East Sussex County Council have announced that The Department for Transport have awarded it funding of £684,000 as part of its 2015 – 2016 Local Sustainable Transport Fund aimed at supporting local economic growth, improving health and cutting congestion and carbon to provide environmental benefits.
Eastbourne is set to benefit with the development of a Cycle Hub, support for the East Sussex Wheels 2 Work scheme – which loans out electric cycles as well as scooters and motorcycles, and funding for the Sustrans Bike It Programme and the Smarter Business Travel project, which is working with schools and businesses and organisations offering training and opportunities that also include cycling.
There is no mention specific of a Cycle Hub in the bid so this could be the previously announced Cycle Hub that Southern were awarded funding for to upgrade the cycle facilities at Eastbourne railway station.
The Bid Summary
East Sussex’s Growth Corridors – Better Ways to Work & Education is ready to deliver a seamless and focussed programme of revenue based sustainable travel measures from April 2015. Supporting local economic growth, it will build on and enhance the existing LSTF programme, continuing to enable realistic, achievable and attractive ‘door to door’ sustainable travel options for people commuting for work, education and training. It will complement and maximise the investment in capital transport infrastructure being delivered in the growth corridors/areas of Newhaven, Eastbourne/South Wealden and Bexhill/Hastings. By maximising proven benefits of the existing Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) projects, capitalising on new partnerships with the Business, Community and Voluntary Sector, this extended programme will produce a benefit:cost ratio (BCR) on the level of investment sought from the LSTF of 5.49 (Very High), economic benefits of £4,008,435 to deliver a reduction of 12,329,900 vehicle kilometres, and a reduction of carbon emissions by 2,552 tonnes in the growth corridors/ areas over the programme period.
