Telford and Wrekin Council 1 | Telford future – local action for sustainable growth | 6.100 |
| East of England | ||
| Hertfordshire County Council 1 | Big Herts big ideas | 9.679 |
| South East | ||
| Reading Borough Council 1 | Targeting travel choice transitions | 20.692 |
| Surrey County Council 1 | Surrey travel SMART | 14.304 |
| Transport for South Hampshire | A better connected south Hampshire: supporting growth, reducing carbon, improving health | 17.839 |
| South West | ||
| Bournemouth Borough Council (South East Dorset) 1 | South east Dorset sustainable travel package – 'the 3 towns corridor' | 12.122 |
| Bristol City Council 1 | West of England sustainable transport (WEST) | 24.035 |
1 Partial funding approved
2 Funding for a revised small project proposal from Tyne and Wear ITA, based on elements of their large project business case, has also been retained, and will be awarded pending a successful revised small project application
Tranche 2
Projects approved for funding
| Local authority | LSTF project name | DfT funding 2012-15 (£m) |
|---|---|---|
| North east | ||
| Middlesbrough Council | Sustainable Middlesbrough – a place for business | 1.210 |
| North west | ||
| Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 1 | BwD CONNECT Project | 1.452 |
| St Helens Council | Mid Mersey sustainable cross boundary links | 3.120 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | ||
| North Yorkshire County Council 1 | (1) Harrogate and Knaresborough sustainable transport package (2) boosting the tourism economy in Whitby and the Esk Valley 1.653 | 3.661 |
| East Midlands | ||
| Rutland County Council 1 | Travel4Rutland | 4.016 |
| West Midlands | ||
| Stoke-on-Trent City Council (combined with joint bid with Staffordshire County Council) | Stoking employment in North Staffordshire (a combination of ‘Stoking Employment’ and ‘North Staffordshire sustainable transport package’) | 4.961 |
| East of England | ||
| Bedford Borough Council 1 | Access to stations | 4.803 |
| South east | ||
| East Sussex County Council 1 | East Sussex Coastal Towns – better travel to work & education | 2.206 |
| East Sussex County Council 1 | Travel choices for Lewes | 1.571 |
| Hampshire County Council 1 | Sustainable transport solutions for England’s 2 newest National Parks | 3.810 |
| Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead 1 | Sustainable growth for Maidenhead | 1.956 |
| West Sussex County Council 1 | West Sussex sustainable travel towns | 2.346 |
| South west | ||
| Wiltshire Council | Improving Wiltshire’s rail offer | 4.250 |
1 Partial funding approved
Projects refused funding
| Local authority | LSTF project name |
|---|---|
| East of England | |
| Norfolk County Council | Connecting Norfolk to growth |
| South east | |
| West Berkshire Council | ‘Connecting west Berkshire’ – keeping our economy and people moving |
| South west | |
| Somerset County Council | Two Moors sustainable visitor travel project |