Large urban areas are being invited to bid to become England’s first sustainable travel city, transport minister Paul Clark announced.

Up to £29M will be invested in at least one of the country’s largest cities over the next three years to encourage more sustainable travel choices. It follows the success of the Department for Transport's sustainable travel towns – Darlington, Peterborough and Worcester – which have seen car use fall by up to 9%, walking increase by up to 14% and cycling increase at least 12% over the last five years.

The minister said: ‘Our sustainable travel towns have proved that, with the right information and improved facilities, we can make a real difference to how people travel.

‘The opportunity to become England’s first sustainable travel city will be a chance to see these benefits on a much larger scale.’
The chosen city will introduce strategies to build on existing work, such as: work or school travel planning; car share and club schemes; dedicated bus routes; cycling/pedestrian routes; and 20mph zones.

The nine areas eligible for funding are Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, Merseyside, West of England (Bristol), Nottingham and Leicester.