TfGM awarded £1m grant to boost active travel

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has been awarded a grant of £1 million from The London Marathon Charitable Trust to get more people walking and cycling. 

TfGM will use the grant towards supporting around 10,000 people in up to 60 communities across Greater Manchester to become more active and travel sustainably around the city.

TfGM conducted research which has also shown that 55% of Greater Manchester residents want to become more physically active, and 70% would like to walk or cycle more but don’t feel safe or confident enough to.

The project aims to support 10,000 inactive residents to become more active through walking and cycling, via the development of an Active Travel Community Toolkit. 

The Toolkit which will include a range of resources will allow around 60 communities to choose a combination of support that will help them travel more actively and to make positive changes to current travel facilities within their local areas.

The grant will also allow up to 60 Community Travel Champions to be trained to provide knowledge and a focus for active travel within communities.

Sir Rodney Walker, chairman of The London Marathon Charitable Trust, said: “In 2020, more than ever, we have learnt how important it is to be physically fit and active.

“By awarding this grant to TfGM we hope that thousands of people who, for whatever reason, have not been able to exercise regularly will now be able to build physical activity into their daily routine.”

The project will run for three years from September 2020 through to September 2023.