New funding will help Manchester businesses encourage active travel

A new £800,000 support package will help to boost sustainable travel in Greater Manchester. 

With lockdown now over and more people returning to the workplace, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has warned that an increase in car use and a decrease in public transport could lead to further congestion and air pollution issues across the region. 

In a bid to tackle this, TfGM has launched a new funding package to help businesses encourage sustainable travel.

The funding is split into two pots: 

• A £250,000 pot for SMEs with fewer than 250 staff for interventions such as cycle parking, pool bikes and charging or storage solutions 
• A £550,000 pot to help provide cycle parking for small businesses, NHS, Housing Associations and schools located within 400 metres of the Bee Network Cycling and Walking Schemes that are due to be delivered later this year

Alongside the extra funding, a new online portal will also be available to provide advice and resources to businesses and employers, this includes a live chat function to support businesses in travel planning options. 

Full details and application criteria are available via the portal.  

Elise Wilson, leader of Stockport Council said: ‘The last 16 months have been exceptionally tough for everyone, but it has given us the opportunity to reset our thinking on how, when and where people work and travel, to the benefit of all our residents and visitors.   

‘Congestion cost business in Greater Manchester £1.3bn before the pandemic and we really want to head off a car-led recovery and a return to that situation.

‘To do that we need to embed smarter ways of commuting that not only cut congestion and reduce the cost to business but have tangible health, wellbeing and productivity benefits. 

‘This is a great opportunity and I’d encourage people to visit the interactive portal and find out more about the available funding and what you can be doing for your staff, suppliers and customers.’  

Photo by Thomas Foster