Hyslop welcomes £641,500 funding from the Government’s ambitious ‘Spaces for People’ Initiative. This funding will help normalize the increasing number of people walking or cycling in West Lothian.
In partnership with Sustrans Scotland, the SNP Government has now awarded nearly £30 million to pop-up infrastructure projects across the country to encourage temporary active travel routes that enable physical distancing during lockdown.
The fund aims to support the rapid increase in active travel rates in recent months and encourage more Scots to continue walking or cycling in the future – which in turn helps to manage demand on our public transport network.
Fiona commented:
‘I am very pleased that West Lothian will benefit from the ‘Spaces for People’ initiative and I hope it will encourage local people to incorporate walking and cycling into their everyday journeys and lives’
‘Sustrans Scotland has, previously, played an important role in supporting West Lothian’s cycling network. In particular, around the new development at Winchburgh and the new cycling path linking Whitburn and Armadale. This funding for future work is very welcome’
‘I’m looking forward to seeing West Lothian Council put this funding to good use so West Lothian has more options for active travel, and hopefully it encourages more people to walk or cycle’
John Lauder, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Sustrans and Executive Director for Scotland said:
“Giving people safe space in which to physically distance while they get about their day by walking, wheeling and cycling is vitally important as we look to normalise the increasing rate of people travelling actively.
“The fast pace of delivery and the quick uptake by local authorities and other statutory bodies in utilising the Spaces for People funding is testament to the appetite in Scotland to make walking, wheeling and cycling as safe as possible.
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