The Government has confirmed funding totalling £30m for councils to improve road and cycle safety in towns and villages along the HS2 route between London and the West Midlands.
The funding for 13 areas along the Phase One route of the new rail line was announced by rail minister Paul Maynard.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said the cash can be used for traffic calming measures, safer pedestrian crossings or safer junctions for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers.
It said the announcement highlights the Government’s determination to ensure that HS2 is more than a new railway but will be a catalyst for economic growth, driving regeneration as well as improving the transport landscape around the track.
Mr Maynard said: ‘This significant investment will mean a legacy of road and cycle safety improvements for people who live and work along the HS2 route between London and the West Midlands.
‘HS2 will become the backbone of our national rail network – supporting growth and regeneration and helping us build a Britain fit for the future. As part of Europe’s biggest infrastructure project, we are minimising the effects of building the new railway as much as possible.'
HS2 chief executive Mark Thurston said: ‘Safety, environmental protection and being sensitive to the impact of our work on local communities are at the heart of HS2’s approach to construction.
‘That’s why we welcome today’s announcement and we look forward to working with local highways authorities along the route. We all have a responsibility to ensure that the new funding leaves a positive local legacy of improved road safety for communities once HS2 is complete.'
The DfT said authorities must ensure that improvements leave a lasting legacy of road safety.
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