£4m boost for transport services

A £4.65 million funding package will allow new transport services in Warrington linking residential and employment areas and improving people’s access to the jobs market.
Warrington Borough Council was successful in its bid to secure money from the Department of Transport’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
It will allow the development of Warrington Sustainable Travel Triangle project over the next three years, until March 2015.
The successful bid will allow the project to be developed to connect residential and employment areas in the North West and North East with Warrington town centre through sustainable transport links. It will also support low carbon economic growth.
New services will include a new East-West bus service in North Warrington, creation of an East-West green corridor for cycling and investment in cycle routes and cycle hire at rail stations.
There will also be improved bus reliability and cycle access at key junctions, residential personalised travel planning and a travel planning package for businesses.
The money will be combined with other match funding from the council, Network Warrington and private sector partners to contribute to a £7m package of measures.
Cllr Linda Dirir, the council’s executive member for Highways, Transportation and Climate Change, said: “We are over the moon to have been successful in our bid.
“The schemes, including a new bus service linking across the north of the borough will increase travel horizons for many residents and help to connect people to job opportunities.”
External partners who committed funding to the bid are Network Warrington (£450,000 for purchase of buses plus costs of providing new livery and marketing for east-west bus service), United Utilities and Birchwood Park MEPC (Gold partners to the Travel Planning Package at £3250 each/ year) and University of Chester (Bronze partner to the Travel Planning Package at £550/year).
Funding and resources from the council and other partners has also been given.