More than £1m boost for Hull’s cycle tracks

Hull City Council has been awarded £1.36m to improve the city’s cycling infrastructure.

The funds will help fast-track the authority’s plans to making key improvements to cycle routes across the city.

The money will also support the council’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure plan, designed to create more space for cyclists and clearly marking all cycling routes in green.

Councillor Daren Hale, portfolio holder for economic investment, regeneration and planning, said: “We welcome the announcement from the Department for Transport’s active travel grant.  This money will support the council’s plans to encourage more people to use cycling as a mode of transport, whilst keeping people safe as they choose to move around the city in the safest way possible.

“The city is experiencing a cycling renaissance and we want to make sure we can maintain that momentum.

“Hull currently sits at number eight in the top 10 league table for cycling to work, with eight per cent of our residents cycling to work, compared to just three per cent nationally. This is a league table we want to get to the top of and as an authority we will do all we can to sustain and encourage this trend going forward.”

Work to improve these routes will begin in June, with the council re-signing, relabelling and repairing and extend key cycling routes.

It was also announced on 21 May that Sculcoates Bridge will become a designated pedestrian and cyclist route as part the city’s commitment to encouraging greener forms of travel.

And earlier this month a city-wide programme to clean Hull’s cycle tracks began, taking in key routes including Stepney Lane, Wiltshire Road, Summergroves Way and Oak Road. The cleaning will take place on a three-week rota in a bid to encourage more cyclists to use the designated cycle routes.

Councillor Hale said: “We have the ambition to make Hull a cycling city, and this is why we are prioritising investment in cycle routes and infrastructure over the next two years.

“We recognise that by creating a public environment which encourages cycling will not only improve the health and wellbeing of our residents, but will ultimately help to reduce congestion on our roads.”